Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen
N700S-8000 series set Y4 on the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen in October 2022
Overview
Native name西九州新幹線
Owner JRTT
LocaleKyushu (Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures)
Termini
Stations5
Color on map     Pink (#EF59A1)
Service
TypeHigh-speed rail
SystemShinkansen
ServicesKamome
Operator(s)Logo of the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). JR Kyushu
Depot(s)Omura
Rolling stockN700S-8000 series
History
Opened
  • 23 September 2022; 16 months ago (2022-09-23) (Nagasaki to Takeo Onsen)
  • TBA (Takeo Onsen to Hakata)
Technical
Line length66.0 km (41.0 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Minimum radius4,000 m (2.5 mi; 13,000 ft)
Electrification25 kV 60 Hz AC overhead catenary
Operating speed260 km/h (160 mph)
SignallingCab signalling
Train protection systemKS-ATC
Maximum incline3.0%
Route map

The Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen (Japanese: 西九州新幹線, romanized: Nishi Kyūshū Shinkansen, lit. 'West Kyushu Shinkansen') is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail line on the northwest part of Kyushu Island that is operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). A segment of the line that connects Nagasaki to Takeo-Onsen commenced service on 23 September 2022.[1][2] The line runs parallel to the existing Nagasaki Main Line and has a total length of 66 kilometers (41 mi), making it the shortest high-speed Shinkansen railway line in Japan in terms of length.

The entire line is envisioned to connect Hakata to Nagasaki, and potentially become an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen in Honshu.[3] However, as of 2022, the route of the segment east of Takeo-Onsen to Hakata via Saga has yet to be determined, with construction yet to commence.[4] It remains unclear when the entire line will be completed.[5] For the foreseeable future, the Relay Kamome limited express service will continue to provide a connection to Hakata.

Services

Services are operated by 6-car N700S series trains, at a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). Initially, there is only one service type, named Kamome.[6] All Kamome services stop at Takeo-Onsen, Isahaya and Nagasaki, while most stops at the other two stations.[7]

At Takeo-Onsen each Kamome connects to a relay service by means of a cross platform interchange to allow travel between Hakata and Nagasaki.[8][6][9] The relay service is either the Relay Kamome or a Midori/Huis Ten Bosch acting as a Relay Kamome.[10]

Rolling stock

All services are formed of 6-car N700S series trainsets.[11]

With the start of the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen, trains are operated by a fleet of four JR Kyushu N700S series trainsets.[12]

History

Initial route selection

Plans for a Shinkansen between Fukuoka and Nagasaki was first laid out in 1971 by the Ministry of Transport.[13] The construction of the route was decided in the 1973 basic plan. At the time the route was decreed to pass through Saga, split from the main Kyushu Shinkansen route in Tsukushi Plain, and share the route with the Kyushu Shinkansen to Fukuoka.[14] In 1985 Japanese National Railways published a map of the line that ran via Haiki in Sasebo.[15][16]

In 1992, JR Kyushu published a report on the revenue of the route on the premise that it would be built with Shinkansen-level facilities but with track gauge in narrow gauge (Super Tokkyū) instead of the standard gauge normally used in Shinkansen routes.[16] In 2002, the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT) applied for permission to build the line between Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki in Super Tokkyū standard.[15][16][17]

Start of construction

On 16 December 2007, JR Kyushu reached an agreement with Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures that operation of the conventional narrow gauge trains between Hizen-Yamaguchi and Isahaya by JR Kyushu will be continued for 20 years after the opening of the Shinkansen.[18] JRTT applied for permission to build the 45.7 km-long (28.4 mi) segment between Takeo-Onsen and Isahaya on 19 March 2008, and was granted on 26 March.[15] Construction of the segment began on 28 April 2008.

Debate over the final section between Isahaya and Nagasaki continued for several years, before construction was approved by the government.[19] On 26 December 2012 the Japanese government issued a policy that the under-construction segment between Takeo-Onsen and Isahaya, and the segment yet to break ground between Isahaya and Nagasaki shall be built together as a variable gauge system.[20] Permission to build the line between Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki as a standard gauge Shinkansen was applied on 12 June 2012, and was granted on 29 June.[15][21]

Abandonment of Gauge Change Trains and reconsideration of route

The initial plan involved using the existing narrow gauge track from Shin-Tosu to Takeo-Onsen as well as duplicating the 13.7 km (8.5 mi) Hizen Yamaguchi to Takeo-Onsen section, and building a new Shinkansen line from Takeo-Onsen to Nagasaki. It was proposed that Gauge Change Train (GCT) trainsets be used,[22] however technical issues resulted in the cancellation of the GCT, requiring the consideration of other options.[23] The GCT was expected to allow travel times of around 1 hour 20 minutes between Hakata to Nagasaki, versus the 1 hour 50 minutes currently operated by the 885 series. If the entire route was constructed to Shinkansen standards, the travel time would be 51 minutes.[24]

The current plan is to continue using the existing narrow gauge track with a cross platform interchange at Takeo-Onsen Station until the finalization of the remaining section to Shin-Tosu. In addition, the initial plan of duplicating 13.7 km (8.5 mi) of the section between Takeo-Onsen to Hizen-Yamaguchi has been reduced to 6.3 km (3.9 mi) between Ōmachi to Takahashi.

