[00Zy99]

Perhaps, but the varied rolling stock is at least partly due to the age of the system.

 

[luacstjh98]

While that applies in the case of the 03 series and the 6 door cars, you can't exactly take limited express trains out of the major commuter lines.

 

[starrwulfe]

While that applies in the case of the 03 series and the 6 door cars, you can't exactly take limited express trains out of the major commuter lines.

Odakyu's MST 60000 series that travels through the Chiyoda line on Metro Liner services has proper door spacing already. The conductor just needs to push another putting on the platform door control and only one door per car opens inline with the train set. Ditto on Seibu S-Liner services using Seibu 40000 sets, Keio 5000 sets on Keio Liner service and Tobu's 50090 sets running as TJ liners.

 

[luacstjh98]

^^ I was thinking more of JR East/Tobu/other Odakyu EMUs and not just subway through-running ones.

Can you really dedicate a single platform to NEX at Tokyo Station, for example?

 

[starrwulfe]

^^ of course not, but to be fair, NEX stops in the Yokosuka/Sobu Line rapid tunnel in the basement where the platform is wide enough to do a setback platform door. This is how Meitetsu and the Shinkansen have platform doors at about a half meter setback from the edge of the platform, so there's room for passengers to navigate the minor diagonal difference between railcar and platform boarding location. We may see something similar on Shibuya's Saikyo line platforms when they are completed next year.

 

[starrwulfe]

As we head into the 6th year of the Shibuya Station rennovation project in Tokyo, I am now able to actual go inside a part of the new Shibuya Scramble building in the spot that used to be occupied by the old Tokyu Toyoko Shibuya Terminal.

 

[pudgym29]

Images from my library.

The next issue of the Japanese Railways Society's "Bullet-In" publication will be #100. In an attempt to get published therein, I will submit these photographs I have taken of trains and stations in metropolitan Tokyo [Kawasaki, Yokohama]. I have photographs dating back to May 2009. These twelve are from April and September 2017.
At the abode, I am limited to a v.92 connection. To conserve (my) bandwidth, I share the thumbnails of the images here. If you click on the image, the full-scale image shall display. If I have not previously stated this (or even if I have ), my photographs are Creative Commons - Noncommercial - Allow Derivative Works - Share Alike.

Select image descriptions: #1: Downward Keikyu train to Shinzushi near Namamugi station (closest station for the Kirin brewery tour :cheers.
#2 The mechanical schedule board at Keikyu Yokohama has been replaced. But this one still existed at Keikyu Kawasaki in 2017.
#3 The electric schedule board at Keikyu Kamata. The rightmost board displays the next five trains for Haneda Airport, which can be on either level.
#6 A Tobu 9000 series consist at Motomachi-Chukagai terminus.
#7 A Minatomirai Y500 series consist at Motomachi-Chukagai terminus.
#8 A Tokyu 5050-4000 series consist at Motomachi-Chukagai terminus.
#10 A platform barrier at the Shibuya station mentioning the Seibu S-Train service.
#11 An underground information poster at the Shibuya station locating exits for other train stations, and nearby edifices.

 

[00Zy99]

How are Ochanomizu and Takenotsuka doing?

Also, wasn't there some sort of plan to elevate the Skytree Line right below Hikifune?

And also the Keisei Line at its major junction.

 

[luacstjh98]

JR East to begin environmental studies on the Haneda link:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2...-train-link-haneda-begin-spring/#.XGI0vM8zai4

It makes me wonder, though, whether the monorail is going to survive. Through service from both Keikyu and JR would make the monorail with its transfer at Hamamatsucho pretty unsustainable?

Especially when JR start sending 10-15 car commuter trains to Haneda, and their own direct service also eats JR Pass traffic from the monorail.

 

[Svartmetall]

^^ The monorail is owned 79% by JR East already... Given its already quite high riders hip I think your prospects are a little gloomy.

 

[lkstrknb]

Aren't there plans to extend the monorail to Tokyo Main Station? Were these plans scrapped or postponed?

https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/tokyo-monorail-plans-to-extend.html

https://www.railwaypro.com/wp/haneda-monorail-will-be-extended-to-tokyo-station/
"Tokyo Monorail Co. plans to extend its monorail line between Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and East Japan Railway Co.’s Hamamatsucho Station to Tokyo Station.
The ¥109.5-billion (EUR 800 mln) project to connect the monorail line to the terminal station for Shinkansen bullet train services will be completed in 10 years.
Source: www.newswits.com
Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org"

 

[Sr.Horn]

^^ Well, not the monorail...

JR East plans for 3rd railway access to Haneda

East Japan Railway announced plans to construct a new access line to Haneda Airport that will link it with Tokyo Station in a mere 18 minutes.

Company announced in a news conference last week construction will begin in fiscal 2022, with a target completion date in fiscal 2029. The company is considering shouldering the entire construction cost of 300 billion yen.

Under the JR East plan, a new underground station will be constructed close to Haneda's domestic terminal. A tunnel measuring about five kilometers will be dug to connect the new station to the Tokyo Cargo Terminal in Shinagawa Ward. Cargo tracks from the terminal that are currently not being used would link airport trains to the Tokaido Line tracks near Tamachi Station before heading to Tokyo Station.

