KHKQ Beside Trains: 2.2 JR East

Showing posts with label 2.2 JR East. Show all posts

17 September, 2022

De-electrification

Electrification has always been a major option to make railways faster, more efficient and greener. From steam trains to diesel trains, and then electric trains...the history of railway has always been associated with electricity.

The first electric train in Japan ran in 1890 when National Industrial Exhibition was held in Tokyo, and the first regular service provided by electric trains commenced five years later in Kyoto, which was later called Kyoto City Tram. Commuter rails in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka were mostly electrified by the 1930s, and expanded to the entire country after the Second World War. Today, nearly 68% of the railway network in Japan has been electrified.

However, there are a few regressive trends in the country. In some areas, railway companies decided to de-electrify railways. Generally, the electrification costs so tremendously that it is rare to see operators abandoning facilities. Nevertheless, JR East and JR Kyushu are planning de-electrification. To be specific, Ban-etsu West Line and Nagasaki Main Line.

In 2021, JR East concluded that it should radically change its business in some areas amid decline in demand triggered by COVID-19. The company insisted that some rural lines must be reformed to fit with current demands, meaning that it was necessary to consider removing some facilities. To put it simply, the company decided to replace some electric trains with battery-electric, electric-diesel or hybrid-diesel multiple units and remove redundant facilities, i.e. overhead wires, poles and substations.

E721 series, the current rolling stock on Ban-etsu West Line.

According to Kahoku Shimpo, JR East plans to de-electrify a part of Ban-etsu West Line in Fukushima Prefecture. The Line between Aizu-Wakamatsu and Kitakata had been served by very few electric trains for more than 50 years (only 2-5 services a day), and all services have been provided by diesel trains since March 2022. Hence, electric facilities in this area are no longer in need.

817 series, one of the most common EMU in Kyushu.

According to Saga Shimbun, JR Kyushu will also de-electrify a part of Nagasaki Main Line. As Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail is scheduled to open on 23 September 2022, services between Hizen-Hama in Saga Prefecture and Isahaya in Nagasaki Prefecture will only be provided by diesel trains. Limited express services using electric trains will be discontinued as the new high-speed rail supersedes. Meanwhile, stopping services are less profitable than those intercity trains so that it was not wise to keep overhead wires etc. just for the stopping services.

BEC 819 series, JR Kyushu's latest battery train.

Some people may argue that such a trend is contrary to carbon-free society and thus hampers desperate efforts to stop global warming. However, not all electric trains are environmentally-friendly. It costs considerably to keep the facilities not only economically but also in terms of burden on the environment. If there are only few services, then the downsizing can be a better choice.

It is also worth noting that unlike old diesel trains with significant fumes, electric-diesel or hybrid-diesel multiple units in these days are very efficient and thus clean. Battery-electric multiple units are getting more common in these days, just like electric vehicles on roads.

De-electrification does not sound good, but it must be borne in mind that reducing the total emission of greenhouse gas is the key to combat the climate change. All we can and have to do now is not just criticising the trend, but accept them as potentially a new way to maintain railways in the coming decades, and closely monitor if those railway companies do really commit to carbon-free objectives.

27 August, 2022

Torrential Rains and Rural Lines, a Bleak Future

【米坂線】
坂町駅～米沢駅間の上下線は、当分の間列車の運転を見合わせます。同区間は現時点で運転再開見込みは立っていません。#米坂線　 #大雨 pic.twitter.com/K2qoYmCkdH
— JR東日本【信越エリア】運行情報 (公式) (@JRE_Shinetsu_A) August 5, 2022

On 3 August, an extreme torrential rain struck Tohoku and Hokuriku regions in Japan, destroying houses and infrastructure. The rain continued for more than a week, resulted in far more precipitation than average figures observed in August. Aomori, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures were hit hard.

Many railways have also been devastated by the torrential rains, and JR East has been investigating and rebuilding them. On 25 August, the company published a document about current situations with photos. Three weeks have passed since the disaster, but not a few of them are yet to be reopened, as listed below. Replacement buses are available on all routes.

Ban-etsu West Line: Kitakata - Yamato (10 km / 6 mi)
Gono Line: Iwadate - Kajikazawa (75 km / 47 mi)
Hanawa Line: Kazunohanawa - Odate (37 km / 23 mi)
Ou Main Line: Takanosu - Odate (18 km / 11 mi)
Tsugaru Line: Kanita - Minmaya (29km / 18 mi)
Yonesaka Line: Imaizumi - Sakamachi (68 km / 42 mi)

All but Ou Main Line are enumerated in a list of "significantly unprofitable railways" (click here for a detailed English summary) which could be subject to a permanent closure. In fact, one of the reasons why an expert committee of the Transport Ministry issued the report was because those lines were vulnerable to natural disasters that are recently intensifying amid the global warming. Thus, local residents and politicians have expressed concerns about the fate of those devastated railways.

