How Japan's TINY High-Speed Trains Solved a Big Problem | Mini-Shinkansen review
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- čas přidán 23. 02. 2024
- Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of Japan's unique mini high-speed trains, specifically designed for two routes branching from the super fast Tohoku Shinkansen line. I'll uncover the history and reasoning behind these innovative trains as we embark on a captivating journey across mountains from Tokyo to Yamagata, showcasing the blend of traditional and cutting-edge technology that defines this Japanese train.
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Train type: E3 Shinkansen
Route: Tokyo to Yamagata
Train: Tsubasa 129
Distance: 343 km
Journey time: 2h41m
Average speed: 128 km/h
Price: 11250 yen / 69 €
So this video was actually not meant to be released before tomorow (Sunday) 😅 Enjoy the slighly earlier release this week! 🥳
I'll hold off and watch tomorrow!
Mini-Shinkansen, despite being 'mini' to the normal ones, actually has the same width (2945mm) as most of the European high speed trains like ICE3 and Frecciarossa 1000. Each car has a shorter length to accommodate the tighter bends on conventional lines. The newer E6 series has variable suspension system to achieve stability at high speed on the high speed line, while providing the cornering ability on the conventional line.
I wonder if they want to, would it fit the EU HSLs, gauge issue aside...
@@PrograError I think they'd fit, since all Shinkansen trains have the gauge of 1435 mm.
These E3 trains will be withdrawn beginning this year as their replacements, the E8 series, are entering service in the next few weeks.
Ah yes, there were posters about it all over yamagata
Looks like it will be a gradual process over the next two years as more E8s are delivered bit by bit. Interesting!
Sadly the speed increase to 300kph with the E8s will not happend until 2026 when all the E3s are retired. This is due to scheduling and a possible equipment swap. Running a E8 at a higher speed but having it replaced by E3 in case of a issue would Mess up the timetables.
Yes, Mini-Shinkansen is a really ingenious solution to a real challenge (some routes cannot bear or justify a full Shinkansen conversion, but still need a fast connection to Tokyo).
this is such a high-quality review and a great explanation to the mini shinkansen! also note the E2 series on 4:52 is a special E2 with a dark green-light tan livery that commemorated the original livery of the Joetsu Shinkansen, quite a rare catch!
Thank you! Very intresting info about the E2 i was not aware but thats super cool!
Even if they are "mini", the comforts are still very much all there. Never knew these existed, thank you for the video.
the Mini network, according to wiki, is built due to political badgering, tho most of the routes are candidates for that region's Shinkansen line at one point or even an alternate route to Kyoto. plus the network is for the rural areas on the Sea of Japan coast (Mainline Shinkansen are all on the pacific coast)
10:05 Although it's still more cost effective than building a dedicated one, a large investment was required for converting Tazawako Line and two sections of Ou Main Line to run Mini-Shinkansen...
1) Closing the lines for a year to allow works being carried out (i.e. revenue lost and needed to pay for rail replacement buses)
2) Re-laying all tracks from 1067mm narrow gauge to standard gauge, and building new straight line sections are usually necessary
3) Upgrading the train protection system from ATS-S to ATS-P
4) Ordering new local trainsets that runs on standard gauge
That is very true, maybe should have given a bit more detail in the video, but thanks for clarifying :D
Before the Yamagata Shinkansen opened, the Itaya Pass had many switchback sections, which the train had to pass through in a zigzag.
It was fascinating in its own way, though.
A lot of countries around the world could afford a Baby Shinkansen. Japan keeps it for rural communities. Rural onsen towns have better HSR than many western cities and all US. 😅
What a great journey, I love the Japanese rail system. Seeing the mini Shinkansen work so perfectly is a great example of what can be done when a government values a rail system.
1:10 That's a hotel up there! I have had the fortune to stay in one of those rooms once
Really enjoyed this video
Great Video
Wow, that’s a convoluted ticketing/boarding process!
Yes its not excatly easy! So many supplements and reservations
Thanks. I've been to both this and the red train to Akita. It's a clever compromise.
Thank you for introducing me to this Shinkansen!
JR Group spent quite a bit of R&D on trying to figure out gauge changing trains so lines didn't have to change gauge entirely in order to have "Mini-Shinkansen" services, but seems all the various attempts have been scrapped. It's interesting, cos when the conversion to Mini-Shinkansen happened, even the local trains had to be changed to fit the gauge, so these lines have a dedicated fleet that can't be used elsewhere.
It depends on each JR such as
JR Tokai (Central): Operate with separate 1067mm and 1435mm because Tokaido Shinkansen is enough to serve all of their operations on the Tokaido site (main) and also some branch lines such as Takayama Line, Chuo Line, and also Tokaido Main Line because big cities like Nagoya, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, and Kyoto (Shinkansen Station is operated by JR Tokai but the convenience train station is operated by JR Nishi (West)) already in Tokaido Shinkansen but for JR Higashi case, Akita (big city), and Yamagata (Ski resort ex. Zao) do not in Tohoku Shinkansen line so JR Higashi need to build Shinkansen to connect with Tokyo.
