How Railway Timetables Showcase Efforts to Speed Up and Increase Passenger Numbers
“Especially for JR East’s Shinkansen, there are many constraints, making it like a puzzle. First, the section between Tokyo and Omiya is shared by the Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku lines. The section between Omiya and Takasaki is also shared by the Joetsu and Hokuriku lines. Additionally, the Yamagata Shinkansen branches off from Fukushima, and the Akita Shinkansen branches off from Morioka. Because these lines also run on conventional lines with single-track sections, the number of possible ‘schedules’ is significantly constrained.
Moreover, the Akita and Yamagata Shinkansen trains run coupled with Tohoku Shinkansen trains, which affects the Tohoku Shinkansen schedule. This further limits the Tohoku Shinkansen’s ‘schedule’ capacity. Additionally, if trains going to Hokkaido need to run as quickly as possible, the constraints become even stricter, and modifying one aspect can cause a ripple effect of impacts. The person in charge of this must have a very challenging job.”
While the difficulties faced by timetable planners are evident, Mr. Inoue notes that creating a timetable to transport more people faster requires the united effort of various departments within the railway company.
“For example, on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, currently, all Nozomi trains stop at Shin-Yokohama, Shin-Kobe, and Shinagawa. This strategy was implemented to increase the competitiveness of the Shinkansen and attract more passengers. However, the addition of these stops extended the travel time from Tokyo to Osaka, which was originally 2.5 hours.
To address this, improvements were made to the train’s performance, including increasing the maximum speed and the speed at which it can navigate curves. As a result, the travel time has now been restored to 2.5 hours. This achievement was made possible through the cooperation of departments responsible for the vehicles, as well as those supporting power, facilities, and civil engineering.
Additionally, the swift maintenance of trains at Tokyo Station contributes to increased train frequency. The process of unloading passengers, cleaning, and quickly reloading passengers for the return trip is quite challenging. This contributes to high-frequency operations and convenience for passengers.
Therefore, I hope you consider that timetables reflect the overall capabilities of the railway company. While we only see the final timetable and make various comments, there is a lot of work behind the scenes. Although usually only drivers and conductors are visible to passengers, the trains operate smoothly only through the collective effort of everyone involved.”
Railway timetables are often unseen by the public, but interacting with them reveals various aspects of the railway system.
