Bullet train services halted for 3 hours after train cars decouple near Tokyo

"The bullet train in question was carrying around 640 passengers at the time of the incident, but no one sustained injuries, according to the operator."

Good news for the day, no one got hurt!!

Seems bullet trains getting "a little long in the tooth" and/or operators feeling pinch of inflation and/or cutting back on scheduled maintenance and/or unable to find sufficient employees?

Not good, and you'd think with record tourism that their business would be fine, and I for one do miss the cart ladies, they cut that service not long ago.

Good news for Japan, they have good rail engineering. No lives lost for only a 3hr delay, I would be a happy teddy passenger.

Oh my goodness! What is the world coming to?!

Wow!

That is something major, isn’t it?

Glad nobody was hurt!

Also, possible tracks getting too old, lack of proper maintenance etc., especially as next generation trains will be 'linear motors' and magnetic based vs. standard tracks.

HES

linear motors and maglev, get real please, how much tax do you want to spend just for all the power stations to produce the MWATs. But ,, your forum. Have you done any track inspection research, Shin is highly rated, WN neighbor copied jpn elevated Shin for their fully integrated intercity HS network, you have yur hopes, fully ok! engineering needs facts ($$$), no offense intended.

AGAIN!!?

How about playing it safe and have two trains from this day on!??

I'm just proposing 'possible' causes in loss of Shinkansen reliability and safety, and definitely not inspecting tracks!

Big energy break throughs could be close, so let's not rule out big progress on train tech. front due to energy constraints either!

The Shinkansen has a 100% no accident rate.

"From the very first run of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen on October 1, 1964, until the present day, there has never been a single derailment or collision on the entire full-standard Shinkansen rail network resulting in a passenger fatality."

We keep reading about stranded Shinkansen's leaving the tracks, de-coupling, etc. Everyone knows its data technology from the early 1960s = not good!

We keep reading about stranded Shinkansen's leaving the tracks, de-coupling, etc. Everyone knows its dated technology from the early 1960s = not good!

The combination of advanced technology, dedicated infrastructure, regular maintenance, highly trained staff, safety culture, and continuous improvement efforts contribute to making the Shinkansen bullet train one of the safest modes of transportation in the world.

60 years of use and rarely anything happened with the shinkansen. So many complains here but I guess other countries have better train systems.

Everyone knows its dated technology from the early 1960s = not good!

Over 60 years, the Shinkansen has never had a major accident.

China doesn't complain when it steals the design and technology from Japan and then sells it as originated in China.

Don't forget the train accident in China in 2011 where 40 people died and then the authorities starting burying the carriages in the ground a few days later and surprisingly unbelievable, a little girl was found still alive.

We keep reading about stranded Shinkansen's leaving the tracks, de-coupling, etc. Everyone knows its datedtechnology from the early 1960s = not good!

Wrong by a mile.

How are other daily forms of transportation less dated?

As has been stated several times above the Shinkansen has an unparalleled safety record.

AlbertToday 08:15 pm JST

60 years of use and rarely anything happened with the shinkansen. So many complains here but I guess other countries have better train systems.

All the Japan apologists throw stuff in people's faces comparing how great Japan is versus "other countries." Fact is they NEED the Shinkansen but many "other countries" don't. It's fast and convenient to some but in the U.S. my car is is way more convenient as it takes me from my starting point to my absolute final destination. No other mode of transport necessary. I could drive across the U.S. for less than it costs to drive to Osaka. Also, the highways are poor, congested and expensive as hell in Japan. Try building a Shinkansen to cover the vast expanse of the whole U.S. Big boy territory there son.

I knew something was up when I saw two helicopters flying over Ueno Station for more than an hour…just to video two trains on a track…what could happen?

If the Shinkansen is so great, why no buyers abroad?

Clearly, it's outdated 1960's tech., like old mainframe computers US Govt. still using per DOGE reporting.

Thus, legacy hardware becomes permanent as it's cheaper to just keep it running, owners get their 'cash' cow because it's a monopoly, so they fail to innovate or improve, and the service becomes riskier every day.

Over the past half century, the made-in-Japan technology behind these sleek trains has continued to evolve. Top speed has risen from 210 km/h (130 mph) to 320 km/h (200 mph), and ridership is now 1 million passengers per day.

Tracks are still the SAME, sure minor incremental innovation and change, but we today Hyperloop Tech. that's about 10x more energy efficient and several times faster than Shinkansen, while taking up less space etc.

Tracks still the SAME, sure minor incremental innovation and change, but for example have today, Hyperloop Tech., that's about 10x more energy efficient and several times faster than Shinkansen, while taking up less space etc.

Regions like Mid-East without train cultures, choosing Hyperloop like tech because there's no train 'lobbying' maintaining "LEGACY" monopolies, causing damage to the environment and customer experience for THEIR Profits

Regions like Mid-East without train cultures, choosing Hyperloop like tech because there's no train 'lobbying' maintaining "LEGACY" monopolies, causing damage to the environment and customer experience for THEIR Profits

Someone forgot to tell you that Hyperloop One declared bankrupcy and shut down two years ago. Elon Musk pushed his Hyperloop scam to kill the momentum for high-speed rail in California (largest domestic market for Tesla). He never intended to build it, just wanted to kill investment in public transit.

Most likely the dropping of the bombs in South Korea, and decoupling in Tokyo it's no coincidence it's the same hidden criminals subduing societies with fear just correlate it with major cases and you find the culprits.

Insane conspiracy theory.

Nope, Hyperloop tech. is being licensed too many, Musk is out of the operating business, but Hyperloop systems being built across world and US, Las Vegas for example with Texas, and others now weighing similar projects.

Nobody wants circa 1960's 'track' technology, when you can move people many times faster and save approx. 90% of operating costs regarding energy.

Never been Shinkansen rail systems sold outside Japan.

Nope, Hyperloop tech. is being licensed too many,

Yes, I agree, it's been licensed too many.

https://www.disconnect.blog/p/the-hyperloop-was-always-a-scam

Never been Shinkansen rail systems sold outside Japan.

1) That's false (Taiwan and China in adapted form)

2) Could you use a better automated translation program maybe?

Countries may have their own legacy rail systems similar to Shinkansen, but these are countries like Japan with a serious legacy rail industry. Countries without such legacy players want 21st Century Tech. like Hyperloop.

Nobody will spend 10x energy for slow moving trains, unless there's a 'train' lobby protecting their profits!

Hyperloop is a failed Musk project. Company closed down December 21, 2023.