Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) announced that it will start trial service of the dual mode vehicle (DMV), a vehicle capable of running on rails as well as roads, in April 2007 on the Senmo Line between Hamakoshimizu and Mokoto stations in Hokkaido. The company has been engaged in research, development and testing of the DMV since January 2004.

Attempting to build a novel road-rail hybrid vehicle, JR Hokkaido developed the DMV to improve the financial situation of rural transport services, which are desperately in need of further cost reductions. One of the significant features of the DMV is that it takes only 10-15 seconds to change modes. The vehicle also can use existing railway and roadway infrastructure, and can provide higher running stability.

When the DMV is introduced, passengers can travel without transferring between buses and trains. Other expected benefits include: reduction in the cost of ground equipment (e.g., rails) due to the DMV's lighter weight and the use of a global positioning system (GPS); lower operational costs; and energy savings.



Posted: 2006/11/17 10:08:19 PM
Japanese version

TAG Non-manufacturing industry , Transportation