New Hokkaido Shinkansen High Speed Train Service Unveiled In Japan

Japan, September 21, 2015 -

The Hokkaido Shinkansen is ready to fly this coming March. With an agreement between Japan Railways JR East and JR Hokkaido subsidiaries, four new H5 model Shinkansen trainsets for the new line to Japan’s northern-most island.

The daily service pattern breaks down as follows:

·         Ten Hayabusa service trains from Tokyo to Hakodate on Hokkaido island;

·         One round trip from Sendai with two Hayate services, one of them from Morioka and the other from Shin-Aomori;

·         Sixteen 3-car emus will operate between Shin-Hakodate Hokuto and Hakodate city center, and;

·         The existing conventional line between Sapporo and Shin-Hakodate Hokuto will be increased to 12 trains from 9 per day.

In recent years, the trackage through the 53km Seikan tunnel and on Hokkaido have been dual-gauged in anticipation of the new service.

With the start of standard gauge Shinkansen, all of the 1067mm-gauge trains operating between Honshu and Hokkaido, including Cassiopeia, Super Hakucho, Hakucho, and Hamanasu trains will be terminated.

The long term goal is to provide Hokkaido Shinkansen second phase service to Sapporo by 2030 on a 211 kilometer route.

PHOTO CAPTION:  JR East's E5 Shinkansenin Tokyo station.

Trenitalia’s High Speed Frecciarossa Now Serves Bari, Italy

Italy, September, 2015 –

The network of Italy’s premier high speed train, the Frecciarossa, is now serving Bari, Italy. The infrastructure upgrade to handle 200 kilometer/hour speeds with the ETR 500 tilting train between Bologna and Foggia has been completed and service has begun.

The daily 869km round trip between Milan and Bari has been reduced by over an hour from 7 hours 43 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes.

High speed rail is nothing new in Italy as the Italian government has been gradually upgrading the right of way and equipment since the 1970s.

The service change was made after the deployment of the new Frecciarossa1000 trains on Milan to Rome services this past June, 2015. The ETR 500 equipment was then made available on the Venice – Rome – Naples – Salerno route, and now the Milan – Bari line.

A 125 mph Frecciabianca northbound run originating was swapped out for the redeployed ETR 500 Frecciarossa equipment.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured is the Frecciarossa ETR 500 in the famous trainshed in Milan, Italy.

Metro-North's 'Cosmo Cars' Still On The Job

Grand Central Terminal, September 21, 2015 -

MNR's train number 1378/7:15 pm departure that's the Stamford local, had a treat, one of the last 3 remaining trainsets of the 'Cosmopolitan' fleet of the 1970s took them home. Tonight, car #8746 was at the point on track 15.

For those that follow the travails of Metro-North's 'Cosmo Cars', the remaining M-2 fleet is still rolling but on an emergency 'as need' basis.

Yes, the air conditioning worked and people settled into their old seating patterns that's somewhat different from their M-8 counterparts.

However, the ride was as smooth as ever and yes the newer amenities such as automated announcements

and outlet power for everyone's electronic gear wasn't there.

Dan Adolphe of Larchmont in Westchester County however thinks nothing of the older vs new cars except for a few things, "I miss the bar car. I got to enjoy the camaraderie, the extra seating room, and standing up for the trip. One of the few vintage things that are a good thing." He added, "However, the bathrooms are a lot better on the new cars."

Yes, it was the good old days, even if it was just for one night.