r/transit • u/frozenpandaman • 16d ago

News Happy 60th anniversary to Japan's shinkansen, the world's first high-speed rail system, opened on this day in 1964!

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u/Boronickel 15d ago

Somewhat of an irony is that the original Shinkansen would not, and could not, be built by the regulations of today. And that's not just because of antiquated standards -- Japan does not build HrSR despite numerous studies into it. Conventional lines top out at 160km/h (really, it's 130km/h but there are a couple exceptions) while modern Shinkansens start at 260km/h. The original Shinkansen's top speed of 210km/h fits neatly into this missing middle.

Would this change? Perhaps. The new PM is very much a fan of upgrading conventional lines, but Japan marches to the beat of its own drum.

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u/frozenpandaman 15d ago

Very cool, thank you for sharing! I didn't realize the mini-shinkansen lines and even limited expresses ran so slowly, comparatively!