Work to begin on Thai - Japan "Bullet Train" in 2019

[sometimewoodworker]

18 hours ago, madusa said:

In Japan 132 millions population a large number of them are well paid workers can afford to buy the tickets. In fact the train systems started in the Meiji era about a hundred years ago , so they had done their maths in the early years as to whether they would make a profit to survive.

Humm.

 

 Most of the Japanese train system though  built by private companies was takeover by the state, run as Japanese National Railways until 1987. And the first train ran in 1872, just a little more than 100 years ago  and by 1889 Tokyo and Osaka were linked.

 

The Japanese, state and companies, building the trains and employing the workers have been very very much more smart than that. They have also been much better a math and convincing the employee that the system is a benefit to them, when in fact it is really much better for the company than the workers.

 

Virtualy no employee in Japan pays for train tickets. FWIW (I have been working in Japan for 27 years and have never had to pay my transportation in the many jobs I have had traveling by, plane, Shinkansen, sleeping train and regular train all paid by my employer) the employer pays the cost. The company claims the cost against tax. So nobody is very interested in the price.

Edited November 19, 2017 by sometimewoodworker

[madusa]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Humm.

 

 Most of the Japanese train system though  built by private companies was takeover by the state, run as Japanese National Railways until 1987. And the first train ran in 1872, just a little more than 100 years ago  and by 1889 Tokyo and Osaka were linked.

 

The Japanese, state and companies, building the trains and employing the workers have been very very much more smart than that. They have also been much better a math and convincing the employee that the system is a benefit to them, when in fact it is really much better for the company than the workers.

 

Virtualy no employee in Japan pays for train tickets. FWIW (I have been working in Japan for 27 years and have never had to pay my transportation in the many jobs I have had traveling by, plane, Shinkansen, sleeping train and regular train all paid by my employer) the employer pays the cost. The company claims the cost against tax. So nobody is very interested in the price.

Wow, sugoi ne, "sometimewoodworker",  廿七年日本で働いてすごいながい滞在です。だから日本の電車のことよくわかりましたね。（２７years working in japan incredible long stay. That's why you understand the train system).

[ramrod711]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 4:46 AM, rooster59 said:

Bullet Train

Perhaps the project will be just what Thailand needs, who knows. No matter what the result is, I think "bullet train" is an unfortunate name for a project enacted by a military government.

[ChouDoufu]

seems like a waste of money, extravagant expense for a poor country.

but then didn't the term "white elephant" originate in thailand?

 

is high speed rail necessary when the longest segment north of

bangkok will be less than 700 km?

 

what will this project cost (the true cost, not the rosy estimates)

compared to a full upgrade of the current standard railway to

handle both passengers and freight at medium speed?

[mikiea]

On 11/18/2017 at 6:28 AM, blackcab said:

How much will the tickets cost? Will the tickets be cheaper than catching a plane? Will the train be faster than a plane?

 

How is the maintenance going to be funded?

japan is digging deep into thailand's money pocket searching for any cash left over after china snookered  thailand on couple of subs with retractable wheels and a china/thai rail line . they will only talk maintenance costs when one falls off rails or sinks .

[Grumpy Duck]

On 11/18/2017 at 8:20 AM, jaiyen said:

Oh !  I thought we were going to get a crappy Chinese train system.

I agree, I recall reading that it is supposed to start construction in December. Maybe it ia a different line?

[DonaldBattles]

Construction on the Laos sector is well underway. It is estimated that it is 10% complete. The tunnels at Boten Laos are moving along quickly. It looks like the Boten to Vientiene will finish about the time that the Nong Khai to Bangkok section is finished. When both sections are finished they will connect to the high speed train in Kunming. This means you can get on the train in Bangkok and go to Europe. Would be a nice sightseeing trip but long. The 3 long freight weekly trains from China to Frankfort Germany have been hauling a lot of freight for several months.

 

People living in Thailand should think the whole train line not just Thailand. These trains follow the Old Silk Road to Europe. 

[DrTuner]

The reason shinkansen works is the immaculate performance of the staff making it run. With Thais I'll give it 15 seconds and something will go badly wrong.

[DonaldBattles]

Having watched this country develop for 34 years I have no doubt that they can operate and maintain a train. After all they will have 50,000 Chinese building the railroad and teaching them about the new technology. I felt a bit the same when we but Nakorn Strip Mill the latest state for art in a continuous steel making plant. We a little help it has been turning out a lot of hot rolled coil still since 1998. A train is not that much of a challenge. They are able to operate a complex train system like the BTS in Bangkok for many years. One train will be pretty straight forward. 

[seajae]

On 11/18/2017 at 8:28 AM, twizzian said:

 

Will the driver be professionally trained & or have a lot of experience just like the bus drivers here?

Will the train be maintained & brakes fixed to the stds that we know here?

Then I just might!

mate, did you see the simpson episode where homer was the train driver, can guarantee the driver will be trained just as good as homer was.........