Japan's 'Doctor Yellow' track-testing bullet train to retire

I think most people would think 2025

I noticed a cultural difference. English speaking people understand that way but from other culture we think maybe 2025, maybe 2026, maybe 2027, so not sure yet in this point. To avoid any misunderstanding we always make more precise date. If I were to say I go to Hokkaido in January, it is not always next year for us.

@FizzBit

lol

@kwatt

It seems the article doesn't say what year of January. I just wonder how you know January is in 2025.

If I were to say I’m taking a trip to Hokkaido on the Shinkansen in January, when would you say I was going? I think most people would think 2025. All I had to go by was the article. 

Well just have to wait and see.

We used to see it from our apartment every time it went by, the kids loved it. The schedule is far from ‘undisclosed’….we used to know a month in advance exactly when it would come past & the kids would be lined up at the window.

@hooktrunk2

If the Railway company retired the Dr Yellow in January 2025, the company would have to use the traditional classic way to inspect rails manually for 2 years before N700s. It would take whole day to inspect 1km rail. I really doubt they don't use Dr Yellow for 2 more years. West Railway Co use it until Dr Yellow is retied in 2027 though.

I have seen this bullet train in a lot of toy shops. It is popular for boys who collect toy trains.

Such articles, while informative, probably do more harm to society by encouraging antisocial otaku train freak behavior. Japan already has a serious problem with this. Because of excitement on the train platform over Dr. Yellow years ago, I almost missed my shinkansen and being able to attend a Lady Gaga concert. However, it is reassuring to know that a diagnostic train is being utilized to ensure our safety. The shinkansen should be commended.

An exciting story for the train nerds.

No it says:

Japan's "Doctor Yellow" track-testing bullet train will be retired in January, 

and that:

West Japan Railway Co, which runs another Doctor Yellow train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, also said it plans to retire the train around 2027.

which is in a different train system than the train that will retire in January, so Ed's question is valid. What happens between January 2025 and 2027?

It seems the article doesn't say what year of January. I just wonder how you know January is in 2025. It seems to me both Central and West railway Companies use N700s trains to inspect rails after Doctor Yellow trains retired in 2027.

I was able to see a Dr. Yellow stopped at one of the intermediate stations on the Sanyo Shinkansen several years ago. You'd think it was a rock star, everyone was taking pictures. Definitely a neat sight.

Maybe the train could become a new James Bond villain, Dr. Yellow, once a protector of train passengers, and now ....

I see shinkansen all the time while driving or even better, while riding the Hankyu line, as it runs through my town, some parts of it adjacent to the Hankyu line. But, I've never had the good fortune of seeing Dr Yellow. :-(

When my son was younger he was always hoping to see it everytime we passed by a Shinkansen station. We still have a few years to get lucky though!

@Kwatt

No it says:

Japan's "Doctor Yellow" track-testing bullet train will be retired in January, 

and that:

West Japan Railway Co, which runs another Doctor Yellow train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, also said it plans to retire the train around 2027.

which is in a different train system than the train that will retire in January, so Ed's question is valid. What happens between January 2025 and 2027?

I've seen it twice. I'm definitely been very blessed.

My 2-yo son is obsessed with this train (and anything else yellow, for some reason). Hope he gets to see it in real life before it retires.

So no testing between January next year and 2027 ? What could go wrong...

Doctor Yellow is retired in 2027. N700s trains will inspect from 2027.

I wonder what happens to Japan's trains when they get decommissioned, do they get refurbished and sold to other countries or scrapped and given a new life?

Kids will be disappointed about this, my kid is not into trains but knows about dr yellow. Sure you want to kill the brand?

Thanks Doctor Yellow..

I'll make a note in my diary for that, so exciting.... hehe

plans to hold events such as displays of it being washed.

That's a little sad to hear.

Been lucky to see it zoom past twice.

Definitely causes a buzz.

So no testing between January next year and 2027 ? What could go wrong...