Dec 032013
 

Yesterday, the JR commenced testing of the completed section of the upcoming Hokuriku Shinkansen Line.

East iThe “East i,” one of JR East’s test trains, pulled into Itoigawa Station’s shinkansen platform (still under construction) yesterday at about noon. 100 members of the community were selected to welcome the train into the station and inspect the progress being made in construction of the platform. From now until March of next year, JR East will be running such test trains daily between Nagano Station and Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Station in Toyama Prefecture.

East i Leaves the StationAfter the welcome event, the East i started up again and began its slow journey toward Toyama Prefecture. While testing the line, the train only runs at about 30kph. But even at its leisurely pace, the sight of finally seeing a train on the shinkansen tracks filled us all with excitement. Less than two years left!

-Ishikoro