Is engineering work on going? According to TBS, JR East estimates that Ou Main Line could be reopened within a few months, possibly about 2-3 months. Fukushima Mimpo reported that JR East, the Japanese Government and the government of Fukushima Prefecture are discussing how to rebuild Ban-etsu West Line, and how much do each parties expend. Hence, these two lines are likely to be restored within a year.

However, the fates of Gono, Hanawa, Tsugaru and Yonesaka Lines are unclear. According to Kahoku Shimpo, Gono and Hanawa Lines are so badly damaged that it would take more than a year to rebuild them. Some parts of Gono Line are still inundated so that engineer workers are unable to investigate the situation. Yamagata Shimbun reported that local governments officially requested JR East to rebuild Yonesaka Line, and JR East acknowledged the importance of the resolution, but it could be lip-service. No new relevant report about Tsugaru Line is heard so far.

JR East will definitely ask local governments for sufficient contribution to those rural railways. All parties consider that the lines should be reopened as soon as possible, but some cities, towns and villages might disagree with reconstruction if it costs tremendously. In that case, the line could be permanently closed and replaced with bus service, which could be allegedly safer, more convenient and cheaper as discussed in the past article.

30 July, 2022

A new guideline: the fate of rural lines in Japan

Overview

Mimasaka-Kawai station, Imbi Line

On 25th July, an expert committee for rural lines, established by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as the Transport Ministry), published a proposal regarding the fate of significantly unprofitable railways in Japan. The proposal includes a guideline of which JR lines could be subject to replacement with road transportation (i.e. permanent closure of the railway). The committee does not demand nor recommend an immediate closure of these lines, but suggests that local governments and railway operators should hold discussions about what to do with rural lines that meet certain criteria. To put it simply, the committee defines that those with "transport density" of fewer than 1,000 might not be sustainable.

There are many lines with less than that figure, but only few of them are likely to be permanently closed in the near future, as Nikkei suggests.

What is Transport density?

Yamanote Line is the most heavily used railway in Japan

In Japan, the "transport density" means how many passengers per one kilometre used the line daily on average. It is defined as a sum of the distance of each passenger divided by the length of the line or section.

For example: there is a 20 km-long line. There are 100 passengers a day on average, and 60 of them use the whole line, while 40 of them use the half. In this case, a sum of the distance of each passengers is 60 (passengers) times 20 (km) plus 40 (passengers) times 10 (km), which equals 1,600. The length of the line is 20 km. Thus, the transport density is 1600/20 = 80 passengers per km a day.

According to the Transport Ministry, the transport density of Tokaido and San-yo Shinkansen high-speed rail was about 658,000 in 2019. According to JR East, the figure of Yamanote Line was 1.12 million in the same year.

Matsuura Railway, former Matsuura Line of JNR

When Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Reconstruction of Japanese National Railways (also known as the JNR Reconstruction Act) was promulgated in 1980, the Transport Ministry issued an ordinance that rural lines with transport density of less than 4,000 should be closed or transferred to entities established privately or by local governments, and 3,157 km (1,962 miles) were axed accordingly (these lines were often called the "83 unprofitable lines").

4,000 passengers per km a day was the key figure for assessing rural lines in the 1980s, but this criterion has been lowered significantly thanks to innovation (not least new trains compatible with driver-only operation and less energy consumption) and downsizing (removal of redundant facilities). According to NHK, it is estimated that lines above 2,000 could be in stable condition today.

What was Decided This Time?

As already noted, the current key figure is 1,000. To be specific (according to Nikkei):

Transport density of fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day; and
The number of passengers between each adjacent stations is always below 500

However, there are a few exceptions:

Passengers per hour in peak direction exceed 500 (i.e. heavily used by commuters and students at peak times); or
Served by limited express services that connect major cities; or
Served by freight trains

The committee also recommended that local governments and railway operators decide the future of the line in question within three years. The solution could be:

New railway business model that attract more tourists; and/or
Continuing business with considerable support from local governments. This includes not only giving significant amount of cash or tax reduction, but also ownership transfer of facilities to local governments (meaning JR will not pay maintenance costs); or
Replacing the railway with bus services, either conventional one or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

The proposal has been criticised by many people (such as the Governor of Ehime Prefecture), but it is worth noting that some local residents welcome the permanent closure, as bus services could be more convenient than rail transport. Like the one in Samani Town in southern Hokkaido, where Hidaka Main Line was effectively closed in 2015, buses often provide more flexible services, as bus stops were installed in front of a high school, care homes, hospitals and a shopping centre.

