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Sayonara Shinkansen 500 - The Retirement of a Champion

Mon, March 1, 2010, by Muza-chan

Not long ago, I wrote about the reduced lifespan of Japanese trains, approx. 15 years (7 Reasons Why Japanese Trains Are Different).
Perhaps the best illustration of this principle was the retiring from service of the 500 series Shinkansen, yesterday, after less than 13 years in the Nozomi service of JR West.

500 Series Shinkansen
500 Series Shinkansen

Announced in 1994, the Shinkansen 500 series was built between 1995 and 1998, totalizing 9 train sets. The trains distinctive shape was based on a futuristic design made for Hitachi by the German designer Neumeister, back in 1990.

500 Series Shinkansen
500 Series Shinkansen

The service started in March 1997 and although it was designed to be capable of 320km/h, the 500 series was operated at the maximum speed of 300km/h, on the Sanyō Shinkansen line and at “only” 275km/h on the Tōkaidō line.

Since this was the first train in the world to attain, in service, the top speed of 300 kilometers per hour (in 1997), I perfectly understand the fans who gathered yesterday in Tokyo, Osaka and other stations, to say goodbye to a marvelous piece of Japanese railway technology.

The Shinkansen 500 series will remain in operation as the slower Kodama service, between Osaka and Hakata.

Sayōnara!

Fans in Shin-Osaka Station:

Nu cu mult timp în urmă, am scris despre durata mică de utilizare a trenurilor japoneze, de aproximatv 15 ani (7 Reasons Why Japanese Trains Are Different).
Probabil cea mai bună ilustrare a acestui principiu a fost retragerea din serviciu a Shinkansen Seria 500, ieri, după mai puţin 13 ani în serviciul Nozomi al companiei JR West.

500 Series Shinkansen
500 Series Shinkansen

Anunţat în 1994, Shinkansen Seria 500 a fost construit în perioada 1995-1998, totalizând 9 trenuri. Forma deosebită a trenului a fost realizată în 1990, pentru compania Hitachi, de către designer-ul german Neumeister.

500 Series Shinkansen
500 Series Shinkansen

Shinkansen 500 a fost dat în folosinţă în martie 1997 şi chiar dacă a fost proiectat pentru a atinge 320km/h, a fost utilizat doar cu viteza maximă de 300 km/oră pe linia Sanyō Shinkansen şi cu “numai” 275 km/oră pe linia Tōkaidō.

Totuşi, pentru că a fost primul tren din lume care a atins în serviciu viteza de 300 km/oră (în 1997), îi înţeleg perfect pe fanii care s-au adunat ieri în Tokyo, Osaka şi în alte staţii pentru a-şi lua rămas bun de la această capodoperă a tehnologiei feroviare japoneze.

Seria 500 va opera de acum în serviciul mai lent Kodama, între Osaka şi Hakata.

Sayōnara!

Fani în staţia Shin-Osaka:



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