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| Above, workers wait to begin cleaning a double-decker shinkansen at Tokyo Station. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
It looks like I rode the bi-level shinkansen to Niigata just in time back in 2010.
JR East has announced that they are retiring their double-decker bullet trains. Those will be replaced by 2015.
News on Japan reported:
With speed taking priority over capacity, East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) will retire all double-decker Shinkansen trains that have carried commuters to and from Tokyo for 30 years.
The Joetsu Shinkansen Line, which connects the nation's capital with cities in Niigata Prefecture, is currently the only JR East bullet train service with the bilevel cars.
"Speed will become more important as the Hokuriku Shinkansen will start operating in 2015, followed by the Hokkaido Shinkansen in 2016," a JR East official said. "I should say that double-decker trains, which prioritized mass transport over speed, have completed their role."When I rode a double-decker in 2010, my assigned seat was in the top deck. I got great views of the passing scenery as we headed to Niigata.
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| Above, a view from the top deck of the shinkansen en route to Niigata. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
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