What will happen to the linear journey in 202X?　The world at 500 km/h is ``fluffy and rhythmic'' (with additions and corrections)

How will travel change when the Linear Chuo Shinkansen opens on X/X, 202X? On October 19, JR Tokai released an improved test vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a linear vehicle) of the superconducting maglev L0 series at the company's Yamanashi Maglev Experimental Center. The maglev train incorporates many of the results of various improvements aimed at the company's goal of opening the Shinagawa-Nagoya section of the maglev Chuo Shinkansen in 2027. It is expected that minor improvements will continue to be made, but the impression I got from the interview was that it was almost finished. So, assuming that linear trains are put into business as they are, I would like to simulate what will happen to travel on the "maglev Chuo Shinkansen" in the future based on the results of interviews and surveys on the day and published materials. In fact, neither Shinagawa nor Nagoya has linear stations yet. The name of the train will be decided for a while, but here the train name is named "Fuji", and assuming that the train departs at 10:00, the number of "Fuji" will be the same as the current number of "Nozomi", which is the 48th train from the first train. I thought about it and chose "No. 95".

Let's start the journey of the world's fastest train that runs between Tokyo's "Shinagawa Linear Station" and Aichi's "Linear Nagoya Station".

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[Postscript]

After the publication of my manuscript, JR Tokai pointed out that there was an error in the depiction of the inside of the train. In response to this, in addition to correcting the error (strikethrough part), we added the basis of the description to "Linear One Point" for misleading expressions. We apologize for any errors and misleading expressions.

<30 minutes before departure: Go to the platform of Maglev Shinagawa Station>

"The 10:00 'Fuji 95' bound for Maglev Nagoya will soon enter the line. Please use the underground platform. Please hurry to

Inside the ticket gate of Linear Shinagawa Station on the first basement floor, just below the Tokaido Shinkansen platform of JR Shinagawa Station, an announcement was made. When you get off the escalator or elevator and reach the platform, which is equivalent to the height of the 10th floor of a typical building, you will find a retractable boarding bridge reminiscent of an airport boarding bridge that extends to the car door. I rode through here.

■Linear One Point - Getting on and off the train

Getting on and off the linear train is done at the station platform, just like the Shinkansen. However, in order to protect the user from the magnetism of the superconducting magnet installed in the vehicle, it is necessary to pass through the telescoping device when boarding. For this reason, you may not be able to see the sight of taking a commemorative photo near the vehicle.

<5 minutes before departure: Boarding, the cabin is unexpectedly small? ＞

Boarding started 10 minutes before departure, and when I got into the car, I noticed that the passenger compartment of the ordinary car was surprisingly small. The capacity of each ordinary car is 4 people per row, with a maximum of 14 rows, so 56 people (*1). The capacity of one 14-car train is thought to be about 676, which is only half of the 1,323 passengers of the N700S Nozomi, which runs on the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen (*2).

All the seats in the car were fully reserved. Coupled with the small number of passengers, it cannot be ignored that it has been evaluated as a vehicle that matches the trend that the shorter the travel time of public transportation, the better in the post-corona world.

■Linear one-point - room size (compared to N700S)

・Vehicle width: 2.90m, the same as a conventional line vehicle. 46cm narrower than the 3.36m width of the N700S. As a result, the number of seats in one row is four, which is one less than the N700S

・Vehicle length: 25m (vehicle without cab) is the same as N700S. However, the length of the passenger compartment is short due to the space where superconducting magnets are installed at both ends of the vehicle. Maximum 14 rows of seats, 30% less than the maximum 20 rows of the N700S

(Addendum)

*1 The two test vehicles that were released to the press had a maximum of 14 rows. The photo shows the 13th row because one row closer to the deck was removed for the press release. However, according to JR Tokai, a maximum of 15 rows of commercial vehicles are planned.

*2 JR Central has announced that it plans to operate a 16-car train. The author assumed that the 14-car train would be a 14-car train, based on the attached document "Plan of Stations" (28.2 Based on the calculation result of 370.5 ÷ 25 = 14.82 from the platform length of Nagoya station 370.5 m and the total length of the linear train 25 m described in MB large capacity.

