The shinkansen is an engineering wonder, an enduring symbol of Japan’s postwar economic miracle and the country’s technological prowess.
It’s still gee-wiz when so much is so ho-hum.
The world just doesn’t seem to want to buy it. Only one shinkansen system has ever been sold overseas, to Taiwan, even though bullet trains have become popular must-haves for nations trying to demonstrate their own advancement, or simply trying to move people faster.
At 60, the shinkansen has been mostly stuck in Japan as competitors from Europe and China sell their own high-speed trains in an increasing number of countries.
Money is the main issue. Building a shinkansen is expensive. The system is highly integrated and less flexible than the models offered by competitor nations, and it is designed to tolerances that account for worst-of-worst case scenarios rarely encountered.
Other high-speed trains can be customized and completed for less, allowing countries to acquire bullet-train bragging rights at bargain-basement prices.
Japan argues that the math is actually more complicated than just the sticker price and that potential buyers should more carefully consider full costs over time before making such a big purchase.
“The initial costs may be high due to the high quality and technology of the shinkansen system,” said Masafumi Shukuri, the chairman of the International High-speed Rail Association (IHRA), an industry group that promotes Japan’s shinkansen technology overseas.
“The upfront costs often become an issue. But what’s important is the life-cycle costs.”
Shinkansen trains are lighter than other high-speed rail rolling stock, so that they are energy-efficient and don’t damage rail track infrastructure as much, so maintenance is easier and cheaper.
Also, the shinkansen system has a proven safety record, with no fatal accidents ever.
The initial costs of a shinkansen system can be high because it requires special, dedicated tracks, meaning land must be acquired. Europe’s high speed rails, such as France’s TGV, are designed to run on existing rails.
Source: Japan Times