Saga Prefecture, through which the line was planned to pass with a stop at Saga Station, has refused to allow the construction of the full line to Shin-Tosu. The reasons stated by Saga's prefectural governor are the lack of advantages gained by the prefecture compared to the price of building and maintaining the full Shinkansen line.[25] Saga Prefecture estimates that their burden would be over 240 billion yen, much higher than that of Nagasaki Prefecture's estimated burden of 100 billion yen.[26] In addition, the travel time from Saga to Hakata would only be shortened by around 15 minutes.[24] There is also the issue of the status of the conventional Nagasaki Main Line after the construction of the West Kyushu route. Saga Prefecture would prefer that JR Kyushu continue to operate the line as opposed to transferring them over to a third-sector company, as commonly practiced around the country after the construction of a Shinkansen line.

Following the decision not to use GCTs, Nagasaki Prefecture pushed for the remaining segment to be built in Shinkansen standard on the premise that it offers better convenience and shorter travel time, while Saga Prefecture opposes building in Shinkansen standard as it will need to pay a significant part of the budget despite there being no substantial change in travel time compared to preexisting services. A decision on whether to build the remaining segment in Shinkansen standard, or a Mini-shinkansen with standard gauge tracks but slower speed, was to be made in the summer of 2018, but due to financial concerns from Saga Prefecture it was postponed.[27] On 5 August 2019 a committee in the governing party decided that the segment should be built in Shinkansen standard.[28] Saga Prefecture expressed strong opposition to this, and opined that all possible options (Super Tokkyū, Gauge Change Train, relay train method, Mini-shinkansen and full Shinkansen standard) should be evaluated thoroughly. On 28 October 2019 Saga Prefecture and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism agreed that the two sides should continue holding discussions on this matter.[29] In 2021 Saga Prefecture proposed to the government that the full line be built either north along the Nagasaki Expressway, or south connecting to Chikugo-Funagoya Station via Saga Airport.[30]

As of September 2022, the opening of the segment between Takeo-Onsen and Hakata remains unknown as no constructions have been approved or initiated. Debates on how the segment will be operated are still ongoing.[31]

Stations

Legend:

● All trains stop
▲ Some trains stop
Station Japanese Distance from
Takeo-Onsen (km) 		Kamome
(from fiscal 2022) 		Transfers Location
Opened on 23 September 2022[32]
Takeo-Onsen 武雄温泉 0.0 ●
Takeo Saga
Ureshino-Onsen 嬉野温泉 10.9 ▲ Ureshino
Shin-Ōmura 新大村 32.2 ▲
Ōmura Nagasaki
Isahaya 諫早 44.8 ●
Isahaya
Nagasaki 長崎 66.0 ●
Nagasaki