<3 minutes before departure: Seated, comfortable, but unfamiliar>

When I sat down, the situation was quite different from that of the Shinkansen "Nozomi", and I boarded a class one class higher. I feel like I did. The cushions on both the backrest and cushions are neither too soft nor too hard, and they are comfortable to sit on. The table with built-in armrests is not for eating, but for spreading out the laptop computer, so it's closer to hand and feels more convenient. Unlike the rear table that folds down from the backrest of the front seat, it is also good that the person by the window can go out to the aisle without the aisle person clearing the table.

The people on the group tour immediately turned their seats to face each other and started chatting.

The luggage rack, on the other hand, is quite small and can only hold handbags and souvenirs. The carry bag is not put on first. Even if you put it under the seat, the space is divided by a partition like a wire mesh, and the depth is insufficient (*3). If you look around, you'll see a familiar sight on the Shinkansen, with the carry-on bag standing between the backrest of the seat in front of you and your knees.

■Linear one-point-seat specifications (compared to N700S)

・Seat width: 47.7cm. 3.7cm wider than the N700S, 1.7cm wider than the center of the 3-seater, and on par with the 48cm green car

・Backrest thickness: 44.5cm. About 4cm thicker than N700S

・Seat pitch: 98cm. N700S is 104cm (extended to swivel the seat for 3 people)

・Armrests between seats: Cannot be flipped up. N700S can be flipped up

・How to rotate the seat: Pull the lever behind the armrest. The N700S pedals. According to JR Tokai, the pedals have been removed to allow larger luggage to be placed under the seats

(Postscript) *3 Luggage space under the seat: Unfortunately, the A3 size business bag (width 50cm x depth 19cm x height 33cm) that I was carrying at the time of the press release can be stowed sideways. It was sticking out to my feet. However, according to JR Tokai, it is possible to accommodate a carry-on bag that can be carried on board an aircraft.

On time, the train will depart Shinagawa Station and start moving. At the same time, a high operating sound of equipment called "Fern" echoes from the end of the car. It seems that the superconducting magnet was overloaded and heated, and as a result, the refrigeration system, which keeps the magnet at 253 degrees below zero269 degrees below zero, started working at its maximum capacity. (※Four).

On the wall-mounted large display, the video from the camera installed in the leading car and the running speed are displayed. "100km/h" "200km/h"... The train speeds up. I waited for the moment when the vehicle lifted up, but there was no sense of discomfort. "300km/h", "400km/h"... In the video, the lights and walls inside the tunnel become streaks of light and shadow, flowing vigorously. And finally reached 500km/h.

Contrary to the rumor that "the car body is floating, there is almost no shaking", the shaking is quite large. However, compared to the Shinkansen, which vibrates irregularly because it runs on wheels, it gives the impression of being fluffy and rhythmic.

■Linear One Point - How to Drive a Vehicle

When the train is stopped or running at low speed, rubber tires support the car body and the car body does not rise. When leaving the station, it starts running on rubber tires, and when the speed exceeds 150 km/h, the superconducting magnets float up the car.

It takes about two and a half minutes to reach 500 km/h from a standstill. After leaving Shinagawa station, there is a sharp curve, so it will not be possible to accelerate for a while, but it is expected to arrive within 10 minutes.

(Additional note) *4　It is my guess that the sound of the refrigeration system resounded at the time of departure. According to JR Tokai, the superconducting magnets work even when the train is stopped, so there is no particular operating noise when the train departs.

<500km/h speed, announcement of in-car equipment>

A conductor announces the arrival time at Maglev Nagoya Station and the departure of the Tokaido Shinkansen "Nozomi" that connects at the station. time was announced. Next, regarding the facilities inside the car, it was announced that the first car near Nagoya Station was Car No. 1 and the last car was Car No. 14, and that all cars had reserved seats.