The quickest current route between Tokyo Station and Haneda Airport takes about 28 minutes. Passengers transfer at Hamamatsucho Station to take the Tokyo Monorail to reach the airport. Another option taking about 33 minutes is to transfer at Shinagawa Station to the Keikyu Line.

Building the new line also opens up possibilities of the line extending beyond Tokyo Station to the Utsunomiya, Takasaki and Joban lines by using the Ueno-Tokyo Line.

Source: Asahi Shimbun

NHK News Report shows something more interesting: rail link to the Rinkai Line (Haneda Airport to Shin Kiba in 20 minutes) or through the Saikyo Line to reach Shinjuku in 23 minutes.

 

[luacstjh98]

Is it not possible to use the existing freight tunnel, branching off to Haneda near Tenkubashi?

Also I believe the Rinkai Line link would have to pass through the depot, and then is there a way for trains to go towards Osaki from the depot?

 

[orulz]

Holy Reverse Branching, Batman! Seems like some complicated service patterns.

There may be slack capacity off-peak to add more trains that will turn onto this line, but any trains that wind up going to Haneda at the peak of rush will wind up reducing frequency on some other line, since they aren't building an new trunk lines, right?

The same problem gets even worse if the Tokaido Freight Line is ever converted for passenger use (as is sometimes suggested.)

They should look at tying this into some of the dead end lines around the area like the Chuo Rapid line at Tokyo, or the Tokyu Oimachi Line at Oimachi, so they can just run existing trains that would otherwise be turning around onto this line, rather than diverting trains that already continue through to other destinations.

 

[luacstjh98]

Some Ueno Tokyo Line trains, mostly from the Joban Line, already terminate at Shinagawa. I would think that those Shinagawa terminators can simply be rerouted through to Haneda after Shimbashi.

Yes, this is a reactivation of the Tokaido Freight Line.

 

[00Zy99]

It says that the new line will join the Tokaido near Tamachi. But there are significant vertical and horizontal obstacles around Tamachi station that preclude any sort of junction crossing over the Shinkansen.

Instead, the junction will likely be in the vicinity of Hamamatsucho, where the embankment broadens out. North of there, the right of way for any additional tracks has been taken over by a surface street.

This location has the additional advantage of being on a slight curve, so a realignment of the Tokaido Shinkansen might be able to improve track geometry and increase speed (slightly).

 

[luacstjh98]

Don't think that's going to happen.

The freight/Haneda Line is about the same elevation as the Shinkansen spur leading to the depot. It shouldn't be too difficult to ramp it over the existing tracks, on a high bridge through Tamachi (like the Ueno Tokyo Line structure around Kanda), then ramp down just before Hamamatsucho/Shimbashi.

 

[00Zy99]

Don't think that's going to happen.

The freight/Haneda Line is about the same elevation as the Shinkansen spur leading to the depot. It shouldn't be too difficult to ramp it over the existing tracks, on a high bridge through Tamachi (like the Ueno Tokyo Line structure around Kanda), then ramp down just before Hamamatsucho/Shimbashi.

The problem with that is that the existing tracks are so close together that the Shinkansen has to be slewed over no matter what. And there is a bridge over the tracks at Tamachi station that would further increase any high bridge.

The more bridge structure being built, the higher the expense. It's cheaper to build along the RoW until a more convenient location can be reached.

 

[luacstjh98]

The bridge isn't actually that high if you look on google maps.

 

[Sr.Horn]

Seibu 001 series "Laview"

Limited Express "Laview" is ready to run on the Seibu Ikebukuro and Seibu Chichiby Lines from 16 march. The new 8 car train will replace the 1000 series “New Red Arrow” Limited Express that has been running since 1993, and will become the flagship train for Seibu Railways.

The name “Laview” was announced in October for the new 001 series express train, and was explained then as “L” for luxury, “a” for arrow-like speed, and “view” because of the train’s extra-large windows.

Designed by renowned architect Kazuyo Sejima, the new train is meant to “move seamlessly between urban and rural environments and adapt to each landscape”. A fleet of 48 cars (8 cars per train) is under construction by Hitachi.

Inside the yellow sofa-like seating is designed to create the feeling of being in your own comfortable living room. All seats have electrical outlets and passengers can view in-carriage video screens which will show newscasts, weather updates and occasional footage from the front of the train. Free Wi-Fi will be available throughout the train. For the benefit of group travelers, pairs of seats can be revolved to face each other. For that reason, seats will also have armrest tables as well as pull-down tables on seat backs.

Other unique features on the Laview include artificial marble flooring in the entryways, wheelchair spaces, and multipurpose toilets. There will also be ladies-exclusive powder rooms in carriage 5. These restrooms will be fitted with magnifying mirrors, and also diaper changing boards with changing sheets provided.

More photos:
https://travel.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1169918.html

Source:
https://www.japanstation.com/seibu-railways-new-laview-express-train-by-kazuyo-sejima/

Tokyo MX News report:

From a popular tetsudo girl, the presentation:

And from the official channel, a TV CM: