Narita Shinkansen
Encyclopedia
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
("bullet train") line proposed to connect Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
with Tokyo Station
Tokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
. The project was abandoned, although parts of the planned route are used by the Keisei Narita Airport Line (Narita Sky Access).
History
Planning of the Narita Shinkansen started in 1966 and permission to build was granted in 1972, with completion initially scheduled for 1976, in time for the airport's opening. Construction started 1974, but was significantly hampered due to resistance from local residents protesting against the expropriation of their land for a project that would bring no benefit to them. (Similar issues have afflicted Narita Airport itself.) Construction was frozen in 1983, and the Basic Plan granting construction rights was cancelled by a special law in 1987 — the only Shinkansen line ever to meet this fate.Due to the opposition, only a 9 km stretch of trackbed and the airport station shell had been constructed before the project was halted. While the Shinkansen link was stalled, the private Keisei Electric Railway
Keisei Electric Railway
The is a major private railway in Chiba and Tokyo, Japan. The name Keisei is the combination of the kanji 京 from and 成 from , which the railways main line connects. The combination uses different readings than the ones used in the city names. The railway's main line runs from Tokyo to Narita and...
had constructed an ordinary rail link to airport. However, Keisei services had to terminate outside airport grounds and transfer passengers by bus, as the station inside the airport and the track connecting to it was owned by then state operator Japanese National Railways
Japanese National Railways
, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...
.
After the passage of the groundbreaking Railway Business Act in 1986, Keisei acquired the rights to operate as a "third type" (第3種) railway company that leases tracks from JR, and starting in 1991 both Keisei and JR have operated direct airport services to the terminal built for the Shinkansen. The culvert connecting to the airport station was also originally designed for Shinkansen use.
Route
The line was to originate at underground platforms located roughly equidistant from Tokyo StationTokyo Station
is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
and Yūrakuchō Station
Yurakucho Station
is a train station located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.- History :The elevated JR station opened on June 25, 1910. The metro station opened on October 30, 1974.-Lines:Yūrakuchō is served by the following lines:*Tokyo Metro**Yūrakuchō Line...
in central Tokyo. From there, it was to run underground to Etchūjima in Kōtō Ward
Koto, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 442,271 and a population density of 11,070 persons per km². The total area is 39.48 km². The ward refers to itself as Kōtō City in English....
, then above ground, following the Tōzai Line
Tokyo Metro Tozai Line
The is a rapid transit line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Its name literally means East-West Line. The line runs between Nakano Station in Nakano, Tokyo and Nishi-Funabashi Station in Funabashi, Chiba...
route across the Ara River to Funabashi
Funabashi, Chiba
is a city located in northwestern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 609,157 and a population density of 7110 persons per km². The total area was 85.64 km². It is the 7th most populous city in Greater Tokyo....
. In Funabashi, the line was to again run underground, emerging in Shiroi
Shiroi, Chiba
is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of late March 2011, the city has an estimated population of 61,073 and a population density of 1725 persons per km²...
, then following a smooth curve through Chiba New Town and central Narita, and finally running underground again to terminate beneath the passenger terminal at Narita Airport. Originally, the Tokyo-Narita trains were to make no station stops: JNR later added one additional station to the planned line to serve Chiba New Town.
A depot for trains operating on the line was planned at a location approximately 51 km from Tokyo, including a single-track connecting link to the JR Narita Line
Narita Line
The is the name for a combination of three railway lines located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company .The main line runs between Sakura Station and Matsugishi Station , and is sometimes referred to as the...
at Shimōsa-Manzaki Station
Shimosa-Manzaki Station
is a railway station operated by JR East’s Abiko Branch Line of the Narita Line located in Narita, Chiba Prefecture Japan. It is 27.3 kilometers from the terminus of the Abiko Branch line at Abiko Station.-History:...
.
Much of this right of way is presently used by commuter lines. The area of Tokyo Station earmarked for the Shinkansen platforms and the underground tunnel to Etchujima are now used by the JR Keiyō Line
Keiyo Line
The is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company .It provides the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center...
. Much of the above-ground right of way had already been earmarked by the Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
for railway use. The Hokusō Railway
Hokuso Line
The is a commuter rail line operated by the Hokusō Railway in Japan. It runs between Keisei-Takasago Station in Katsushika, Tokyo and Inba-Nihon-Idai Station in Inzai, Chiba....
uses one segment of this right of way between Komuro and Chiba New Town, and another section between Chiba New Town and the airport is used as part of the Keisei Narita Airport Line.
Future
While revivals of the Narita Shinkansen have been proposed periodically, the cancellation of the basic plan, lack of political will and the construction of the Keisei Narita Airport Line as a replacement all combine to make this unlikely. The Narita Sky Access Line was built as standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
(like the Shinkansen), theoretically leaving a door open for eventual conversion. However, the Rapid Railway's design speed is only 160 km/h and it will — at least initially — terminate at Keisei Ueno Station
Keisei Ueno Station
is a train station located in Taitō, Tokyo Japan. It is the terminus of the Keisei Main Line and is in brief walking distance from JR Ueno Station .-History:* 10 October 1933 Opened as "Ueno Kōen Station"* 1 May 1953 Changed name to "Keisei Ueno Station"...
, not the more central Shinkansen hub of Tokyo Station. Also, the Sky Access is electrified at 1500 V DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
, whereas the Shinkansen standard is 25 kV AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
.
Technical details
With a design speed of at least 200 km/h, the Narita Shinkansen was designed to cover the 65-kilometer distance in 35 minutes, including a stop at Chiba New Town. The Narita ExpressNarita Express
, abbreviated as N'EX, is a limited express train service operated since 1991 by East Japan Railway Company , serving Narita International Airport from various Greater Tokyo Area stations. Services are approximately half-hourly in the mornings and evenings, and hourly through the middle of the day...
takes 53 minutes for the same trip (non-stop but along different tracks, making a detour via Chiba
Chiba, Chiba
is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....
), while the more direct Keisei Narita Airport Line connects Narita to Nippori
Nippori Station
is a major railway interchange station in Arakawa, Tokyo, Japan.The station is currently undergoing major rebuilding work to provide a connection to the adjoining Nippori-Toneri Line station...
in 36 minutes.