Iconic test trains nicknamed ‘Doctor Yellow’, used to check the condition of the tracks and overhead lines for the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train lines while traveling, are being retired due to their obsolescence, to the disappointment of train enthusiasts in the country, including children.
Central Japan Railway, or JR Tokai, and West Japan Railway, or JR West, said Thursday they plan to end Doctor Yellow’s operations in January 2025 and 2027, respectively.
The Doctor Yellow trains, known for their bright yellow exterior with blue stripe, operate between Tokyo Station, one of the terminals for the Tokaido Shinkansen line, and Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture, one of the terminals for the Sanyo Shinkansen line. track and overhead line inspections. The two high-speed train lines are seamlessly connected at Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka Prefecture.
JR Tokai and JR West currently own one Doctor Yellow train each.
The popular Shinkansen test trains operate approximately every 10 days. But their operating schedules are not made public, making it rare to see them in operation or at stations. It is said among train enthusiasts that seeing Doctor Geel will bring good luck.
One of the two trains entered service in 2001, the other in 2005.
An N700S Shinkansen train owned by JR Tokai, currently used for passenger transport, will be equipped with inspection equipment to take over the role of Doctor Yellow in and after 2027.
