Maintenance Trains Collide, Derail on Tokaido Shinkansen Line; Service Still Suspended Between Hamamatsu, Nagoya (Update 3)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:30 JST, July 22, 2024 (updated at 20:11 JST)

The Tokaido Shinkansen service was suspended between Tokyo and Nagoya stations on Monday due to the derailment of two maintenance trains in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture. Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) announced that the service between Hamamatsu and Nagoya stations would be suspended for the entire day. Restoration work was to continue through Monday evening, and it is not clear when full service will resume.

According to JR Tokai, a maintenance train collided with another, which was stationary on the track after finishing track maintenance between Toyohashi and Mikawa-Anjo stations on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, at around 3:35 a.m., causing the two trains to derail. A male train operator was left with a slight cut on his forehead, and another male worker sustained a bruise on his leg.

Inspection of the track and the derailed trains, the replacement of railroad ties and other restoration work were underway at the site. According to JR Tokai, the trains will be transported by crane, as they cannot move under their own power. Oil spillages were also found at the site, causing delays to the restoration.

In parallel with JR Tokai’s inspection, the Aichi prefectural police plan to conduct their own inspection at the scene as part of a larger investigation into the incident on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in injury.