Must-see Railway News: The First Half of 2023

NHK covers various railway-related news stories from across Japan.

In today's program, we take a look at railway news from the first half of 2023.

First up for 2023 is news about special New-Year trains.

On January 1, Sanriku Railway in Iwate Prefecture ran a special "viewing" train to watch the first sunrise of the year.

This train has run every year on New Year's Day since 2015.

On the morning of the 1st, the train carrying 22 passengers stops on the tracks overlooking the Pacific Ocean to await the sunrise.

Thick clouds lay heavy on the horizon, but the sun gradually broke through the clouds

to the delight of the passengers who took photos to commemorate the New Year.

Cheers!

I'm glad I got to see the sunrise.

This year, I plan to take on each task
as it comes, one by one.

I'm so happy. The sunrise was really beautiful.

I hope it's a year of leaps and bounds, with
many new experiences along the way.

On January 16, JR Freight unveiled a special wrapped diesel locomotive that's used to pull freight trains

between Inazawa City in Aichi Prefecture and Yokkaichi City in Mie Prefecture.

The locomotive was named "Ai-Me" for Aichi and Mie Prefectures.

The opening ceremony was attended by local preschool children who came to celebrate the completion of the locomotive.

The black silhouette on the car body depicts a freight train, a petrochemical plant in Yokkaichi,

and the cityscape of Nagoya, including Nagoya Castle and the TV Tower.

Through these efforts, JR Freight hopes to raise awareness of the freight trains that support logistics.

On January 28, a departure ceremony was held at Abashiri Station for the tourist train

"Ryuhyo Monogatari" which started operation on the JR Senmo Main Line.

Ryuhyo Monogatari" is a two-car train.

The yellow car depicts different animals against a background of drift ice and tundra.

The green car depicts the bounty of the forest and farmlands.

The train departs Abashiri Station with around 50 passengers onboard.

They enjoy views of the Sea of Okhotsk and the snowy landscape from the train, taking pictures at stations along the way.

We came to watch the drift ice from the train.
Unfortunately, we couldn't see it today.

The train made two round trips every day until February 26.

On February 12, Kurobe Gorge Railway in Toyama Prefecture

that operates a famous trolley train ran a special limited tour during the winter off-season.

The 1.2-kilometer round trip takes about 20 minutes on the trolley train.

The passengers enjoy views of the snowy-mountain landscape.

The blue sky, the red bridge, and the
crystal clear water were all beautiful.

The view is different to the spring and summer.
I'm glad I could see it in my lifetime.

Limited to a total of 10 days, the tour ran on weekends and holidays from February to March, with 4 trips per day.

On April 19, the tourist train "Ametuchi" ran on the JR Kisuki Line

between Shimane and Hiroshima prefectures for the first time.

The popular "Okuizumo-orochi" tourist train has been running on the Kisuki Line since 1998,

however, due to its age, this year will be its last year in operation.

Following negotiations between the local government and JR, the "Ametuchi" tourist train,

which has been operating on the JR San'in Main Line, will officially begin operation on the Kisuki Line from next year.

Today is the trains first test ride on the Kisuki Line.

Local government leaders from along the line and members of the local tourist association enjoy the view

while tasting special bento boxes which will be sold to passengers made from local produce.

We would like to offer tours with different options.

By advancing tourism, we hope
to help the whole community.

On June 16, Hakone Tozan Railway in Kanagawa Prefecture began operating a special night train,

inviting passengers to enjoy the colorful hydrangeas illuminated along the line.

Carrying passengers invited by lottery, this special hydrangea-night-viewing train was run to commemorate it's return

to service following damage sustained by a typhoon in 2019 and the subsequent pandemic.

Close enough to touch, the colorful hydrangeas lit-up along the line were a beautiful sight.

So pretty!

Wonderful!

We've been looking forward to this event.
We hope everyone enjoys it.

This train ran until July 2.

There it goes again!

On June 25, Ueda Electric Railway in Nagano Prefecture offered children the chance

to experience working on a chartered train in return for the Hometown Tax Donation.

This Donation system allows people to donate to local governments they support.

In return, they receive special gifts from the region.

On this day, a family who donated to Ueda city have come to enjoy the experience gift.

It is offered by the railway to the city free of charge.

First, they take a tour of the garage.

From up high, they observe the pantograph being raised.

Then, they are given a detailed explanation of the vehicle's mechanics and operation.

This is the control unit that sends electricity
to the motors which move the train.

They even get to go under one of the cars to see what's underneath the rolling stock up close.

- Brakes!
- That's right, they're disc brakes.

Then comes the main part of the work experience: a ride on a chartered train.

The children enter the driver's cab where the driver teaches them how to operate the levers.

And they learn how to open and close the doors.

Please stand clear of the opening doors.

We're now departing!

Finally, the train departs.

