New Type: Keisei Skyliner and Keisei Sky Access

[bill937ca]

Present

 

 

 

As of 2010.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZnwH1DlmBU

[Bernard]

Impressive train to the Plane transport! We have a train to JFK airport that took years to build but it is so worth it. It is one of the best kept secrets in NY, it now takes me 15 min to get there and it practically drops you off at the terminal.

[CaptOblivious]

When visiting Tokyo, I took the Keisei local from Narita. A ton cheaper than the Skyliner express service. The transfer I had to make at Aoto, for being basically my first time in a Japanese train station, was incredibly instructive. Also stressful, for all its unfamiliarity.

[Guest ___]

When visiting Tokyo, I took the Keisei local from Narita. A ton cheaper than the Skyliner express service. The transfer I had to make at Aoto, for being basically my first time in a Japanese train station, was incredibly instructive. Also stressful, for all its unfamiliarity.

 

I took the Kei'sei local as well and was grateful it stopped in Ueno which was where I needed to get off. Now only if they can get the experess train from Heneda to Narita going. That would be perfect.

[bill937ca]

First glimpse of the new Keisei Skyliner.

 

[Bernard]

I hope this isn't an obvious question but are the checker board fronts on the trains a cover or is that the design of the front? The cars are beautiful.

[bill937ca]

Its a cover apparently.  The ends will be unveiled when Keisei is ready.

[lbriand_fr]

It's a EF65 and a YO8000???

Quite a good idea for a unordinary train!

[CaptOblivious]

It's a EF65 and a YO8000???

Quite a good idea for a unordinary train!

 

 

 

I know, I was thinking that to. I guess the YO is functioning as a coupler converter, since EF65s only have knuckle couplers?

[bill937ca]

It's also on temporary trucks.  JR is 1067mm and Keisei is 1435mm.

[bill937ca]

I hope this isn't an obvious question but are the checker board fronts on the trains a cover or is that the design of the front? The cars are beautiful.

 

Here's the answer.

 

[Bernard]

That is a very nice looking train but does the train (except the last car) remind you a little of the Thunderbird or Snow Bird?

[disturbman]

Two photos taken somewhere else...

 

And I forget, this train will be able to run at 160 kph transforming a 51 minutes trip in a 36 minutes one between Nippori and Narita Airport. Of course the construction of a new line by the Keisei will help greatly to diminish the travel time.

[Guest ___]

To me it looks like the Acela, but I still like it. I'd like the Acela too if not for Amtrak.

[scott]

I wonder how many of these Keisei sets they're building. I wonder if there will be more of these trains for this one line than there are Acela sets for the entire NEC.

[bikkuri bahn]

I wonder how many of these Keisei sets they're building. I wonder if there will be more of these trains for this one line than there are Acela sets for the entire NEC.

 

That's a good question, I couldn't find how many of these units will be built by Nippon Sharyo.  But if Keisei intends to replace their older AE100 Skyliners one for one with these, they'll need seven trainsets of eight cars each.

[Guest ___]

Let's just hope the current trains get bumped down to Ltd express service. I sorta like the old sets as well.

[stevenh]

That train is amazing.... are they in service yet?

[Guest ___]

They're not in revenue service yet. Last I heard from Kyodo there was still some work that was needed on the line itself to allow the new trains to run at full capability.

[bikkuri bahn]

They're not in revenue service yet. Last I heard from Kyodo there was still some work that was needed on the line itself to allow the new trains to run at full capability.

 

Yes, the line is still under construction.  It's scheduled to open next year. Some pics here to give you an idea of progress.

 

Aerial view of the first portion of the line under construction.  Lower portion is going towards Narita Airport

Source: http://building-pc.cocolog-nifty.com/helicopter/2009/05/post-7930.html

 

 

The line extending from Inbanihoniidai Station.  The overpass in the distance marks the place where there was once a hillside.

Source: http://naritakousoku.blog122.fc2.com/

 

View further down the line, looking back to the overpass in the distance.

Source: http://naritakousoku.blog122.fc2.com/

 

Map of the new route.  Pictures above are from the area indicated by the hatched red line.

Source: http://www.new-skyliner.jp/top.html

[Bernard]

bikkuri - Great photos. Are they extending the line and/or are they just making modifications for the newer trains?

[bikkuri bahn]

bikkuri - Great photos. Are they extending the line and/or are they just making modifications for the newer trains?

 

It's basically an extension of the Hokuso Railway, which is a subsidiary of Keisei and begins at Takasago and serves the new housing developments in NW Chiba Prefecture.  The line is being extended from Hokuso's terminus at Ibanihoniidai Station to Narita Airport.  This stretch is called the Narita Airport High Speed Railway, and will be built to standards that allow 160kmh (100mph) running of trains, which will tie it with the Hokuetsu Railway as the fastest non-Shinkansen route in Japan.  As you can see in the map, the route is much more direct to the airport than the (older) line (in green) used by the current Skyliners, which after leaving Tokyo veers south to serve the more densely populated areas of Chiba Prefecture along the bay and towards Chiba City proper, meandering until it reaches the airport via Narita City.

[CaptOblivious]

This stretch is called the Narita Airport High Speed Railway, and will be built to standards that allow 160kmh (100mph) running of trains, which will tie it with the Hokuetsu Railway as the fastest non-Shinkansen route in Japan.

 

It helps, too, that Keisei uses standard gauge for all their lines…that's a pretty big leg up on JR :D

[Guest ___]

Wow, great images there, bikkuri bahn! I recalled that it was a cross between work on existing and new lines, but the details were uber-fuizzy. This is probably the closet thing there is to a private shinkansen in Japan.

[bill937ca]

The new Skyliner has been out for testing this week.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfWe2eR9Vu4&feature=PlayList&p=5841AE8DABC942D2