Train on Train
Encyclopedia
is the name given to the concept being developed by Hokkaido Railway Company
(JR Hokkaido) in Japan as a means of transporting freight at higher speeds through the undersea Seikan Tunnel
when Hokkaido Shinkansen
high-speed passenger services through the tunnel commence in 2015.
opens between and in 2015, high-speed Shinkansen trains will have to share the dual-gauge tracks through the 53.85 km long Seikan Tunnel
linking the main island of Honshu
and Hokkaido
with freight trains currently limited to 110 km/h (68.4 mph) on narrow-gauge tracks. The "Train on Train" concept involves loading narrow-gauge KoKi 100 container wagons onto specially built standard-gauge wagons, to allow freight trains to be operated through the tunnel at speeds of up to 200 km/h (124.3 mph).
Addressing local business leaders at a "Forum 2050" meeting in Hokkaido on 1 February 2010, JR Hokkaido vice-president Hirohiko Kakinuma stated that using a "double traverser" arrangement would allow trains to be transferred to and from the Train on Train wagons in approximately 10 minutes.
Hokkaido Railway Company
The is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008....
(JR Hokkaido) in Japan as a means of transporting freight at higher speeds through the undersea Seikan Tunnel
Seikan Tunnel
The Seikan Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Japan, with a long portion under the seabed. Track level is about below seabed and below sea level. It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait—connecting Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu and the island of Hokkaido—as part of the Kaikyo Line...
when Hokkaido Shinkansen
Hokkaido Shinkansen
The is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May 2005, and the initial Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate section is projected to open in 2015. There are long-term plans to extend the line to Sapporo...
high-speed passenger services through the tunnel commence in 2015.
Overview
When the Hokkaido ShinkansenHokkaido Shinkansen
The is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May 2005, and the initial Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate section is projected to open in 2015. There are long-term plans to extend the line to Sapporo...
opens between and in 2015, high-speed Shinkansen trains will have to share the dual-gauge tracks through the 53.85 km long Seikan Tunnel
Seikan Tunnel
The Seikan Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Japan, with a long portion under the seabed. Track level is about below seabed and below sea level. It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait—connecting Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu and the island of Hokkaido—as part of the Kaikyo Line...
linking the main island of Honshu
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
with freight trains currently limited to 110 km/h (68.4 mph) on narrow-gauge tracks. The "Train on Train" concept involves loading narrow-gauge KoKi 100 container wagons onto specially built standard-gauge wagons, to allow freight trains to be operated through the tunnel at speeds of up to 200 km/h (124.3 mph).
Development
The "Train on Train" concept was revealed by JR Hokkaido Chairman Shinichi Sakamoto in April 2006. A full-size mockup vehicle was built and demonstrated at Naebo Works in spring 2007, and the next phase of the project is to build a prototype train for actual operation. JR Freight is developing high-speed electric locomotives to haul these trains.Addressing local business leaders at a "Forum 2050" meeting in Hokkaido on 1 February 2010, JR Hokkaido vice-president Hirohiko Kakinuma stated that using a "double traverser" arrangement would allow trains to be transferred to and from the Train on Train wagons in approximately 10 minutes.
See also
- Transporter wagonTransporter wagonA transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
, railway wagons used to carry rail vehicles of different gauge - Gauge Change TrainGauge Change TrainThe Gauge Change Train or is the name given to a Japanese project started in 1994 to develop a high-speed train with variable gauge axles to allow inter-running between the standard gauge Shinkansen network, and the narrow gauge provincial network....
, an experimental Japanese train designed to operate on both narrow-gauge and standard-gauge routes