A train running at 500 km/h is noisier than the Tokaido Shinkansen. The voices of conversations with people sitting next to you also become louder. It is said that the ceiling of the guest room is equipped with a sound absorbing function, but it cannot be said that the inside of the car is quiet.

■Linear one-point -In-car facilities

In the maglev car, sound absorbing panels and two types of ceiling structures were adopted as a membrane structure to deal with noise inside the car. Also, there are no green cars among linear trains. JR Central has announced that it would like to propose a train with only ordinary cars as one of the ways trains should be in the future (*5)

(Addendum) *5 In this article, as announced at the time of the press release, we assumed a "train with only ordinary cars", but according to JR Tokai, the specifications of commercial cars are undecided

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to enjoy the scenery from the train window on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen. This is because there are many tunnel sections, and even when driving in "light sections" other than tunnels, a large wall blocks the view in about one-third of the lower window. This wall is often thought to be part of the guideway containing the coils for the superconducting magnet, but it is actually a soundproof wall. The wall-shaped guideway is located closer to the vehicle, and since it is below the window, it is almost out of sight.

The room is illuminated by direct high-intensity LED lighting. It may have been possible to use soft indirect lighting, but the linear Chuo Shinkansen, which is full of tunnels, seems to run all night long. It can be evaluated that the guest room was consciously brightened.

Try moving to see what other cars are doing. When you go out on the deck, a long passage of about 10m extends to the next vehicle cabin. Superconducting magnets sit inside the wallsunder the floor just below the walls on both sides. Of course, thanks to the magnetic shield, it seems that there is no effect on the human body, and the magnetic field inside the car is less than 1 millitesla, which is less than 1/5000 of the 5 tesla value that is said to have no effect on living things. Nonetheless, it was certain that a strong magnetism was acting, and although the compass needle I carried indicated the direction on the deck, the magnet swayed left and right when I approached the wall.

<40 minutes after departure: Arrive at Linear Nagoya Station>

The train, which has been running at 500km/h, enters a long tunnel. It is the first Chukyo area tunnel with a length of 34.2 km. It ran at 500 km/h for a while, but eventually slowed down.

Shortly after I started to slow down, a big up and down vibration was transmitted to the inside of the car. The speed dropped below 150 km/h and the vehicle landed on the guideway to run on rubber tires. "Fuji 95" is slowing down as it enters the underground station, Maglev Nagoya Station. The noise gradually decreased, and before I knew it, it had stopped. The train arrived on time at 10:40. Take the escalator to the Tokaido Shinkansen platform above ground, and take the "Nozomi" train bound for Shin-Osaka that departs 10 minutes later. You will arrive at Shin-Osaka Station in 1 hour and 39 minutes from Shinagawa Station.

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Currently, there is a difference of opinion between Shizuoka Prefecture and JR Tokai over the issue of water resources in the Oi River for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen. There are also many long tunnels in other sections, so construction work is facing difficulties, and delays in opening are expected. The earliest opening from Nagoya station to Osaka city is 2037, and if it is realized, it will connect Shinagawa and Osaka in 1 hour and 7 minutes at the shortest.

On the day of the press release, the transportation demand for the Tokaido Shinkansen was greatly depressed due to the corona disaster, and there are opinions that the Linear Chuo Shinkansen is unnecessary. On the other hand, the Shinkansen, which was born in the past, has attracted many people's hearts and brought happiness by taking advantage of the characteristics of "getting to your destination quickly, comfortably, and safely." I hope that the Linear Chuo Shinkansen will continue to grow into an attractive vehicle, just like the Shinkansen that opened earlier, after making further improvements such as safety and stability, consideration for areas along the line, and energy conservation. I will continue to make recommendations for that purpose.

(All photos were taken by the author on October 19, 2020 at the Yamanashi Maglev Experiment Center)

[This article is a Yahoo! News individual planning support article. The project proposed by the author is screened by the editorial department based on certain criteria, and the coverage expenses are covered. This activity is performed for the purpose of supporting and encouraging individual callers. ]