References

  1. ^ "Construction of new bullet train route starts in Kyushu : National : …". Daily Yomiuri Online. 18 February 2013. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ^ 建設計画・ルート [Construction plan / route] (in Japanese). Pref.nagasaki.jp. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  3. ^ 実現させよう！フル規格！ [Let's realize! Full　standard!] (PDF) (in Japanese). Nagasaki Prefecture. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line to open on Sept. 23". The Japan Times. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Bullet train route in Kyushu beset by problems before opening". Asia & Japan Watch. The Asahi Shimbun Company. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b 2022年度秋頃に西九州新幹線が開業します!列車名「かもめ」 [The West Kyushu Shinkansen will open in the fall of 2022! Train name "Kamome"]. jrkyushu.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  7. ^ 西九州新幹線の最高速度、開通後の時短効果は？ もしかして料金が高くなってしまうのでは……？ [What is the maximum speed of the West Kyushu Shinkansen and the time saving effect after opening? Maybe the price will be higher?]. nlab.itmedia.co.jp (in Japanese). 25 August 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  8. ^ "Shorter N700S to serve Nagasaki". railwaygazette.com. 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  9. ^ "JR初の新型特急｢783系｣は型破りな異端児だった ｢ハイパーサルーン｣の愛称でJR九州の主力担う" [JR's first new limited express "783 series" is the mainstay of JR Kyushu under the nickname of "Hyper Saloon", which was an unconventional heretic.]. Toyokeizai Online (in Japanese). 30 July 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  10. ^ 西九州新幹線が開業します 在来線各線区でダイヤを見直します [Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen opens We will revise the timetable for each conventional line section] (PDF). jrkyushu.co.jp (in Japanese). 10 June 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  11. ^ 九州新幹線（武雄温泉・長崎間）新幹線の名称と導入車両が決定！！ [The name of the Kyushu Shinkansen (between Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki) and cars to be introduced are decided!!] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  12. ^ 長崎新幹線、名前は「かもめ」 特急は「リレーかもめ」 [Nagasaki Shinkansen, named "Kamome" Limited Express is "Relay Kamome"]. Asahi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). 28 October 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  13. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 全国新幹線鉄道整備法第四条第一項の規定による建設を開始すべき新幹線鉄道の路線を定める基本計画 [A basic plan that determines the route of the Shinkansen railway on which construction should begin pursuant to the provisions of Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Nationwide Shinkansen Railway Development Act]. mlit.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 22 September 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Saga Prefecture. 全国新幹線鉄道整備法、第七条第一項の規定に基づき、新幹線鉄道建設に関する整備計画を別紙のとおり決定する 昭和四十八年十一月十三日 運輸大臣 新谷 寅三郎 [Based on the provisions of Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the Nationwide Shinkansen Railway Development Act, the development plan for Shinkansen railway construction will be decided as shown in the attached sheet November 13, 1973 Minister of Transport Torasaburo Shintani] (PDF). pref.saga.lg.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d 整備新幹線の手続状況 [Status of procedures for planned Shinkansen]. jrtt.go.jp (in Japanese). 2 February 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. ^ a b c Saga Prefecture. 西九州ルートの経緯 [History of the West Kyushu Route]. pref.saga.lg.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  17. ^ 関係年表 [Relationship chronology] (PDF). Nagasaki Prefecture Online (in Japanese). pref.nagasaki.jp. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  18. ^ Saga Prefecture. 三者基本合意 [Tripartite Basic Agreement] (PDF). pref.saga.lg.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  19. ^ 新幹線着工方針、経済界に喜び 一方で反発も 長崎 [Shinkansen construction start policy, joy in the business world, but also repulsion Nagasaki]. Asahi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). 27 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 January 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  20. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 整備新幹線の取扱いについて（政府・与党確認事項）平成23年12月26日 [About the handling of the planned Shinkansen (government, ruling party confirmation matter) December 26, 2011] (PDF). mlit.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 整備新幹線の工事実施計画の認可について [Approval of Construction Implementation Plan for Shinkansen Lines]. mlit.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ ルート図 [Route map]. Nagasaki Prefecture Online (in Japanese). Pref.nagasaki.jp. Archived from the original on 7 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Nagasaki Shinkansen line project overhaul likely to prevent delays". Asia & Japan Watch. The Asahi Shimbun Company. 24 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  24. ^ a b 九州新幹線（西九州ルート）の整備のあり方に係る調査について [About the investigation about the way of maintenance of the Kyushu Shinkansen (West Kyushu route)]. Mlit (in Japanese). 30 March 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  25. ^ ＜新幹線長崎ルート＞佐賀知事「申し出あれば会いたい」 国交相、JR九州社長、長崎知事・・・次々代わる関係トップらと [<Shinkansen Nagasaki route> Governor Saga "I would like to meet you if you offer" Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, President of JR Kyushu, Governor Nagasaki ...]. Saga Shimbun Online (in Japanese). 4 March 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  26. ^ ＜新幹線長崎ルート＞ 県負担額、長崎の２．４倍 [<Shinkansen Nagasaki route> Prefectural burden, 2.4 times that of Nagasaki]. Saga Shimbun Online (in Japanese). 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  27. ^ フリーゲージトレイン導入正式断念 九州新幹線長崎ルート [Formal abandonment of introduction of free gauge train Kyushu Shinkansen Nagasaki route]. The Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). 27 December 2011. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  28. ^ 九州新幹線長崎ルート「フル規格」で 与党検討委が決定 [Ruling party review committee decides on 'full standard' for Kyushu Shinkansen Nagasaki route]. Nikkei (in Japanese). 5 August 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  29. ^ 新幹線で暗闘 長崎対佐賀！ [Secret battle over the Shinkansen Nagasaki vs. Saga!]. NHK Seiji Magazine (in Japanese). 25 December 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  30. ^ 佐賀県がフル規格3ルートの検証提案 西九州新幹線 [Saga Prefecture proposes verification of full standard 3 routes West Kyushu Shinkansen]. Nishinippon Shimbun (in Japanese). 1 June 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  31. ^ 西九州新幹線「リレー方式」はいつまで続くのか。9月23日に部分開業するけれど [How long will the West Kyushu Shinkansen "relay system" continue? Although it will be partially opened on September 23,]. Tabiris (in Japanese). 24 February 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  32. ^ 西九州新幹線の開業日について [About the opening date of the West Kyushu Shinkansen] (PDF). jrkyushu.co.jp (in Japanese). 2 February 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.

External links

Shinkansen
Japan Railways Group
JR Kyushu lines
High-speed railway lines
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