Sitting next to the driver, the children enjoy looking out the front window of the driver's cab.

The new bridge, which was rebuilt two years ago, is also very impressive when viewed from the front window.

The family love every minute of the 45-minute round-trip on the chartered train.

I had fun making the announcements.

I got a ticket key holder.

I wanted them to experience firsthand
all the different people

involved in the services we benefit
from every day.

For the return gift, we thought an interactive experience
for children would be a good idea.

We wanted to offer something unique that
might not be possible at a larger company.

Ueda Electric Railway plans to continue its "chartered train work experience" to help revitalize the region.

There've been very few railway events or special trains during the pandemic, but now they're making a great comeback.

- Ryo does that mean that the railway industry in Japan is showing signs of recovery?
- Definitely so.

You know there are many in the railway industry who argue that the likes of congestion

during the morning peak hours in Tokyo would never come back.

But I think that even that kind of thing might come back, and there is ample possibility that the demands

for the Shinkansen or other long distance express trains would actually surpass what use to be before the pandemic.

So I think this is a good chance for many railway operators to go on

with that kind of events to attract more passengers or more tourists to their region.

Mentioning events in region, I really enjoyed the work experience on their chartered train,

that family looked like they had a lot of fun the children learned a lot and who knows they might have inspired the future conductor.

Or even future engineers or even future president of the company.

Yes, let's hope so.

And this kind of inspiring events I think this kind of thing should continue,

and I do hope that the operators would continue on with this kind of events to inspire the younger generations.

Next, let's check out a new train and some new railway initiatives.

On February 2, JR West unveiled a new train car.

The new train, Urara, has been in service since July 22 on four sections in Okayama and eastern Hiroshima prefectures.

The train features a stainless-steel exterior with pink accent colors inspired by peaches and roses, which are specialties of the region.

Inside, large windows and LED lighting make the interior bright and airy.

For extra safety, an emergency brake system has been installed that stops the train

if the driver removes his or her hand from the lever for a certain period of time.

And, with accessibility in mind, there is space for wheelchairs and strollers, as well as a large wheelchair-accessible restroom.

The train was newly-created from a concept.

It's the branch's first new car in 20 years.

Our employees and everyone along the line
have been looking forward to it.

We are currently preparing for its debut.

On February 21, JR Kyushu conducted a logistics test using the Kyushu Shinkansen.

200 boxes of fresh fish, unloaded in the morning and stacked on the platform

at Kagoshima-chuo Station, are carried onto the train one after another.

The purpose of the test is to show that bonito and other fish from Kagoshima Prefecture can be transported fresh to Fukuoka Prefecture.

In the logistics industry, there are concerns that freight numbers will drop

as a result of labor shortages following stricter regulations on truck-driver overtime set to take effect in 2024.

In light of this, JR Kyushu is working with Kagoshima Prefecture to develop a logistics network using the Shinkansen.

We believe this initiative will allow
people to enjoy

the excellence of Kagoshima's
fresh produce.

The cargo, loaded onto the train in Kagoshima, arrives in Fukuoka City about an hour and a half later.

By midday, it's being sold as sashimi in the "fresh fish" corner of supermarkets.

I'm jealous. The bonito got to ride
the shinkansen before me.

I'll have it tonight.

We transported 200 boxes today, which is around
the carrying capacity of a 4-ton truck.

It's an environmentally friendly
freight alternative.

Of course, costs differ from road freight, and
loading and unloading are labor intensive

but we hope to improve these areas through digitalization
and the use of automated robots etc.,

which will make logistics smoother.

JR Kyushu will evaluate the test and address any issues before proceeding with a full-scale operation.

On February 28, a safety training session was held on a special train to teach

the visually impaired and train operators about the dangers of trains and stations.

The safety training, which was held by Tobu Railway in cooperation

with a group of visually impaired people, was conducted on a special train.

The train makes a stop at a Tobu Railway depot where participants use

the emergency ladder to get down onto the tracks, simulating an evacuation.

They also learn how to cross at a level crossing when the barrier is down.

Being blind, I'm afraid to walk
alone. I learned a lot.

Arriving at Tobu-utsunomiya Station, around 40 students from a local school for the visually impaired join the group.

To understand the danger of falling off the platform, participants go down onto the tracks

and touch the platform to check how high it is about 1.1 meters high.

We have to work together with the railway.
If we don't, it can be very difficult.

It was a great experience.

We learned to support the visually impaired in
ways that make them feel safe and secure.

We would like to continue
further training.

On May 11, JR Central opened a test run of its automated driving system being

developed on the Tokaido Shinkansen to the media.

The test run was conducted on the section between Hamamatsu and Shizuoka Stations.

JR Central has been conducting test runs on the Tokaido Shinkansen with the aim of

automating speed and stopping controls since 2021.

