Test Train Doctor Yellow to Retire Due to Aging; JR Tokai to Hold Special Commemorative Events

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:12 JST, June 13, 2024

Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) and West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) announced on Thursday that they will retire the test train nicknamed Doctor Yellow, which runs between Tokyo and Hakata stations on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, due to aging.

JR Tokai will terminate the train’s operation in January 2025 and JR West will do so in 2027 or later.

JR Tokai and JR West have one Doctor Yellow train each, and JR Tokai started its operation in 2001 while JR West began to use it in 2005.

The train runs about once every 10 days, but the operation schedule is not made public. It has become popular among railway fans as “a train that brings happiness when you see it.”

Until its retirement, JR Tokai will sell commemorative goods and hold events for visitors to ride the train.

After the retirement of Doctor Yellow, N700S series trains, which are in service as Nozomi and other bullet trains, will be fitted with special equipment to conduct inspections.