JAPAN NEWS




 

 
The press got a first look at a train car to be used for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen maglev line when it was unveiled on Friday on a test line in Yamanashi Prefecture.

The M10, Central Japan Railway Co.’s (JR Tokai) new train car, is still being tested and is expected to be used when the Linear Chuo Shinkansen begins running.

One feature of the M10 is that its seats do not recline, as it is meant for passengers traveling for only a short amount of time.

Since construction for one section of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen’s track has not started, the timeline for when the M10 will be used is still unclear. However, the cars are still being built.

It is the first maglev train car to be unveiled in five years.
The maglev train will have a top speed of 500 kph and is expected to travel between Shinagawa and Nagoya stations in as fast as 40 minutes.

To achieve such speeds, the seats’ reclining function and other features were removed to make them more lightweight. The space in front of each seat has been increased, so passengers can place their luggage and other items at their feet.

The Linear Chuo Shinkansen’s speed and images such as a blue sky and various locations will be projected on the car’s ceiling as the train track goes through many tunnels and there will not be much of a view from the windows.

“The technology necessary for the maglev’s operation is mostly developed,” said the director of the maglev train’s testing center in Yamanashi Prefecture.
However, with concerns being raised about the construction of a tunnel having various environmental impacts, construction on a section of the track in Shizuoka Prefecture has not started, and there is no timeline for when it is expected to begin.

In addition, JR Tokai said Wednesday that the total cost of construction for the maglev line between Shinagawa and Nagoya stations is expected to increase by about ¥4 trillion to ¥11 trillion. Securing a large amount of funds will pose a significant challenge.