JR Hokkaido: Also operates with separate 1067 and 1435mm. However, the Seikan Tunnel is constructed with a dual gauge to support the Shinkansen (Hayabusa/Hayate) and also freight service that normally travels on traditional lines.
JR Higashi (East): Like the clip
Wonderful video!
Thank you very much!
Very interesting & informative! I think you are the 1st Euro CZcamsr to show the original Tokyo stn building... Did the pastry shop gve you a discount, by any chance...lol...
I feel like they should, gotta flash my ID card next time :p
Very efficient!
Very nice movie😊
If you're going to Yamagata or Shinjo exactly, the Yamagata Shinkansen barely saves you any time. It takes about as much time to go to Sendai and then take the Senzan line across the mountains. Some Japanese train CZcamsrs compared them and the Yamagata Shinkansen saves you 7 minutes (and some money). If you're going all the way to Shinjo then it's similarly about as fast to take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Furukawa and then the Rikuu-Higashi line to Shinjo.
Oh wow i would have thought the difference would be bigger even to Yamagata and Shinjo, but the difference will be more noticeable to the intermediate stations then 😊
The point of this shinkansen is to eliminate transfers, which according to Japanese studies provides a 20-30% ridership boost
Depends on the train also because some of the train in Sanzen line operate as Ordinary Train (普通電車) does not operate as Rapid Train (快速) and also depends on Shinkansen Train that you ride in Sendai also such as If you lucky enough to find a limited stop like Hayabusa (First stop after Sendai is Omiya (大宮) and passing Fukushima) it can be save a time a lots.
Note: Some of Yamabiko (やまびこ) that arrive from Morioka (盛岡駅) or Sendai (仙台) will have more stop than Yamabiko that combined with Tsubasa (つばさ) at Fukushima Station
Note2: Only はやぶさ7号 that is arrived from Tokyo will stop only 5 Station (大宮/仙台/盛岡/新青森/新函館北斗)
Note3: It is also some risk that train will be late on Sanzen line because it is a mountain climbing track and also only single track (need waiting at passing loop)
I wonder why the mini shinkansen hasn't been proposed as a solution to the the gap in the network on Kyushu. It seems like any new-build line is not favourable with the municipal authorities, but I would have thought a track gauge conversion to support mini shinkansen would be much more palatable.
Maybe they will end up with it, it seems like there is a lot of opposition to the stretch from takeo onsen to hakata
Thank you for coming to Japan. Next time you go to Japan, please try riding the JR Oito Line from Itoigawa to Minami-Otari, the JR Yamada Line from Morioka to Miyako, and the JR Geibi Line from Niimi to Bingo-Ochiai, as the scenery is beautiful. I would appreciate it if you could take a video at that time.
I will keep in mind next time I'm in Japan ☺️
Always nice to see some variable-gauge services. Though 2+2 configuration for what seems to be first class is not common in other countries
Yeah its a bit strange, but often its 2+3 in standard on Shinkansen so it makes a little more sense
@@Simon-Andersen 2+3 seems a little bit insane, but to be honest, Japan has a higher population density than Europe so it might as well be required.
It’s rather common in many of the new build standard gauge lines. The European loading gauge can never accommodate it however.
@szymex22 these trains are really wide so even the 2+3 configurations are wider than the 2+2 seating in europe
Wow... A Saturday video release?? 🎉🎉🎉 Did you try the pastry?
I did!
I took this trip back in 2020 returning from Morioka by getting off at Sendai and changing to the Senzan line to Yamagata, then i did did Yamagata-Tokyo. The E3 is a nice train with a comfortable seating arrangement, and despite having a shorter nose, it still can get up to a respectable 275kph on the High speed section. I normally dont go to Yamagata, but i hope to try this route again once the schedules for the E8 are published.
Sounds like a fun trip! I just about missed the E8 by 3 months :( I also went from Yamagata onto the Senzan line and caught at E2 back to Tokyo :-)
@Simon-Andersen that's so cool. I only rode the E2 once back when they still were on the Joetsu Shinkansen Tokyo-Niigata. They will be retired this year so I might not get another chance. I passed through Sendai about 10 days ago but I was on the E5 Hayabusa, I went Hachinohe-Omiya then went to the Hokoriku shinkansen to Kanazawa. I only have the Nishi-Kyushu shinkansen to take and I would have ridden all the shinkansen lines in full, except from that small section between Yamagata-Shinjo, but then again this still a conventional line on that section.
3:58 that guy was going faster than the shinkansen...