Which Lines could be Affected?

Kazusa-Kameyama station, Kururi Line

According to official documents, lines listed below have fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day. Note that not all of them are on the verge of closure, as some of them are served by limited express and/or freight trains, or major engineering work was carried out recently. Some lines had more than 1,000 before COVID-19 pandemic, and thus being on the list might be temporary. Shinkansen high-speed rail is not included in the percentage calculation.

Click ▼ to browse in detail.

JR Hokkaido (2020)

Hakodate Main Line

Lines with significantly low ridership amount to 56% of the entire network, the worst percentage among all JR. Even Hakodate Main Line is no exception, as this blog explained before.

List of JR Hokkaido▼

JR East (2020)

Kamaishi Line

Approximately 31% of the network falls within the scope, and the total length of nearly 1,900 km (1,200 miles) is by far the worst among all JR group. However, many of them (especially "Main Line") are served by limited express and freight trains. Also note that JR East is the largest railway operator in the country, both in terms of the size of network and sales.

More than 20 out of the 31 lines listed below are in Tohoku region, but there are a few in the Greater Tokyo Area (Agatsuma, Kashima and Kururi Lines). GALA Yuzawa branch line of Joetsu Shinkansen is excluded from the list as it is available only during winter ski season.

List of JR East▼

JR Central (2016)

A train similar to that on Meisho Line

No official document is available so far, but the Transport Ministry published one instead in 2016. It shows that the entire Meisho Line had 273 passengers per km a day, but others had more than 1,000. Meisho Line amounts to just 3% of the entire JR Central network.

JR West (2020)

Kishin Line

About 30% of the lines operated by JR West have fewer than 1,000 passengers per km a day, most of which are in Chugoku Region.

List of JR West▼

JR Shikoku (2021)

Mugi Line

JR Shikoku is known for facing severe financial difficulties along with JR Hokkaido, but surprisingly, only four lines fall within the scope. Even so, it is equivalent to 23.5% of the network.

List of JR Shikoku▼

JR Kyushu (2020)

Nichinan Line

22% of the network could be subject to be axed in the future. When Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen opens in September 2022, lines in Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures are likely to be added to the list.

List of JR Kyushu▼

Conclusion

Falling within the scope of 1,000 passengers per km a day does not necessarily mean that the line should be closed anytime soon. Not a few of them will remain as they have limited express and freight trains. Even without them, many lines are highly likely to be kept open with financial supports by the central and local governments. However, a few lines would be permanently closed in the near future if local residents agree with it.

The proposal applies only to JR lines. Even if not as radical as Beeching Axe, railway networks in Japan are likely to be rearranged in the coming years. In the case of permanent closure, there should be bus services convenient and reliable enough to be used as alternative means of transport by local residents.

09 July, 2022

The 40th anniversary

Omiya, 27 Apr 2012

On 23 June 1982, Tohoku Shinkansen, the third high-speed rail in Japan, was opened between Omiya and Morioka. Japanese National Railways developed new rolling stock called 200 series. The line was extended to Ueno in 1985 and again to Tokyo in 1991. It was extended further to Shin-Aomori by 2010, and it is now the fastest high-speed rail where trains run at up to 320 km/h (200 MPH).

Omiya, 1 Jul 2022

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Tohoku Shinkansen, JR East repainted an E2 series trainset white and green imitating the 200 series. It is generally used for Nasuno and Yamabiko services on Tohoku Shinkansen and some rail tours at the weekend. Various different melodies, mostly local folk songs, are played onboard when the train approaches stations it calls at.

Tokyo, 11 Nov 2003

Does that E2 series resembles the genuine 200 series? Not bad, but it is still an imitation so that not 100% identical to the old trains. Since only 10 years have passed since the 200 series retired, not a few people might remember it. But younger people may think it attractive.

15 November this year will mark the 40th anniversary of Joetsu Shinkansen so that the E2 series is highly likely to be used for ceremonies and rail tours. Its schedule can be found on official website after 10 pm everyday.

16 April, 2022

The longest train journey in Japan

Disclaimer

This article is about regular services. Timetables show major stations only so that those who seek for detailed information should check official websites.

