Procurement of Diesel Railcars for Hachinohe Line

[cteno4]

From profit of the way on jr forum

 

JR East has recently announced that it will procure 18 cars for the Hachinohe Line through a competitive bidding process, replace aging kiha 40/48 dmus. big change to open up to outsiders!

 

From jr east:

 

East Japan Railway Company (“JR East”) hereby announces the open tender for the procurement of diesel railcars for the Hachinohe Line as follows (the set of procedures for the procurement of diesel railcars for the Hachinohe Line through this open tender is hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Procurement”):

 

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/data/pdf/20141128_e_procurement.pdf

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/data/procurement/

 

Railways derailing EU-Japan talks?

Sept. 17 2014

http://www.euractiv.com/sections/transport/railways-derailing-eu-japan-talks-308414

[bikkuri bahn]

from an earlier thread:

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/8875-possible-scoop-jr-east-to-request-tenders-for-new-rolling-stock-for-hachinohe-line/?hl=%2Bpossible+%2Bscoop

[bikkuri bahn]

Another article:

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/asia/jr-east-issues-open-tender-for-hachinohe-line-trains.html

[Densha]

I like how the tender included a picture of the E130 with this mentioning:

"This train photograph is just an image of one of diesel railcars which is produced based on the specification of diesel railcars for Hachinohe Line for your information. In the Procurement, JR East does not necessarily require the same diesel railcar as that in this photograph."

 

But at the same time that is the only train that is readily available that fits this tender. Wouldn't this description be more appropriate in that case:

"This train photograph is an image of the diesel railcar on which the specification of diesel railcars for the Hachinohe Line is based on. In the Procurement, JR East does require the same diesel railcar as that in this photograph."

 

 

Other manufacturers make no chance... not that I care though and I can understand why JR East did it like this because they want to keep everything in Japan which I can't blame them for.

[kvp]

JR East does not necessarily require the same diesel railcar as that in this photograph.

This is true, they already have that one in service. They only require the same type from the same manufacturer. Otherwise the process is open, but there is no european manufacturer who could compete. Actually there is no off the shelf cape gauge dmu manufacturer outside Japan.

[trainsforever8]

Hmm, I hope that Japanese Railway companies will not start ordering foreign trains, plus I understand why they don't : It's useless. They have many companies within their own country that make trains, so why would they have to order foreign trains from Europe/North America? Plus they would have to be shipped and stuff, it would be complicated, and with the lack of land space, I don't think that Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens ect.. can build a new plant there.

Edited December 4, 2014 by trainsforever8

[bikkuri bahn]

It's essentially to head off EU claims the Japanese rolling stock market is "closed"- by providing specific requirements/standards (which by the way seem reasonable, as they are what domestic manufacturers are held to).  They are saying to the Big 3- OK, here you go, give it your best shot if you are really serious about supplying the large (but in the long term shrinking) Japanese rolling stock market.

 

One thing about "off the shelf" rolling stock- it doesn't prevent the Big 3 from designing rolling stock for the UK market, which I think presents bigger challenges in its much smaller loading gauge. 

 

Another aim to is to shake up the domestic manufacturers and provide price competition- as the current choice of products is small.

[trainsforever8]

I see, however, what did you mean about the "shrinking Japanese rolling stock market"? Is it that with population decline, it is expected that less trains will be built? I know that Tokyo is still bound to get more population even though the country's population is shrinking

[railsquid]

 and with the lack of land space, I don't think that Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens ect.. can build a new plant there.

 

Contrary to popular opinion, there's plenty enough land about, even some which is flat and available for development. Not necessarily in the major urban centres, but I'm sure if you go looking, plenty of places especially in Tohoku and Hokkaido will have something available at reasonable prices.

[trainsforever8]

That's true, I was only thinking of Tokyo I guess haha

[katoftw]

Yes Japan surprizely isn't lost for space outside it's major cities.

[kvp]

 

One thing about "off the shelf" rolling stock- it doesn't prevent the Big 3 from designing rolling stock for the UK market, which I think presents bigger challenges in its much smaller loading gauge. 

The japanse and british loading gauges are around the same, including the curved sides caused by the old high platform standard. The problem is that while you can just add an existing standard gauge power bogie under a british emu/dmu, you can't do that with a japanese one. Most post war european sales went to standard gauge networks or contained only propulsion control parts and other non gaugue specific equipment. The UK market is also small. It isn't a surprise that lately only japanese companies are winning the bids, since they are the only ones who have the technology off the shelf. Modifiying a desiro uk to meet the japanese standards wouldn't be easy and they would need to develop a whole new cape gauge power/trailer bogie set for a total production run of 18 cars. When we remove all operators who have in house factories, the remaining market for new trains is tiny and most local operators order what their next door big company orders.

 

Also, essentially Japan has only four main passenger train categories remaining:

-commuter emus (including metro cars)

-suburban dmus

-low floor trams (built with european licences)

-shinkansens

And each category in each region has one basic type in production that can be used for every purpose.

[Mudkip Orange]

If the Zuid Afrikaans had spec'ed out a new 1067 design for the Pretoria/Joburg/Tambo system, that might've been a contender. Alas they chose to build the system as 1435 and run electrostars on it. I kinda suspect there were class/cultural issues there... they don't necessarily want the Gautrain stations hosting the sort of folk who ride the 1067 network.