Hokuriku Shinkansen test running in JR West territory begins

[JR 500系]

This is an interesting thread! Lots of information here ~

[Ronny]

So Hokuriku Shinkansen is not connected with Shinkansen network?

[disturbman]

Oh! I see. The whole JR East/JR West thing is adding a layer of operational complexities. I had not taken notice we were only talking about JR West operations. Which explain why they are only testing the line from Itoigawa to Kanazawa, and not the line in its entirety. Anyone knows what is going on JR East side?

[miyakoji]

How much of the line southwest of Kanazawa exists?

 

Did they make a decision on the path of the section between Tsuruga and Osaka?

[Densha]

One strange thing in disturbman's theory is that it's JR East's test train so either they have shipped it by truck to the JR West section (unlikely) or it is connected after all.

[disturbman]

Wikipedia (which looks quite up-to-date):

 

Test-running on the JR East section of the line between Nagano and Kurobe-Unazukionsen commenced on 1 December 2013, initially at low speeds using the "East i" test train. From 6 December, test-running commenced using 10-car E2 series trainsets, with running speeds gradually increased to the full line speed of 260 km/h. Test-running continued until the end of March 2014. Test-running on the entire line between Nagano and Kanazawa (Hakusan Depot) started on 1 August 2014, using the "East i" test train. Test-running using W7 series trains commenced on 5 August 2014, initially at low speed, on the JR West section between Kanazawa and Jōetsumyōkō.

 

Obviously, the line is physically connected to the Nagano Shinkansen and usable. From what I can see, it is the plant where the train sets are produced that is disconnected from the Shinkansen network, not the new line.

[Sacto1985]

I believe that the Hokuriku Shinkansen line from Nagano to Jōetsumyōkō is now fully certified for 260 km/h operations. Operations beyond Jōetsumyōkō to Kanazawa is not yet fully certified for 260 km/h operations, but will likely be so by (probably middle to late September 2014). Once that happens, both E7 and W7 trainsets will start full length test operations from Nagano to Kanazawa until March 2015, when regular revenue begins.