British Rail Class 220

"The longest train journey" always sounds attractive for railway enthusiasts, even if there is no daily user that enjoy (or rather, endure) the whole journey. In Britain, the famous Crosscountry's service from Aberdeen to Penzance is the longest one among all trains.

Crosscountry service
Aberdeen	8:20
Edinburgh	11:08
Newcastle	12:42
York	13:44
Leeds	14:11
Birmingham New Street	16:03
Bristol Temple Meads	17:45
Exeter St Davids	18:47
Plymouth	19:44
Penzance	21:39

According to The Guardian, the train runs on Saturdays, though not always because of service alterations caused by planned engineering work and COVID-19. It travels 774 miles (1245.6 km) and takes 13 hours and 19 minutes. Surprisingly, this service is neither a night train nor a high-speed train, but an ordinary intercity train that runs through the main island.

Then, how about Japan? There were so many long-distance services until the 2010s, but they were mostly discontinued and split into several parts, as a lengthy route is always prone to delays and troubles. Furthermore, it is not easy for all parties concerned to adjust tracks, signalling systems and other facilities to be compatible with a specific train. Even so, there are a few such services today.

Nozomi bullet train

N700A series bullet train

The longest train service in Japan in terms of distance is a bullet train Nozomi. It runs on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed rails between Tokyo and Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture. There are 32 round trips a day (2-4 services per hour), and more on holidays.

*Nozomi 64*
Hakata	18:59
Hiroshima	20:00
Shin-Osaka	21:20
Nagoya	22:12
Tokyo	23:45

Nozomi 64 is pretty unique. It is the last eastbound service of day to Tokyo, and it is also the fastest service between Hakata and Tokyo, as it runs 1,069 km (664.3 miles) taking 4 hours and 46 minutes. It is usually very crowded as people always rush into this service, otherwise they will have to wait for the first train on the next day.

Sunrise Izumo

JR West 285 series

What about non-high-speed trains? Among them, Limited Express Sunrise Izumo is the longest service in Japan. It is a night train with a round trip everyday (plus one during the peak season).

*Sunrise Izumo* (Eastbound)
Izumoshi	18:53
Okayama	22:30
Osaka	0:31
Shizuoka	4:38
Tokyo	7:08

Since it runs on "conventional lines", it is way slower than Nozomi. Sunrise Izumo travels 954 km (593 miles) and takes 12 hours and 15 minutes, the longest journey time among all trains. There is a cheap option on this service called "Nobinobi Zaseki" (lit. "unconstrained seat"), but it would be a very hard journey to spend more than 12 hours on a sleeping space without a mattress or a pillow. Those who plan to use this train should consider booking a bedroom.

Nichirin Sea Gaia

JR Kyushu 787 series

The longest non-night train journey in Japan is Limited Express Nichirin Sea Gaia in Kyushu, western Japan. This service is not well known outside the area. However, it is not so long compared to trains in other countries, including in the Continent.

*Nichirin Sea Gaia* 5
Hakata	7:30
Kokura	8:31
Oita	10:03
Miyazaki	13:07
Miyazaki Airport	13:19

There are many Nichirin services, but only one round trip of them a day runs the entire section. There is no direct road or railway between cities of Fukuoka and Miyazaki so that this train runs longer than the actual distance. It takes 5 hours and 49 minutes to complete a journey of 413 km (256.7 miles).

There are three "longest train journeys" in Japan, but surprisingly, none of them can beat the one in the UK both in terms of distance and journey time. Thus, these services might not always sound attractive for travellers living outside Japan, but probably still worth checking them.

Finally, Crosscountry issues "longest journey certificate" to passengers, but none of the three services in Japan provide such a collectable. Pretty disappointing!

09 January, 2022

Is Keikyu really fast?

Introduction

Yokohama, approximately 20 miles south of Tokyo, is one of major cities in Japan with 3.7 million people. There are several railway lines connecting two cities, including JR East and Keikyu. It is said that Keikyu trains have always been faster than JR, but is it true? This article argues that, in short, negative.

Route

The route between Shinagawa and Yokohama stations is the oldest and the busiest one among all railway lines that connect Tokyo and Yokohama. Trains on both Keikyu Main Line and Tokaido Main Line can run at up to 120 km/h (75 MPH).

Keikyu's fastest service is Limited Express 快特 (hereinafter referred to as "Kaitoku"), which calls at three stations. At peak hours, there is another Limited Express 特急 (hereinafter referred to as "Tokkyu"), which calls at six stations. Unlike limited express services of JR East and some other private railways, there is no need to purchase an additional ticket to neither of them.

