The first railroad in 75 years in Hawaii, meaning September 21, 17:07
There is a large project underway in Hawaii.
It's a railroad.
Commercial operation is scheduled to begin next year, and it will be the first time in 75 years that a full-scale passenger railway will run in this area.
Japanese companies are involved.
What does the island's plan mean in the midst of fierce competition among manufacturers over the railroad business around the world?
(Los Angeles Bureau Chief Jun Oikawa)
The new railway line
The total length of the line under construction on Oahu, Hawaii is 35 km.
Head west from where the large shopping center is located in central Honolulu, and connect to the suburbs via the airport and stadium.
There are many tourist spots along the line, and it runs 21 stations in about 40 minutes.
Next year, it will first open about 15 kilometers to the west, and 10 years later, the entire line will open in 2031.
Japanese companies are involved
Hitachi, Ltd. of Japan handles the rolling stock and station equipment for this railway.
The technology cultivated in the railway business up to now is utilized in the vehicles.
For example, autonomous driving.
The driver's seat is usually covered and is used only when going back and forth between the garage and the main line.
It operates automatically on the main line.
Trains will be monitored at an operations center located in the suburbs of Honolulu.
In this interview, we photographed the train that is running the test as it departs from the station.
When the person in charge of the HART = Honolulu High-speed Railway Transportation Organization, which is the main operator, called the operation center from the platform, the train started automatically and accelerated smoothly.
Full of Hawaiian style
This railroad has a Hawaiian feel everywhere.
A rainbow is designed on the side of the car body.
In Hawaii, which is surrounded by the sea on all sides and has many mountains, rainbows often hang after the rain.
The rainbow is a symbol of the region, as it is also depicted on the license plates of state cars.
A spacious space is secured inside the car, and it is possible to bring in surfboards as well as bicycles.
The station is also unique.
The exterior wall design is based on Hawaiian mythology, which depicts the birth of the world.
Different stations are adopted according to the myths related to the location.
And the station name is written in both English and Hawaiian.
For example, the English station "Leeward Community College" is accompanied by the Hawaiian place name "Haraulani".
Mr. Kahikina
"Every station expresses the culture and industry of each region. It is very important to incorporate the
uniqueness of
Hawaii."
Expectations for high-speed rail
There used to be a railroad on Oahu to carry sugar cane, but it was abolished in 1947 due to the decline of industry.
Since then, the development of passenger railroads has been required to cope with the increase in population.
Only in the 2000s, concrete plans began to be examined, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held 10 years ago, and construction finally began.
With the opening next year, Oahu will be the first full-scale passenger railway in 75 years.
What is expected of this railroad is the alleviation of serious highway congestion, which is considered to be one of the most serious in the United States.
The journey of about 10 kilometers from the airport to central Honolulu takes about 45 minutes in heavy traffic, but it will take about 15 minutes once the railroad opens.
Another role that railways play is environmental measures.
In Hawaii, the state law sets a numerical target to cover 100% of electricity with renewable energy by 2045, and the residents' awareness is high.
When the railway is completed, it is expected to be used by more than 100,000 people a day, and it is expected that the shift from automobiles to railways will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
There are many welcome voices from the citizens.
"The flow from the suburbs to the center is really the worst. Many people should use the train."
"I think it's a good idea to reduce car traffic by train."
Policy promoted by the president of railways
In the United States, there is a tailwind for railway maintenance.
President Biden, who took office in January, will focus on this.
The president is so popular that he is called "Amtrak Joe" (Amtrak = National Railway Passenger Corporation).
When he was a senator, he used to commute by train from his home state of Delaware to Washington, DC every day.
As an economic policy of the Biden administration, a bill totaling 1 trillion dollars (110 trillion yen in Japanese yen) was passed in the Senate last month with the support of opposition parties and Republicans.
One of the pillars is railway maintenance, where more than 7 trillion yen will be invested.
The bill has been moved to the House of Representatives, with the ruling and Democratic parties aiming to pass it by the end of September.
Railroad-focused policies are more than just economic measures.
One of the influential politicians in rail policy, Congressman Molton of the ruling Democratic Party, explains that it has a lot to do with climate change measures.
Rep. Molton:
"It's a big difference between 1000 people driving on gasoline on the road and 1000 people using high-speed rail that uses renewable energy. All you need to do is invest in future infrastructure and respond to climate change. It is. "
Hawaii Railroad as a "launch pad"
With the tailwind of railroads in the United States, railroad vehicle manufacturers in each country are focusing on the production and development of their respective vehicles, such as long-distance routes and urban subways.
While rivals are competing, Hitachi wants to build a track record on Hawaiian railroads and expand its market share in the United States.
Vice President Dormer
"We are already expanding our rail business in California and Washington, DC, but Honolulu's rail will be a good example of our strength. Launch for growth in the North American market. It ’s a platform. ”
The Hawaiian railway, which is being operated by a Japanese company, is about to open.
There are many people who have never used the railroad in the area, and it is unclear how much the habit of using the railroad will take root, but that is why there is a lot of interest in its whereabouts.
In the United States, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and JR Central are also developing railway businesses.
With the momentum for railway development increasing, I would like to pay attention to whether the achievements in Hawaii will support the expansion of Japanese businesses.
Los Angeles bureau chief
Jun Oikawa
Joined the
political department in
1994
After working at the US general bureau, the incumbent
political department
covered the Shinkansen development plan
from 2019.