Sanyō Shinkansen
| Sanyō Shinkansen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 N700 Series Shinkansen between Okayama and Aioi, April 2009 |
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| Overview | |||
| Type | Shinkansen | ||
| Locale | Japan | ||
| Termini | Shin-Ōsaka Hakata |
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| Stations | 19 | ||
| Operation | |||
| Opened | 15 March 1972 | ||
| Owner | JR West | ||
| Operator(s) | JR Central JR Kyushu JR West |
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| Depot(s) | Osaka, Okayama, Hiroshima, Hakata | ||
| Rolling stock | 100 series 300 series 500 series 700 series N700 series |
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| Technical | |||
| Line length | 553.7 km | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Electrification | 25 kV AC, 60 Hz, overhead catenary | ||
| Operating speed | 300 km/h (190 mph) | ||
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The Sanyō Shinkansen (山陽新幹線 San'yō Shinkansen) is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Ōsaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan. Operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), it is a westward continuation of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and also serves other major cities in between on Honshu and Kyushu islands such as Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kitakyushu. The Sanyō Shinkansen connects Hakata with Osaka in two-and-a-half hours, with trains operating at maximum operating speed of 300 km/h (190 mph). Some Nozomi trains operate continuously on Sanyō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen lines, connecting Tokyo and Hakata in five hours.
Contents |
[edit] Trains
Train sets operating on the line include:
- 100 series: Kodama
- 300 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Kodama
- 500 series: Hikari / Kodama
- 700 series: Nozomi / Hikari / Hikari Rail Star / Kodama
- N700 series: Nozomi / Hikari
- N700-7000/8000 series: Mizuho / Sakura
[edit] Stations
All stations on the Sanyō Shinkansen are owned and operated by JR West, with the exception of Shin-Ōsaka which is run by Central Japan Railway Company (JR central).
[edit] History
Construction of the Sanyō Shinkansen between Shin-Ōsaka and Okayama was authorized on September 9, 1965 and commenced on March 16, 1967. Construction between Okayama and Hakata commenced on February 10, 1970. The Shin-Ōsaka to Okayama segment opened on March 15, 1972; the remainder of the line opened on March 10, 1975. The first Hikari trains, using 0 Series Shinkansen equipment, made the Osaka-Hakata run in 3 hr. 44 min. This was shortened to 2 hr. 59 min. in 1986 with an increase in maximum speed to 220 km/h. 100 Series Shinkansen trains, introduced in 1989, boosted maximum speed to 230 km/h and reduced travel time to 2 hr. 49 min.
Tokyo-Hakata Nozomi services began on March 18, 1993, using 300 Series Shinkansen equipment. The Osaka-Hakata run was reduced to 2 hr. 32 min., at a maximum speed of 270 km/h. On March 22, 1997, the 500 Series Shinkansen entered service on Nozomi services between Shin-Ōsaka and Hakata, reducing the Osaka-Hakata run to 2 hr. 17 min. at a maximum speed of 300 km/h.
The 700 Series Shinkansen was introduced on Tokyo-Hakata Nozomi services on March 13, 1999, coinciding with the opening of Asa Station. On March 11, 2000, the new 700 Series trainsets were introduced on Hikari Rail Star services.
Ogori Station was renamed Shin-Yamaguchi Station on October 1, 2003.
The N700 Series Shinkansen was launched on Nozomi services on July 1, 2007, with a top speed of 300 km/h (compared to 285 km/h for the 700 series).
From the start of the revised timetable on March 12, 2011, new Mizuho and Sakura inter-running services commenced between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima on the Kyushu Shinkansen using new N700-7000 and N700-8000 series 8-car trainsets.
[edit] Ridership
In fiscal 2005, the Sanyo Shinkansen line ridership was 58 million passengers/year, or about 159,000 daily.[1]
[edit] See also
Media related to Sanyō Shinkansen at Wikimedia Commons
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- JR West website (English)
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