The new Narita Express train, NEX E259, is due to start service on Oct 1, 2009. When I got off the Yamanote train at Shinagawa station yesterday, I saw them practising the coupling of the train.
When the train is in operation the two parts of the service, one coming from Yokohama and the other coming from Shinjuku, get joined up at Tokyo station.
I took some video of the coupling practice session. Not sure how many times a day they practice this, but I bet they cant wait for Oct 1 to roll around.
Here is the first section where the train comes into the platform.
after stopping for a short while, the train then moves forward the remaining few feet to dock with the other carriages before leaving for the airport.
There were quite a few people snapping photos at the station. The front section of the train makes quite an impact.
What shall be Keisei‘s response? Is it waiting until its new, more direct routing from Narita to Keisei-Ueno to make any train announcements?
Once they get their super fast 36 minute line opened, I am sure passengers will flood to them
RT @Shibuya246: Narita Express E259, Japan Trains | Shibuya246 http://bt.io/D5J
Well, another train to take everybody rfom here to there. With all of the trains, aren’t you goning to run out of train tracks? Do you have a train line contol like the airlines have air traffic control? where will the put the next one that comes along?
very true. a lot of the trains are starting to share lines now and that makes things more complex.
@whipcracker: The E259 is to replace their aging E253 series Narita Express trains. I can’t wait to ride one of them when I’m going to Tokyo next year!
Very impressive design, but I prefer the older E253 series. I wonder which one I’ll get when I travel to Tokyo for my holidays next month !
I’m also impressed that people could take photos of the new train without problems ! Over here, in this post-9/11 Europe, taking pics of public transport vehicles is becoming a suspiscious activity. 🙁
Hadn’t thought about that. There were about 20 people on my platform getting out their mobiles and taking photos. I’m not sure they would have had enough guards to catch us all. ^^
This one is nice but i prefer the older series as well. The older greencar seats are more “cozy” and also in this new train greencar layout is 2 and 2 seats and the old layout was 1 and 2. Since I travel alone most of the time, I enjoyed getting to have the single seat with no one next to me, and having both a window and an aisle seat. Though most of the time greencar is empty enough there isnt anyone sitting next to me anyway, i miss the security of knowing no one will be next to me and get a little excited when Im buying my ticket and discover that i’ll be on the old series train.