The main rival is Tokaido Main Line of JR East. There are Limited Express Saphir Odoriko and Odoriko services, which require an additional ticket, but they are for tourists going farther. All passengers going from Shinagawa to Yokohama and vice versa choose stopping services, which call at two stations.

There are also Keihin-Tohoku Line and Yokosuka Line, both of which are operated by JR East as well. Keihin-Tohoku Line lies parallel to Tokaido Main Line, but has more small stations. Yokosuka Line trains run a little different route between Shinagawa and Yokohama. Trains on both lines take longer than Tokaido Main Line services.

According to official documents, the distance between Shinagawa and Yokohama stations on Tokaido Main Line is 22.0 km (13.7 miles), while that of Keikyu is 22.2 km (13.8 miles), so almost the same.

Fares

Both Keikyu and JR East adopt distance-based scheme, but the routes between Shinagawa and Yokohama is an exception. Both companies apply special fares to compete with each other. A single fare ticket of Keikyu costs 310 yen (10 yen cheaper than what is supposed to be), while that of JR East (whichever route) costs 300 yen, which is supposed to be 400 yen.

Rolling stock

Keikyu 2100 series

Keikyu uses 600 series, 1000 series, 1500 series and 2100 series. The first three are mostly consisted of longitudinal seating, while the 2100 series have transverse seating. It would be a great time to spend time on the 2100 series unless all seats are occupied.

JR East E231 series

JR East uses E231 series and E233 series. Both trains are mainly consisted of longitudinal seating. Unlike Keikyu, they have Green Cars (first class) with better seats than the Keikyu 2100 series, but a Green Car ticket is necessary in addition to a standard fare ticket.

Journey times and frequency

As there were little differences of fares and rolling stock accommodation, journey times and service frequency are the keys to the race between the two companies. Is Keikyu really fast and convenient?

Shinagawa - Yokohama (daytime)
	Keikyu Main Line	Tokaido Main Line
Journey time	17 min	16-18 min
Frequency	6 per hour	6 per hour

At the daytime, there is almost no difference between them. Both trains from Shinagawa to Yokohama and those from Yokohama to Shinagawa are the same. Tokaido Main Line services mostly take 18 minutes, so Keikyu's "Kaitoku" services are usually one minute shorter than JR. Keikyu trains tend to be slightly less crowded than Tokaido Line trains.

Yokohama to Shinagawa (7-8 am on weekdays)
	Keikyu Main Line	Tokaido Main Line
Journey time	27-32 min	19-21 min
Frequency	11 per hour	13 per hour

However, Keikyu trains are far slower than Tokaido Line trains at morning peak hours. There are several "Tokkyu" services in addition to "Kaitoku" services, but none of them can win the race with Tokaido Line. This is frankly disgraceful.

The journey times of Keikyu at morning rush hours are even longer than trains on the other two JR routes, which are not rivals of Keikyu at off-peak. Yokosuka Line trains, with 11 services between 7 and 8 am, take 23-25 minutes. Moreover, Keihin-Tohoku Line trains, with 17 services at the same time, take 29-32 minutes. It is shocking that stopping services of Keihin-Tohoku Line sometimes run faster than Keikyu, despite their maximum speed is just 90 km/h (56 MPH) and they call at eight stations including Shinagawa.

E233 series on Keihin-Tohoku Line

A Keikyu train actually loses a race against a Keihin-Tohoku Line train. For example, a "Kaitoku" (note that this is the fastest service pattern) leaving Yokohama at 8:00 arrives Shinagawa at 8:32, calling only at Keikyu Kawasaki and Keikyu Kamata. Meanwhile, a Keihin-Tohoku Line stopping service leaving Yokohama at 8:00 arrives Shinagawa at 8:29, three minutes earlier despite stops at seven stations in between.

Why is Keikyu so slow?

Then, why are Keikyu trains so slow at morning peak times contrary to what is widely believed? There must be three major reasons as described below.

Keikyu 1000 series on stopping service

First, Keikyu Main Line is double track throughout, but there are several service patterns from "Kaitoku" and "Tokkyu" to stopping services. There are more services during rush hours than the daytime, so the entire line is crowded by trains. Fast services overtake stopping services at several stations, but sometimes they have to slow down significantly while a stopping service prepares to be overtaken. Meanwhile, Tokaido Main Line trains do not overtake any other service between Yokohama and Shinagawa, nor do those on Yokosuka and Keihin-Tohoku Lines.

