2016 Blue Ribbon Award + Laurel Prizes

[korat]

Blue Ribbon Award: Hanshin 5700系
Laurel Prizes: JR East HB-E210系 and Yokkaichi Asunarou Railway 新260系 (or is it just 260系? I don't know)
 
JRC: http://www.jrc.gr.jp/award/bl
Railf: http://railf.jp/news/2016/05/24/160000.html

[miyakoji]

The Hanshin 5700 series is cool, 4km/h/s acceleration and all, but I have to wonder if the HB-E210 isn't more "important" as it's progressing hybrid tech and (I hope) making passenger rail basically better in economic and environmental terms.

[kvp]

The narrow gauge train is cute though. Their whole rolling stock list looks like it has been scrapheaped from various junkjards. Compared to that, building a whole new trailer seems like a big achivement. Is there more information on the history of how this happened?

[bikkuri bahn]

The Hanshin 5700 series is cool, 4km/h/s acceleration and all, but I have to wonder if the HB-E210 isn't more "important" as it's progressing hybrid tech and (I hope) making passenger rail basically better in economic and environmental terms.

FWIW, the award criteria are different, so they are not really in competition with each other or one being "above" the other.  The Blue Ribbon is by popular vote, while the Laurel is by committee selection, based on technical merit, design sense, etc.

 

This is the first time a Hanshin design has won the Blue Ribbon.

Edited May 25, 2016 by bikkuri bahn

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

I'm underwhelmed.

[bikkuri bahn]

I reckon 2017 or 2018 will be more spectacular, WRT to "flagship" designs.