The Akita Shinkansen is extremely special in that regard as there is a reversing station at Ōmagari, meaning that the train has to reverse direction in order to continue travel. It’s surprisingly common in Japan; not sure about other places.
Hi Simon! Lovely video and enjoyed! Btw, which site will you recommend for buying JR pass? Thank you! 😊
I got mine direct from japanrailpass.net/en/ Its also easy to make reservations in advance on there once you have your pass :-)!
@@Simon-Andersen Thank you Simon!
Even the economy trains have Bidet's... So jealous. 8:47
If you want another hybrid high speed route to try, you should try the Class 395 Javelin services from St Pancras, even more interesting is that the change from overhead wires to 3rd rail!
That is also a cool train! On my list when when I eventually get around to visit the UK again
Now if only Saga Prefecture could open up and at least consider the technology for Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen.
Lets hope, the current situation is absurd.
You're welcome!😊✌
2:38 Indeed, Simon!
7:36 By which JR? There are seven of them.
7:59 That's for those who don't want to use toilet to pee o poo on purpose.
1) JR East
2)That’s for washing your hands lol
Yamagata Shinkansen does not really exist in any official term. It is just Tohoku Shinkansen that does direct service onto Ou Line Limited Express. This also applies for Akita Shinkansen as well.
And Osaka metro is a tram, I love these Japanese peculiarities 😆
@@Simon-Andersen no worries, in Singapore people mover on the main system is called the LRT, or Light Rail Transit (the two systems, PG/SKLRT and BPLRT, use Mitsubishi Crystal Mover and the Adtranz/ Bombardier / Alstom Innovia APM 100/ 300 respectively)
It's considered a shinkansen line still because it does not involve a change of trains, the same high speed train simply branches off, so the train physically goes on the ou line, which is still technically Shinkansen service albeit at slower speeds.
@@cleasanna05 Not in an official rules because for the system to be considered "Shinkansen", the line must be compatible for trains to run more than 200 km/h. What you said about not involving a change of trains is a case of through-service, which what people call Yamagata Shinkansen is a through service between Tohoku Shinkansen and Ou Main Line Limited Express.
@sunglassdubsteps5268 I'm aware, I've taken the line. I know it's not considered a high speed rail route technically, but the service still allows access to the shinkansen network with the same rolling stock. Hence is advertised as a shinkansen route.
Are the tracks between Fukushima and Yamagata dual gauge or were they changed to only standard gauge?
What about volates? must the train support different voltages when changing from Shinkansen to conventional lines or are they all the same voltage? I assume not all Shinkansen trains support multiple voltages?
It was changed to standard gauge, from memory the line north from Yamagata to Shinjo had one track converted, while the other track stayed as narrow gauge and catered for stopping trains & freight, north of Shinjo it was only the original narrow 3'6". I don't know about different voltages, but I would think all mainline track would use the same voltage, probably 25k AC, as they weren't electrified to after the oil crisis in the 70's [?].
The track is all standard gauge to Yamagata, north of Yamagata it's 1 standard and one narrow. Its all AC electrification in that territory, I'll be having a video on that in the future on the nearby Senzan line which was the first to use AC in Japan 😊
@@stephenarbon2227 As far as I know, the main (conventional) lines in the Tohoku area use 20 kV 50 Hz contact wire electrification. So while the standard electrification for Tohoku Shinkansen is 25 kV 50 Hz, when the train enters the conventional lines it's a bit different.
And most people in my country(Thailand) says 250kmph is a slow speed😂
What type of camera do you use?
I use a DJI Osmo Action 3 :-)
So they just built a second track of Stephenson gauge next to the original narrow gauge track? Or did they re-gauge the whole line and get new slow-poke trains too? 😅🤔
From Fukushima to Yamagata they regauged the whole thing. From Yamagata to Shinjo they regauged 1 track, so there is still one narrow gauge track left north of Shinjo
Did you already take Hayabusa between Shin-Aomori and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (JR Hokkaido)? Maybe you will find other ways to handle traditional trains with the Shinkansen, especially the Seikan Tunnel.
Yes i did! Very intresting piece of railway, video coming at some point in the future :-)
I am fascinated by the ubiquitous use of English around the world...
bruh that yamabiko sticking at the back is one of the rare painting...the revival colour of the old shinkansen!
me being pedantic, mini shinkansen are legally not a shinkansen, that's why it can never exceed 130kph, the national limit of Japanese trains
I am surprised you already uploaded many videos. Your videos are really good but grow is poor for SEO and other things. if you can improve those things then your views and subscribers improve and the channel will come to Rank.
I want to talk with you to grow your CZcams channel. I am waiting for your nice response.
And here you will find the urinal...for the men.
Glad you had that clarified 😂
Just in case you were in doubt 😂