Heralding the Age of High-Speed Rail Transport Network Expands East and West High-Tech Operation Systems Supporting Exacting Operation Assuring Safety and Comfort

Network Expands East and West

The roots of the Shinkansen can be traced back to World War II, when a "Bullet Train Plan" was proposed to link Tokyo and Shimonoseki. Under that plan, a standard gauge track (1,435 millimeters), which was wider than that used on conventional lines in Japan, would be built, and cars hauled by a powerful locomotive would transport both freight and passengers. Unfortunately, declining economic conditions during the war, followed by the move toward motor vehicle transport after the war, meant that this plan looked like it might never get off the drawing board. But Japan National Railways (now privatized) took up the spirit of the plan, and the dedicated efforts of its engineers paid off in 1964 when the Shinkansen (lit., new trunk line) was inaugurated in time for the Tokyo Olympics after a construction period of just five years. With a top speed of 200 km/h, the new train initially made the 550 kilometers between Osaka and Tokyo a four-hour trip. That time was reduced to 3 hours and 10 minutes the following year. This success had a major impact on European railroads, which had been boxed in by the growth of motor-vehicle and air transport. One after another, France, Germany, England, and other countries of Europe began developing high-speed rail systems. The ensuing national competition on speed and service was also inspired by the Shinkansen. The Shinkansen network was next extended east and northward, bringing the total route length to 2,400 kilometers. Following the split-up and privatization of Japan National Railways (JNR) in 1987, technological innovation continued. In 1992, the "300-series" trains were introduced with a top service speed of 270 km/h. Then in 1997, the "500-series" trains were brought into service with a top speed of 300 km/h, reducing the trip between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations to 2 hours and 34 minutes. To allow the Japanese to use their country's landmass more efficiently, though, improvements in its capacity and performance could not be limited to speed. The network had to grow to link the principal metropolitan areas with outlying regional centers, and it had to be flexible enough to adapt to changes in transportation demand. The answers to these requirements were both varied and quick. For example, the "400-series" trains incorporated in a single train all the equipment necessary to run on both Shinkansen and conventional tracks, while the "E1-series" double-decker trains were created to address the need for increased seating capacity during morning and evening commuter demand peaks.