freight on JR East Shinkansen?

[miyakoji]

There was just a spot on NHK World (east coast US broadcast) about freight on the Tohoku Shinkansen after its extension to Hakodate.  Here it is on their website: http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201102231316.html

 

They only really talk about moving produce from Hokkaido to Tokyo.  If JRE were to build freight shinkansen rolling stock, I assume they'd want to move something in the other direction as well.  iirc, early on there were plans to move freight on the Tokaido Shinkansen, but that was canceled for whatever reason.  I believe there are models of the rolling stock at one of the railway museums.  My post from yesterday about the old KINI and KIYUNI cars aside (), I'd sure like to see this.  I wonder if JRE/JRH or JR Freight would operate it.  SNCF have TGVs for mail right?

[westfalen]

It sounds like a logical idea, but as the commentator said near the end, the hard part will be convincing JR East to build a freight Shinkansen and slot it into the busy passenger service. To suit delivery of the goods in Tokyo it would probably also have to run on an overnight schedule which would cut into the nightly 0000-0600 maintenance shutdown.

[bikkuri bahn]

I can't get the audio, so I don't have the complete report contents, but I assume the proposed service is for high-value, low volume perishible goods, which could be accomodated on existing passenger trainsets, or perhaps by the inclusion of a combination passenger/parcels car (combine), if JR East was willing to give up the seat revenue space.

[miyakoji]

I can't get the audio, so I don't have the complete report contents, but I assume the proposed service is for high-value, low volume perishible goods, which could be accomodated on existing passenger trainsets, or perhaps by the inclusion of a combination passenger/parcels car (combine), if JR East was willing to give up the seat revenue space.

In the video, I think they show what you're describing, but later the reporter and anchor seem to discuss actual freight-purpose rolling stock.  So, high-volume and perishable, yes, but not necessarily low-volume.  It would definitely be high speed, so I'm imagining an E5 without windows.  No JR East employees were commenting on it, so maybe it's just some speculation on NHK's part.

[disturbman]

And during this time, in Europe: http://www.eurocarex.com/ (or for those that are not afraid to babelfish a wikipedia article: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_Carex)

[bikkuri bahn]

If JRE were to build freight shinkansen rolling stock, I assume they'd want to move something in the other direction as well.

 

The problem is the pattern of freight flows between Hokkaido and Honshu- primarily agricultural/fishery to the south, and finished products (canned goods, appliances, clothing, etc.) north.  Hokkaido has very little manufacturing industry that requires high value, but relatively low mass supplies (precision machinery, micromachinery, computer parts, etc.) that would be served by a HSR freight operation.  One thing very different in Hokkaido compared with many regions in Honshu (or even Kyushu or Shikoku) is the lack of industrial zones where large numbers of manufacturing firms congregate (with the exception of Muroran, which has long been in decline).

[Nick_Burman]

And the Train within a Train, how is that project faring?

 

 

Cheers NB

[bikkuri bahn]

And the Train within a Train, how is that project faring?

 

 

Cheers NB

 

I assume it's still in the works, pending further construction (funding) of the Shin-Aomori/Shin-Hakodate shinkansen link.

[miyakoji]

I assume it's still in the works, pending further construction (funding) of the Shin-Aomori/Shin-Hakodate shinkansen link.

 

I don't really know anything about it, but based on your comment I'm guessing JRE isn't paying for it, which kind of surprises me.  JRE has money, while all the island companies are still kind of JNR aren't they, in that their stock is owned by Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency?  No one would buy their stock if it was sold publicly because they're not actually profitable--I seem to remember reading that this is especially true of JR Shikoku because public roads with bus services parallel all of their lines.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Railway_Construction,_Transport_and_Technology_Agency

[bikkuri bahn]

I don't know the funding process for new shinkansen lines, but it seems to be done on a national level, as part of public infrastructure spending (think of building airports- the airlines don't build them obviously)  The railways themselves are responsible for the running of the lines.  As for train on train, that project is being done by JR Hokkaido, though the end user will be JR Freight.

[Guest JRF-1935]

A good idea that has been put forward before.  Be interesting to see if JR can come up with a solution that won't conflict with passenger service. 

Rich C