JR West to test FGT bogie starting next month at Tsuruga

[bikkuri bahn]

JR West announced Wednesday that a free gauge train test facility will be set up next month, to test feasibility of FGT bogies in winter weather such as encountered in the Hokuriku region.  A 180m long wheel gauge changing device will be built within the Tsuruga Station area.  Initially only bogies with a weighted assembly attached will be used, but a 6 car FGT prototype is planned to be produced within 2 years, which will allow testing on both the Hokuriku Shinkansen and zairaisen lines.

 

Asahi article, note the video of the gauge changing device:

http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASG9K5G9LG9KPTIL01L.html

[miyakoji]

What's the situation with the western portion of the Hokuriku shinkansen? Have they committed to building 1435mm track, or are they looking to avoid that with gauge changing cars?

[bikkuri bahn]

The plan is to extend the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tsuruga by 2025.  Beyond that is still up in the air.  As a stopgap, rather than having passengers change to a zairaisen relay train at Tsuruga, one option is to have these FGT make through runs (though where they will originate on the shinkanen portion of the route is another thing to ponder, or perhaps coupled to an E7 `a la mini-shinkansen, platform length permitting).

Edited September 18, 2014 by bikkuri bahn