Interesting Facts about Japan Railways
- World’s Busiest Train Station
Japan’s Shinjuku station has been crowned as world’s busiest train station. There are fairly high chances of getting lost in the station even if you are a regular commuter to the station. The station serves around 3.6 million passengers daily. The East Japan Railway has unveiled a new app for this station alone to get around, considering hectic nature of the station and web of underground tunnels
2. Most Number of Busiest Train Stations Are In Japan
Knowing the fact that Shinjuku train station is the world’s busiest train station, you won’t get surprised to know that 45 out of 51 busiest train stations in the world are located in Japan. Rail Network in Japan can be credited a fair share in the development of the country, considering well developed and well maintained train network. Hence, one can’t deny the fact that Japan runs on train and so the busiest train stations are. Among the first five out of 45 busiest station names are Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Umeda and Yokohama.
3. There’s A Train Station That Opens Just Twice a Year
Don’t start calculating the numbers of financial loss and gains, if I tell you that there is a station in Japan which opens just for two days in a year. Yes, Tsushimanomiya Station, on the island of Shikoku, is a small station that opens for business just two days a year. In celebration of the local summer festival at the Tsushima Shrine, it opens on the 4 and 5 of August.
4. Every Shinkansen (Bullet Train) is Fitted With an Automatic Brake for Earthquakes
Japan, being considered as one of the most earthquake prone nations in the world, the Shinkansen (bullet trains) can’t stand aloof from getting damaged by these destructive forces of nature. But thanks to Japan’s technological advancements and to the ingenious design and details, the rail network has been geared with a special safety features. The shinkansens running with a speed as high as 320 km/h can be brought to stand still with a first sign of an earthquake by disconnecting them from the system.
5. The Longest Train Bridge in The World
Known as the Seto Ohashi Bridge, this structure is a string of connected bridges that connect Okayama Prefecture on Honshu to Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku Island. Stretching 9,368 meters (5.8 miles) long, the bridge is mainly used for cars, but also has space for a shinkansen track.
6. Japan Has a Hello Kitty Train Station
In a land of Anime and Manga, no wonder you would find a train station named after Hello Kitty. The animated characters are always been close to the hearts of Japanese. Nobita, Doraemon, Hello Kitty are among the most famous Japanese cartoon characters famous across the world. Hence the Keio Tama-Center Station toward the southeast section of Tokyo, one can find a fully decked out Hello Kitty train wonderland. There is new addition to Hello Kitty fandom that recently a new Hello Kitty shinkansen service in its Sanyo Shinkansen Line, inaugurated.
7. Fastest Maglev In The World
The Maglev bullet train, which runs on the principle of magnetic levitation set a record for the fastest rail speed in April 2015 at 603 km/hr, or 375 mph. Central Japan Railway (JR Central), which owns the trains, proposed these services between Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya by 2027
8. The Attendants, Or “Pushers” Who Help Push Passengers Into Crowded Train Cars.
Housing the busiest train station in the world and 45 out of 51 busiest train stations in the world, Japanese train stations can be imagined as like bee hives. Around 22% passengers travel through subway, hence during rush hours passengers ride the rail every day, heavily outweighing other modes of transport like buses and private cars.
In the peak time of the day, in order to cram twice the number of passengers into a subway carriage, the stations employ uniformed staff known as oshiya or “pusher”, whose goal is to cram as many people as possible into the subway tram. These white glove-wearing personal actually pushes people into the train, so the doors can be shut. This is one of the iconic sites and has to be seen to be believed.
9. The Average Delay Per Train Is Less Than One Minute
The Japanese rail network is known throughout the world for its superiority, punctuality, cleanliness and safety. It is estimated that average delay per train in Japan is less than one minute. It is by far superior to any other train in the world.
10. No Train Accidents over 49 years
Japan being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world built one of the safest rail networks as well. It is been reported that over 49 years, there have been no passenger fatalities, even during natural disasters like typhoons. These safety measures attributed to ‘Pointing and Calling System’ which is an indigenous safety practice in which the action taken to be spoken loudly along with hand gestures.
11. The Shortest and Longest Train Station Names
The station with the shortest and longest names is in Japan. The shortest name is Tsu Station, written with just one kanji and one hirangana character. The longest name is the Minami Aso Mizu No Umareru Sato Hakusui Kogen Station.
Want to know more about MIT College of Railway Engineering and Research Barshi, MH.
Apply now @ https://bit.ly/2K2tT00
#MITCORER #MITCORERBarshi #TransformIndia #MIT #BTech #RailwayEngineering #railways
