Was passing by and saw the new NEX (Narita Express) train, the E259,
being tested for coupling at the station.
I think it starts service on Oct 1. I took some video of the practice
coupling and will try and post somewhere later also.
Anyone coming to Japan on Oct 1? You may get a chance to ride it.
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High School Student
wow, it's very shiny. i wonder how's the interior?
CEO, Advance Partners Japan
http://www.shibuya246.com
I've seen official photos and it looks good, but the train here had the blinds pulled down do I could not see inside.
Programmer
Nice
Full-time geek/Part-time student/Part-time musician
http://randomgeekness.livejournal.com/
A new train ... Ready to be used by Chikan and to roll over suicidal people. *sigh*
Student
http://vancouverrandomness.wordpress.com/
I don't think you can do chikan on the NEX...it's got front and rear facing seats only and none of the corner spots where it usually happens. Oh and if you've ever taken it, there's people rolling a food cart up and down the cars every 5-10 minutes or so like on the shinkansen. With that saaaaaaaid, the NEX is quite a comfy train which is par for the course with JR. Too bad the train service in Canada sucks =|
Mad scientist
You are saying you can design the insides of a train so chikan will not happen. Then why all the fuss about women only carriages and stuff? Wouldn't it be much simpler to redesign all trains to stop it from happening?
CEO, Advance Partners Japan
http://www.shibuya246.com
Chikan normally happens when people are standing around and hands are free to touch body parts. On the NEX you sit down. It would be hard for a chikan to touch your bottom when its on the seat ^_^.
About that......
adding to that, usually in packed trains
Student
http://vancouverrandomness.wordpress.com/
The carsets they use for the NEX are exclusive to that run and it's a LEX(limited express) route so yeah similar to the shinkansen there's nothing but forward facing seats like on an airplane. That and the route is never actually that crowded =P
The NEX is all seater only. Your ticket is designated to a specified seat, just like a plane ticket. This isn't your everyday commuter train where you can just hop in and hope it gets crowded so you can grope the first girl you see. :p
Publisher
Nice but so much cheaper to take the rapid (about Y1200 rather then the Y3000 for the express)
Boukenger
I hear that! I used the N'Ex my first to trips but used the Keisei Limited Express for Y1000 on the last trip which was perfect since I was staying in Ueno. Only took a few minutes longer but worth it.
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
shiny new trains excite me.
Student, part-time worker
Oh sweet! No confusion about switching trains and all that stuff anymore? :D
Mad scientist
How will new rolling stock avoid confusion about switching trains?
The only thing I can think of is better destination signs on the trains, but that's not fool proof. I was once asked at a station "do you know what the destination sign should say on the train if I have to get to X". The answer was (surprise surprise) X. I still haven't figured out how the woman failed to figure that out on her own. I was polite and told her and which track it would be in (there are 8 at that station) and an estimate to when the next one would be. I thought about pointing out of the station and say "see those two red lights. That's the train you are searching for" but I decided it wouldn't be the nicest way to react :P
3D artist
http://andyh.cgsociety.org
Nice. We land in japan on oct 2nd, so hopefully we'll get a chance to try it out. I usually take the airport limosine bus, but the last 2 times i went to japan, it took 2-3 hours to reach tokyo due to traffic.
CEO, Advance Partners Japan
http://www.shibuya246.com
perfect timing for you ^^
Messaging specialist
http://saturdaymorningrobots.lithiumstate.nl/
I'll be in Japan starting November so I'll probably see this.
Does this train replace the Keisei skyliner ? I always use that to go to Ueno (where I always stay. Close to Akiba and Ikebukuro, and has *every* line you'll ever wanna use haha )
CEO, Advance Partners Japan
http://www.shibuya246.com
No, the Skyliner is run by Keisei and the NEX by JR. The NEX goes to Tokyo station and then splits either down towards Yokohama or up to Shinjuku and further North. The Skyliner goes into Ueno. If you live in Shibuya the NEX is probably best. If you are going North then the Skyliner is cool. The new Skyliner is going to be super fast as well. I think the new Skyliner will take about 37 minutes. The NEX takes a bit longer than that but is under 1 hr.
IT Developer / Technology Evangelist
http://blog.visualguytystudio.com
Very Nice, very Techi :)
Student
Shiny new modern trains!
Hospital supply manager and Gundam pilot in training
I'll try these next spring, for the hanami... can't wait to be there!!!
still trying to figure it out...
http://pipopaz.wordpress.com/
sadly, i'm not going to Japan anytime soon but would have loved to ride one of those ^^
Professional Slacker
last time i saw a narita express some pissy british woman was yelling at the guy by the tracks because she couldnt find her train car. he kept telling her that her section of the train hadnt arrived yet..
suppose i could have explained it to her myself but my experience with people like that is they arent worth the effort since they dont listen to begin with.
personally cant stand people like that. go to another country and expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter and whine if every person they talk to doesnt fluently speak their language.
CEO, Advance Partners Japan
http://www.shibuya246.com
very true. sometimes its not worth the trouble
Mad scientist
I have noticed people here acting weird like that and they were not even tourists.
I have seen a guy who couldn't accept/understand that he missed the last train to his destination. Once he finally understood he tried to convince the train crew to take him to his destination and wouldn't accept that the train was going in the opposite direction. Leave it to drunk guys to show up at a station at 1:15 AM and expect a train to take them home. He had to wait until 4 AM or something for a train, but it would be faster to just walk :P
Professional Slacker
>.>; an after thought.. i recall laughing to myself when i got to the airport as their were a pair of cute women at the info booth between the currency exchange and luggage check-in area that spoke perfect english..
Ruckus Enabler
http://SpoonKiller.com
Oct 22nd!
Student/Part-timer
http://random-euphoria.blogspot.com/
I swear, narita probably has a more extensive subway network than my entire city does...
Podcaster and tech-otaku
http://www.tamegoeswild.com
Slight tangent, but how does the wifi work on these things, as in, how does the train maintain the broadband connection when going through tunnels etc. Maybe it's just a bunch of wireless transmitters bolted to the walls?
Editor in Chief, KAORI News Online
http://www.kaorinusantara.web.id
I've read it since August from my subscription of monthly Japanese Railfans Magazine. I may not going to Jspan but sure love to see the first launch's photos!