Shinagawa station

Second, "Kaitoku" and "Tokkyu" are formed of 12 coaches at peak hours, but four of them are detached and terminate at Shinagawa. This requires more time than usual to vacate the platform, forcing other trains to wait for a while.

Keikyu 2000 series for Haneda Airport

Third, Keikyu has a branch line towards Haneda Airport. Keikyu Airport Line branches off at Keikyu Kamata, but trains from south (Yokohama) have to reverse at the station, taking longer than others to clear the blocked section.

Conclusion

	Keikyu Main Line	Tokaido Main Line
Journey time (peak)	27-32 min	19-21 min
Journey time (off-peak)	17 min	16-18 min
Frequency (peak)	11 per hour	13 per hour
Frequency (off-peak)	6 per hour	6 per hour
Single fare	310 yen	300 yen

Is Keikyu really fast? With regard to stations between Shinagawa in Tokyo and Yokohama, the answer is mostly NO. At the daytime, most Keikyu trains run merely a minute shorter than Tokaido Main Line, but it has little impact on the race. During rush hours, Keikyu is dreadful, as trains are far slower than the rivals and even slower than Keihin-Tohoku Line. The fact is shocking but the truth. It is a valuable lesson that enthusiasts often dream of something not true, and rumours often contain inaccuracy.

11 September, 2021

The end of "trains with so many doors" in Japan

Sanjo (Keihan), 26 Oct 2020

On Saturday 4th September, the last unit of Keihan 5000 series on mainline was taken out of regular service, more than 50 years after the introduction. Keihan initially planned to withdraw it in June, but deferred for three months. The series had been well known for having five sets of door per carriage, while most commuter trains in Japan have three or four.

In the late-1960s, Keihan had been struggling to deal with delays triggered by extreme congestion. Since it was not possible for the company to run more services or make existing trains longer, it decided to introduce trains with more doors. The 5000 series contributed to smooth boarding and alighting, minimising delays and thus easing congestion.

The most unique feature of the 5000 series was the seating. Second and fourth doors were used only during peak hours, and at off-peak hours the train was used as if an ordinary three-door train. As the video shows, seating could be stored when all doors were in use. To avoid troubles and accidents, the seats were stored or extracted when no passenger is on board.

The history of trains with more doors than usual started when the Keihan 5000 series was introduced. In the 1990s, railway companies in Tokyo followed Keihan. However, those in the capital did not adopt all ambitious features: only one or a few carriages per unit had five or six sets of doors, and there was no machine that stores or extracts additional seating.

Satte - Sugito-takanodai, 15 Oct 2016

In 1990, Teito Rapid Transit Authority (now Tokyo Metro) introduced 03 series with five sets of door. Tobu Railway later introduced a similar type of commuter train (20000 series). However, they were said to be infamous for being too cold in winter, as there were simply too many doors.

Keio introduced 6000 series with five sets of door as well, which was not successful.

Yokohama, 4 Feb 2014

In 1991, JR East introduced intermediate carriages of 205 series that have six sets of door. They were inserted to existing units on Yamanote Line, and later on Saikyo and Yokohama Lines. In addition, many 209 and E231 series units had six-door carriage as well from the very beginning.

Takadanobaba, 3 Feb 2014

In Tokyo, five or six-door carriages were usually inserted to the most crowded part of the unit. In other words, companies took account of location of staircases and ticket gates at major stations. The above photo is the 205 series on Saikyo Line, the second and third coaches of which are six-door carriages.

Unsurprisingly, not a few passengers disliked them because there were fewer seating than ordinary carriages. Some described it a de facto parcel train delivering workers to the office.

Tokyo, 1 Jul 2010

Those five and six-door carriages rapidly dwindled in the 2010s. The biggest reason for the decline was platform edge doors. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been encouraging railway companies to install platform edge doors, to prevent accidents and make platforms safer especially for disabled people, but those five and six-door carriages did not fit the safety measure.

Moreover, since trains in these days are less crowded than before, thanks to railway companies' great efforts to ease congestion, such carriages with so many doors were no longer in need. Some foreigners claim that the population decline is the main cause, but it is not true, as it is still a gradual change and not applicable to major cities like Tokyo.

Obukuro - Kita-koshigaya, 29 Apr 2016

The newest one among them was Tokyu 5000 series, with three out of ten carriages per unit (the third, sixth and seventh coaches) had six sets of door. They were introduced in 2005-10 to Den-en-toshi Line, one of the most crowded line in the country. Even so, Tokyu replaced all of them with four-door coaches by 2017, in advance of installing platform edge doors. Some of them were demolished less than six years after being built.