Currently the driver on the Tokaido Shinkansen manually operates the train lever,

but with automatic operation, the driver simply presses a button and lets the train do the rest.

On this test run, the Shinkansen which departed Hamamatsu Station stopped

just 9 mm out from the point marked on the platform at Shizuoka Station.

It also arrived just 2 seconds earlier than scheduled.

We are getting good results so far.

We hope to continue getting good results

as we progress with the testing and gather data.

JR Central aims to gradually introduce its automated driving system beginning 2028.

On June 7, Tobu Railway invited members of the press to test-ride the new SPACIA X train

that runs between Asakusa in Tokyo, and Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture.

SPACIA X is the first upgrade the train has seen in 33 years,

following the introduction of the original SPACIA in 1990.

The exterior is a more modern evolution of SPACIA's form,

while the window frames incorporate traditional Japanese designs, evoking a sense of tradition and innovation.

And the shining white car body almost takes on a bluish tint in the light.

The six-car train, which has a capacity of 212 passengers, is reservation only.

There are six types of seats available onboard.

Car 1 is the Cockpit Lounge.

This hotel-inspired lounge car boasts a variety of comfy sofas that cater to one, two, and four people.

The glass window separating the lounge from the driver's seat, allows passengers to enjoy even more of the scenery.

Car 1 also has a cafe counter where passengers can taste craft beer from Nikko, as well as coffee, appetizers, and sweets.

Car 2 is a premium seat car.

The spacious seats which are arranged in a 2+1 configuration feature "backshell reclining."

This allows the seats to recline without encroaching on the space of the person behind.

The most prominent feature of the train is the Cockpit Suite in Car 6.

Designed as a "running suite room," it can seat up to seven passengers.

Like Car 1, the Cockpit Suite is separated from the driver's seat by a glass window

so passengers can enjoy dynamic views from the train.

And on the decks of Cars 1 and 6, video screens in the ceiling show images evoking nature of Nikko.

In addition, design changes and improvements to the motor etc.,

mean SPACIA X emits up to 40% less CO2 than its predecessor.

Boarding the train, you are surrounded
by the charms of Nikko.

We hope to renew the connection between Asakusa,
Skytree, and World Heritage listed Nikko.

We want to give people a
fresh experience.

SPACIA X" began commercial operation on July 15.

Those were certainly some interesting railway news and ideas new initiatives of the railway companies,

but I found the most interesting was the safety drill for people with visual impairment and the Tobu Railway staff

because both sides could take away some vital knowledge from this experience.

We now see in Central Tokyo the likes of platform screen doors in many stations,

but there are many stations that are left without them.

So at those stations, these kinds of drills are still very important.

Another thing I found really interesting was on the Tokaido Shinkansen how they did a test run of an automated driving system,

and when they stopped, they only derived 9 mm from the position that they wanted to have and it was 2 seconds, 2 seconds earlier.

And that is one of the good driving isn't it?

And the good thing about the automated driving system is that good driving can be reproduced almost every time the train runs,

and also that system contributes to the ease of the workload for the drivers

so all you know this is good experiment that is being done by the Shinkansen operator.

Next let's have a look at the opening of a highly anticipated new railway line.

On June 2, it was announced that an LRT, or Light Rail Transit,

connecting Utsunomiya City in Tochigi Prefecture to the adjacent Haga Town, will open on August 26th.

The LRT will run from JR Utsunomiya Station to an industrial district in Haga Town.

Due to delays in land acquisition and construction, the LRT is now scheduled

to open in August 2023, instead of March 2022 as planned.

The project cost is now 68 billion yen, which is around 1.5 times the initial cost.

In November of last year, a train derailed during a test run in Utsunomiya City.

An expert panel was established by the city and others to investigate the cause.

Their final report, issued on May 30, states - "it's been determined that there are no issues with running safety."

The city and other interested parties will seek approval from the government to begin operating and collecting fares.

The railway will be vertically separated.

That means the tram will be operated by the private sector,

while the tracks and stations will be owned and maintained by the local government.

Despite the many challenges, looking back,
I believe that they contributed significantly

to making the project more intricate,
enriching it in many ways.

We are confident that this will have a significant
effect on the town's development.

In Japan, LRTs have been introduced in cities such as Toyama and Hiroshima,

but this will be the first time new rails have been built along an entire line without using existing tracks.

I'm looking forward to seeing the opening of the LRT in Tochigi Prefecture, after they have overcome their many difficulties.

Yes indeed. And actually this project is a really important one because at this point in time

this is a very rare project in which a completely new light rail line is open within Japan.

And so there are many people within Japan who are keenly looking in to the success of the project,

and this project will serve as the test case for a future light rail project all across Japan.

Let's hope it will super successful.

Right, that's it for now, but we are looking forward to seeing you on the next Japan Railway Journal. Bye.