Japanese Bullet Trains - Shinkansen! Quiz

Answer: Existing narrow gauge rail network

The first Japanese railway opened in 1872 from Shinbashi in Tokyo to Yokohama 40 km to the south. On European advice, the Japanese government chose a narrow gauge of 1035mm as this was thought to be more suitable due to its largely steep terrain. The Dangan Ressha (bullet train) Project was conceived in 1939, to boost the transportation capabilities of the Tokyo to Osaka lines. This included switching to wide-gauge rails to accommodate high-speed passenger trains. Land was procured but work was abandoned due to WWII. This land and tunnels were used in the 1957 proposal which saw the greenlight for the high speed train line. Shinkansen does not mean "Bullet train as many non-Japanese speakers believe but it means "New Main Line" to reflect the busiest train route of Tokyo to Osaka. The bullet train moniker stuck though as the first models were actually shaped like a bullet.

Japan was the first country to build dedicated railway lines for high-speed rail travel Under the otld narrow gauge, a track curve could be taken at a maximum speed of 130km/hr. On a standard gauge track the same curve could be taken at 145km/hr. Hence the need for dedicated track.

This question was rushed into this quiz by Shinkansen fan 1nn1 from Team Phoenix Rising.

Answer: The first Tokyo Olympics

While becoming a member of the United Nations in 1956 enabled post-war Japan to establish itself in the international community, hosting the 18th edition of the Olympic Games was essential to its transformation into a major player on the international stage. The unveiling of the first Shinkansen line, completed in just five years, became a symbol of the new Japan - accompanied by the slogan "Be in time for the Olympics".

At 6 a.m. of 1 October 1964, the Series 0 "Hikari" train, a striking piece of machinery with a distinctive, bullet-shaped nose cone (hence the nickname of "bullet train") and an immaculate, ivory-and-blue livery, left Tokyo Station's Platform 19 on its first journey on the Tokaido line connecting the capital with Osaka. The train originally took four hours to cover the 515 km (320 mi) between the two cities, travelling at a speed of 210 km/h (130/mph). By the following year, the duration of the journey had shortened to 3 hours 10 minutes, and the train's speed had increased to 220 km/h (137 mph). The colours of the train's livery, which had never been used before, symbolized its safety (due to the lack of level crossings), which rendered the use of cautionary colours such as red or yellow unnecessary.

The impact of the introduction of the Shinkansen on Japanese economy and society as a whole was enormous, and ushered an era of growth and prosperity for the country. The success of these trains also encouraged other countries to build their own high-speed rail systems.

Crown Prince Akihito's wedding to Michiko Shoda happened in 1959, while the Osaka World Expo took place in 1970.

This winning question sped into the quiz with just a little help from LadyNym from Team Phoenix Rising.

Answer: Each axle on the train was powered

Even the very first Shinkansen had EMU. This meant each axle (not just the locomotive up front) was powered. (Other fast trains in Spain, Germany and France favoured the locomotive as a power unit). This configuration offers fast acceleration and deceleration. There is less damage to the track because the EMU vehicles were much lighter than locomotives or power cars. The coaches are air-sealed to facilitate necessary stable air pressure when the trains enter
tunnels at high speed.

The train's bullet-shaped nose cone became an instant icon and ensured the bullet train moniker stayed. The ivory and blue livery was a combination never used on Japanese trains before, served as reminder of its safety features: there was no need to have cautionary colours like red or yellow as the Shinkansen does use level crossing but has grade separation so cars and train never meet; Also this train had electric not friction brakes . This meant that an ivory colour was acceptable as there would be no dirtying of paint work by iron powder residue from brake pads. Another feature was vibration minimisation: At high speeds wheels vibrate on the tracks: to stop this passenger compartments are fitted on flatbeds which are fitted with springs used with compressed air to absorb wheel vibration which therefore never reaches the passenger cells. Shinkansen routes may run parallel to existing routes but they are completely separate from conventional rail lines therefore the, the Shinkansen are not affected by slower local and/or freight trains.

Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1 also worked well at high speed producing this question.

Answer: 67

The mountainous terrain that was a limiting factor in rail routes in Japan was not a factor with Shinkansen. The construction engineers just blasted tunnels into mountains and filled valleys and river crossings with bridges. In the initial 515km stretch between Tokyo and Osaka, there are over 2000 bridges and 67 tunnels. On the next section of the mainline, the 344km section between Okayama and Hakata, over half the route is tunnels
The Seikan railway tunnel, when opened in 1998, was the longest on the overall Shinkansen line in Japan. At 53.8km (33.5 miles), it was the second longest railway tunnel in the world. It connects the Aomou Prefecture on Honshu Island to Hokkaido Island.

This question was created with complete tunnel vision by Phoenix Rising's JAM6430

Answer: True

The Automated Train Control receives information from the track about speed limits and applies the brakes automatically if required until the speed limit has been reached, at which time the brakes are released. While the ATC can apply brakes, it cannot control the power to the motors that detect the train's stopping position when pulling into stations. This is controlled by another automated system called Automatic Train Operation. The ATO also governs speed (up to the ATC-designated speed limit). The Shinkansen has a third automated system called Automated Train Protection which via track beacons monitors speed and distance between trains. If they are too close, the ATP will facilitate an emergency stop. Shinkansen trains were the first trains with ATC. Other high-speed trains have similar technology implemented, including many subway systems in South Korea. The first ATC systems were analogue, but digital ATC systems now exist that provide certain efficiency advantages. All three systems in Japan run on digital platforms.