The history of trains with more doors than usual started and ended with the Keihan 5000 series. Those trains were not necessarily great, as there were often fewer seats, but surely worth noting. They are now all gone, but it does not mean the decline of Japanese railway, as the withdrawals are aimed for better, safer rail transport in the 21st century.

31 July, 2021

An unusual level crossing in Zushi, south of Tokyo

In Zushi City (Kanagawa Prefecture, approximately 45 km south of Tokyo), there is an unusual, unsafe level crossing. It has been controversial for years, but JR East has finally decided to close it permanently on 20th August.

As an introduction, here is a brief summary of level crossing in Japan. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (hereinafter referred to as the Transport Ministry), there are 33,004 level crossings in Japan as of March 2020. Though halved in the last 50 years, there are still far more crossings than any major countries (probably except China and India). In Tokyo, there are roughly 13 times more than in New York and Berlin, 48 times more than in London and 89 times more than in Paris. Those in Japan are classified into four categories. Figures are based on the survey conducted by the Ministry.

Category 1 crossings have automatic signals and barriers, or are controlled by staff. 90% of crossings in the country fall in this category.
Category 2 crossings were controlled by staff but not all-day. When unstaffed, they were equivalent to Category 4. All of them were replaced with Category 1 crossings by 1985.
Category 3 crossings have automatic signals but no barrier. There are 684 crossings in the country, or 2%.
Category 4 crossings do not have neither of them. There are 2,603 crossings in Japan, approximately 7.9%. They are mostly in rural areas.

Needless to say, Category 4 level crossings are unsafe, and the Transport Ministry has been urging railway companies to close them, or at least upgrade them to Category 1. Even though the Ministry has been subsidising the cost of dealing with unsafe crossings, it is not always easy for railway companies to do so.

Yamanone Crossing on JR Yokosuka Line is one of them, which is about 500 metres east of Zushi station. There are several Category 4 crossings in Tokyo and surrounding areas, but most of them are not frequently used, such as on freight lines with few trains a day or even a month. However, Yokosuka Line is a major line so that there are three trains per hour on each direction, and more in peak hours.

There are many signs warning people to be very careful, and avoid using it as much as possible, to prevent accidents. The Crossing is only for pedestrians, and no vehicle is allowed. The traffic sign on the left shows that even bicycle is no exception, but many local residents might not realise the rule.

Unlike other Category 4 level crossings, the Yamanone Crossing is large as there are nine tracks. From north to south, there are J-TREC siding (towards railway factory, unelectrified), down and up mainlines and six Zushi Siding tracks. The first one is generally used only once or twice a month, while trains on two mainlines run frequently as mentioned above.

The last six tracks are more complicated, as there is no timetable available to the public. Shunting trains pass the Crossing quite often particularly during peak hours. And ironically, they are when many people cross the tracks.

It is 36 metres long and only two metres wide. Since it is really long, there are another fence and signs in the middle of the Crossing. I suspect that trains do not stop if a pedestrian stays in that area when he/she could not make it, but I was not brave enough to try it.

The permanent closure of the Crossing has been discussed for years. On the one hand, JR East and Zushi City have been eager to close it because of safety concerns. According to members of Zushi Assembly, about 400 people use it every day, and sadly there were a few accidents. Victims are generally the elderly, but a schoolchild died in the past, resulted in changes of primary school districts, to allow children going to school without using the Crossing.

On the other hand, local residents were reluctant to agree with the permanent closure, as it would take more to access to the city centre or railway stations, particularly Zushi Hayama station of Keikyu. JR East suggested that using a Category 1 Crossing near JR Zushi station will merely take two extra minutes, but some local residents insisted that the elderly cannot walk as fast as young people so that it would take more than five extra minutes, and it would be inconvenient.

The main purpose of the closure is obviously to prevent accidents, and the elderly who cannot walk quickly are always prone to such accidents in the Crossing. Therefore, JR East and the local government finally dismissed such claims, and decided to close it.

The longest busy Category 4 level crossing in Greater Tokyo Area is about to end. It will surely dissatisfy some local residents, but nothing is more important than safety. The closure of the Yamanone Crossing will hopefully give impetus to abolish other Category 4 crossings in the country, especially those in residential areas.

*All photos were taken on 27 July 2021

30 January, 2021

From "Liner" to "Limited Express"…JR East's Own Goal

JR East will change its timetables on Saturday 13th March 2021. Major timetable changes generally aim to encourage more passengers to use trains with more convenient and attractive services, but the next one is to reduce services amid the pandemic.

