Rail Fans Flock to See JR Tokai’s Retiring ‘Doctor Yellow’ Inspection Train; JR West Will Continue Operating Sister Train at Least through 2027

Many railroad fans gather to see JR Tokai’s Doctor Yellow train after its final inspection run, at JR Tokyo Station on Wednesday.
14:33 JST, January 30, 2025
Many railroad fans gathered by the tracks on Wednesday to bid farewell to the Shinkansen inspection train nicknamed “Doctor Yellow” as it completed its final run on the Tokaido Shinkansen line before being retired.
Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) terminated the operation of its Doctor Yellow train on that day.
Since the timetables of Doctor Yellow trains, which inspect the tracks and electrical equipment during their runs, are not made public, it is said that those who see one will be blessed with good fortune — something which has brought them a lot of popularity.
After completing its final inspection on that day, Doctor Yellow departed Tokyo Station for the Oi depot in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, at about 6:05 p.m.
Railroad fans who rushed to see it off at JR Tokyo Station shouted things like “Thank you” and waved as they watched it depart for the last time.
“Thank you for always inspecting the tracks. You did a great job,” said a 6-year-old boy from Kawasaki who greeted the train at the station with his family.
Another Doctor Yellow train, owned by West Japan Railway Co. (JR. West), is scheduled to continue operating at least through 2027.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Tokyo Experiences Temperatures Exceeding 30 C for 1st Time This Year; Other Parts of Japan also See Soaring Temperatures
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Expo Fails to Achieve Pledge of Line-Free Event; Smartphone Data Shows Particular Crowding at East Gate
-
Japan’s Maglev Shinkansen’s Partially Completed Station Unveiled; Station Will Be Only Underground Stop Between Shinagawa, Nagoya
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Japan Pavilion Security Guard Headset Goes Viral on Social Media; Fans Delight at Similarity to Dragon Ball “Scouter”
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Yoshimura Asks Japan Expo Association to Consider Keeping Restaurants, Shops Open until Just before 10 P.M.
JN ACCESS RANKING
-
Toyoda to Become Automobile Business Association of Japan Chairman; to Help Guide U.S. Tariff-Affected Industriessns
-
Advance Payments for 2025 Rice Foretell Rising Prices; Big Buyers Moving Early; Farmers Spurred to Grow More
-
Visitors to Japan Hit Single-Month Record High in April
-
Japanese Researchers Develop ‘Transparent Paper’ as Alternative to Plastics; New Material Is Biodegradable, Can Be Produced with Low Carbon Emissions
-
Japan to Introduce Car Fuel with Up to 10% Biofuels from Fiscal 2028; Limited Rollout Expected at Areas with Refineries