Japan Update Special - Shinkansen

First off, Shinkansen means New Trunk Line and has nothing to do with the phrase Bullet Train which comes from someone outside Japan, I will not call them bullet trains. Here are some things that you may or may not know about the Shinkansen, which explain partly why it is so successful and some of these things could be done in England with a bit of willing.

1. The first Shinkansen line was built in 1964


2. The word refers to the network and not to a particular type of train


3. It uses dedicated high speed lines, mostly on elevated concrete track beds


4. There are about 13 different classes of train currently in use on the system with the oldest recently retired and a few more on order and being tested


5. The line speed is currently 185mph maximum


6. The only fatality amongst the 7 billion passengers was caused by someone's luggage stuck in a door, no-one has ever been injured in a derailment


7. It uses moving block (radio controlled) signalling which makes the gaps between trains shorter and saves a few quid on signals and cabling.


8. The line between Osaka and Tokyo has carried more people than the rest of the worlds high speed lines combined.


9. All the wheel axles are powered so the acceleration is very high - you can feel it pull


10. You can swivel all the chairs on the train to either all face forward which most people prefer or to make blocks of 4 or 6


11. The seating in economy class is 3 + 2 x 20 rows = 100 people per coach


12. The trains are 8 or 16 coaches long (800 or 1600 people per train)


13. The trains are named so that people know what is going on, the Nozomi is basically the fastest express - main stations only, the Hikari is the middle one and the Kodama stops at all Shinkansen stations and is obviously slower. This helps people to know without having to work it out which trains are going to where (e.g. you would also choose the Nozomi if you are going Osaka to Tokyo because it is fastest).


14. The platforms are marked with coach numbers so you know where to get on to find your seat or the unreserved coaches. You do NOT have time to walk along the platform after the train has arrived. The markings are right next to the doors, within about 6 inches and there are different markings for 8 coach trains and for the different types.


15. The signs are in alternate Japanese and English. They show the name of the train, the destination, its stops, how many coaches it has and which coaches are for unreserved ticket holders.