This question was automatically inserted into the quiz by Phoenix Rising Team Member Rizeeve.

Answer: 2 hours 22 minutes

Improvements were made with each iteration of the trainsets used. The journey time was lowered to three hours ten minutes by 1965.

The routes are separate from conventional rail lines, with no crossings. Tunnels and viaducts are used to go through or over obstacles, rather than around them. Continuous welded rails, streamlined overhead electrical systems, aluminium alloy construction, tilt technology and improvements to trainsets have all resulted in even shorter journey times.
The Series 0 trainsets (first generation) were retired in 2008, replaced by N700 series trains. Japan has rightly been seen as a pioneer with high-speed rail. Further refinements are planned, including maglev (magnetic levitation) systems.


Phoenix Rising member psnz steered this question into the quiz, at great speed.

Answer: The trains run at the same speed as the standard Shinkansen

Both mini-Shinkansen lines - Yamagata Shinkansen and Akita Shinkansen - were originally narrow-gauge lines that were converted to standard gauge in order to be connected to the Shinkansen network. Though the trains employed on these lines are capable of running at high speed, on the mini-Shinkansen tracks they run at narrow-gauge speeds - i.e. a maximum of 130 km/h (80 mph). In addition, while the trains that run on the standard Shinkansen routes carry between 8 and 16 cars, the mini-Shinkansen trains have only 7.

Opened on 1 July 1992, the Yamagata Shinkansen route runs from Shinjo, in Yamagata Prefecture (north-western Honshu) to Tokyo, connecting with the Tohoku Shinkansen at Fukushima; the service is called "Tsubasa" ("wing"). The Akita Shinkansen route was opened on 22 March 1997, and runs from Akita in Akita Prefecture (north of Yamagata) to Tokyo, connecting with the Tohoku Shinkansen at Morioka. The service is named "Komachi", after a 10th-century poet famous for her beauty. The Akita Shinkansen route runs through hilly country, with curves and level crossings that often force the trains to slow to 90 km/h (55 mph).

LadyNym from Team Phoenix Rising had to slow down a bit while writing this question.

Answer: Trained medical team on every train

The Shinkansen system marked 55 years of operation in 2019. Over that time there was not a single fatality associated with operation of the trains. Even though on some lines e.g. Tokyo-Osaka, trains can run every 5 minutes, there is an excellent control center which knows exactly the position of all trains at all times and trains have built in positioning systems and a train will have its brakes applied if it is too close to the train in front. This is coupled with regular and thorough maintenance to minimize any potential for breakdowns. Dedicated track inspection trains regularly check all lines for any faults or weaknesses. The route of each line was carefully planned and designed so that there are no road crossings at all, thereby hugely decreasing collision risk. The control center, and therefore the trains, also utilize an early warning system for earthquakes combined with construction of track and tunnels that will withstand seismic activity. Although medically-trained people may be on any given train, there are no medical teams employed to work on all trains.

This question was confidentially sped into this quiz by MikeMaster99 who has travelled on these trains in Honshu and greatly enjoyed the entire experience.

Answer: 2,300 km (1,249 mi)

The 50th anniversary of the launch of the first Shinkansen line was celebrated with a ceremony that took place at Tokyo Station's Platform 19 on 1 October 2014 at 6 am - exactly 50 years after that momentous inaugural departure. By that milestone date, service had been extended to the island of Kyushu, and the maximum speed of trains on the Tohoku line had reached 320 km/h (200 mph). After half a century, the extent of the network had grown to 2,388 km (1,480 mi), comprising six lines; a seventh line, the Hokkaido Shinkansen, would be added in 2016.

The year 2014 also saw the beginning of construction of Phase 1 of the Chuo Shinkansen, a maglev (magnetic levitation) line between Tokyo and Nagoya, with trains expected to run at a speed of up to 505 km/h (314 mph).

Phoenix Rising's LadyNym solemnly celebrated the completion of this question.

Answer: A Mag-Lev train capable of 500km/hr

Maglev, short for magnetic levitation, is a wheel-less train that uses two mgnet sets: one set to repel and push the train upwards 10-15mm off the track, and another set to move the elevated train ahead, utilising the absence of friction.

The Chuo Shinkansen (Central Shinkansen) commenced development in the 70s but was approved for construction (about 9 trillion Yen or $US66 billion). The line will connect Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes and in the second stage, Tokyo to Osaka in 67 minutes. The train will run at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (314 mph). Nearly 90% of the 286-kilometer (178 mi) line to Nagoya will be through tunnels as the line is much straighter than the original Shinkansen route between the two cities. The engineering required is next level with a minimum curve radius of 8,000 m (26,000 ft) and a maximum grade of 4% (1 in 25).In 2020 the project stalled after Shizuoka Prefecture denied permission for construction work through its prefecture.

This question was rushed into the quiz at breakneck speed by Phoenix Rising Team Member 1nn1.