CHECKING FOR ISSUES
At Tokyo’s Oi Depot, trains that ply the Tokaido Shinkansen line – which began operating more than 60 years ago – wait to undergo maintenance or to be dispatched for service.
The operations hub is one of four owned and run by JR Central. About 160 staff carry out routine inspections on the signals, electricity circuits, brakes of the trains, among other things, every two days.
Transport authorities perform a similar inspection every 45 days. They also dismantle some parts, including wheels and brakes, every 20 months for a detailed examination.
All components are inspected thoroughly about once in 40 months or after the Shinkansen has travelled 1.6 million km.
A team of two ground staff is deployed when a Shinkansen arrives at a depot. Each train has 16 cars that need to be checked.
“I inspect a set of train cars in 50 minutes. In one day, it’s 12 sets,” said Mizuki Inokoshi, a senior maintenance staff at Oi Depot.
“Within a limited time, I need to inspect points that can wear out. I need to detect any malfunctions. So, during the inspection, I cannot be off guard one bit.”
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