Moreover, JR East plans to make services even far less useful just like it has been doing for a decade, as this article argues.

One of the most important change in March will be a reform of Tokaido line service. 185 series of Japanese National Railways (introduced in 1981-82) on Odoriko and Shonan Liner trains will be taken out of regular service. In addition, JR East is going to upgrade Shonan Liner services to Limited Express Shonan.

Shonan Liner consists of three different trains: the genuine Shonan Liner (Tokyo - Odawara), Ohayo Liner Shinjuku (Odawara to Shinjuku) and Home Liner Odawara (Shinjuku to Odawara). They are designed for commuters: in addition to a normal fare ticket or a season ticket, a 520-yen "Liner ticket" guarantees taking a seat. It takes 40-50 minutes between Tokyo/Shinjuku and Fujisawa, or 70-90 minutes between Tokyo/Shinjuku and Odawara, roughly 10 minutes faster than stopping services. Since Tokaido line has been notorious for extreme congestion, Liner trains have been popular.

Shonan Liner commenced in 1986 by the JNR. It had been suffering from immense deficit and desperately looking for a new source of revenue. The JNR found that some empty coaching stock moves could be profitable if they were available for commuters who hated packed trains at peak times. After the privatisation, JR East expanded the service with various rolling stock. Today, the JNR 185 and JR East 215 series trains are used on those Shonan Liner services on weekdays.

JR East announced last year that it would completely replace the 185 and 215 series with E257 series, and rebrand Liner trains to limited express Shonan, while journey times remain almost unchanged. The company insists that the new service will be more convenient, comfortable with simpler fare system than the current system. However, the "upgrade" is likely to bring undesirable consequences, rather than improving the quality.

The most serious issue is price. The current "Liner ticket" for standard class costs 520 yen no matter how long the passenger takes the train. On the other hand, the limited express ticket will cost 1,020 yen between Shinjuku/Tokyo and stations beyond Fujisawa (including Odawara). To put it simply, JR East will effectively double the fare. The company will offer a discount of 100 yen (300 yen until 30 Sep 2021) if a ticket is purchased online, but still disproportionately expensive.

Furthermore, the "new" rolling stock is not actually new. The E257 series was introduced in 2001-02 to Chuo line trains, and reallocated to Tokaido line in 2020. They have been refurbished, but they are nearly 20 years old, making it difficult to justify the fare rise.

Is the 1,020-yen ticket reasonable compared to rivals? There are two alternatives for the routes. The first one is Odakyu line, and the second one is, surprisingly, a bullet train.

Odakyu provides Morning Way and Home Way trains between Shinjuku and Fujisawa or Odawara. All Romancecar trains are used on the service. It takes 53-67 minutes between Shinjuku and Fujisawa, and 76-84 minutes between Shinjuku and Odawara. Odakyu trains take slightly longer than JR East in general, and there are fewer services in the morning, but far more in the evening and late at night. Morning and Home Way trains cost 630 yen (Shinjuku - Fujisawa) or 910 yen (Shinjuku - Odawara), cheaper than new Shonan trains of JR.

Another rival is Shinkansen bullet train. It takes 33-36 minutes between Tokyo and Odawara, obviously faster than any other train, but a bullet train ticket (non-reserved standard class) costs 1,760 yen. However, JR Central offers a special deal called "新幹線乗車サービス (Service for those on Bullet Train)" for those having an IC season ticket (e.g. Suica), in which case the bullet train fare between the stations is only 990 yen. Note that the season ticket is valid either on Tokaido line or Tokaido Shinkansen. Almost all passengers use an IC card in these days so that the condition does not hamper "grabbing the deal".

To sum up, see the table below regarding the Odawara services:

It is not always easy to make a comparison, but it is no exaggeration to say that Shonan is the most useless choice in terms of fare, journey time and frequency.

The spread of the COVID-19 forced commuters to shift to remote working, resulted in the sharp fall of the number of passengers. It is far from understandable why has JR East decided to dramatically raise the fares in spite of the recent circumstances. The replacement of Shonan Liner with Shonan limited express shows another example of JR East being incompetent to figure out the demands that exist in the market.

Finally, I point out an option that JR East is likely to do…reduce stopping services during rush hours so that commuters would have no other choice but to purchase the ticket for Shonan. It actually happened on Utsunomiya line in the mid-2010s when Home Liner Koga and Home Liner Konosu were discontinued.