TMCnet News
JR East's new 'Fastech' bullet train unveiled to press+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, March 1_(Kyodo) _ East Japan Railway Co. unveiled its new shinkansen, the Fastech, which is designed to be the world's fastest bullet train, to the press during a test run on Wednesday. The Fastech logged 366 kilometers per hour during the test run. JR East plans for the train to run at 360 kph from 2011 when the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, currently linking Tokyo and Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, will be extended further north to Shin-Aomori Station. The Fastech, which started test runs in June, has run a total length of 30,000 km. It recorded 398 kph in August. The test car, which left Sendai Station in Miyagi Prefecture shortly after 12 a.m. Wednesday, exceeded the maximum speed of 275 kph for the Tohoku Shinkansen Line and accelerated up to 366 kph by the time it passed Kurikoma Kogen Station in the prefecture. The test car shook somewhat when the train exceeded 300 kph. It ended the run at Kitakami Station in Iwate Prefecture. Takashi Endo of JR East's Technology Planning Department said that "achieving the 360 kph-operation seems solid" but added that the company will continue working to improve the next-generation model such as by reducing the noise and enhancing comfort. The test car is designed to measure the shaking and the ride quality. The train's passenger compartments feature a neo-futuristic atmosphere and seats are red or dark green. If commercial operations at 360 kph are achieved, it would take less than three hours to travel between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations, JR East has said. The Sanyo Shinkansen Line and the French national railway are currently operating at 300 kph. |