40 years since the opening of the Tohoku Shinkansen, the driver of the first train talks on July 27, 20:26

June 23, 1982 (Showa 57) 40 years ago.

This day is the opening day of the Tohoku Shinkansen, which connects Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture and Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture.

Takeshi Ono (41 years old at the time) got into the driver's seat of the Shinkansen with quiet joy and tension.

This is because he is the driver of the first train departing from Morioka Station.

The Tohoku Shinkansen, which has become the main artery connecting Tohoku and the Tokyo metropolitan area, has become an indispensable part of the local economy.

We talked to the former driver of the first train, who has been watching the development of the train since it opened.

(Morioka Broadcasting Station reporter Daiki Awata)

At Morioka station with the first train driver

In mid-June, I met in front of the ticket gate at JR Morioka Station.

The meeting partner is Takeshi Ono, 81 years old, a former driver who drove the first train of the Tohoku Shinkansen from Morioka Station on June 23, 40 years ago.

At the platform of Morioka Station, I was told what kind of opening day was 15 years before I was born.

Morioka Station is said to have not changed much from 40 years ago.

I went to the 11th home.

Takeshi Ono

"I moved the Tohoku Shinkansen from the garage and this is the stop position of the leading car. I adjusted it to this. I was full of feelings that the era of the Shinkansen is finally coming."

The memory of 40 years ago was still deeply engraved in my heart.

The long-awaited "dream super express"

During the period of high economic miracle, young people called "golden eggs" from Tohoku headed to Tokyo for group employment.

At that time, I was using a night train.

In the 1970s, before the opening of the Shinkansen, if you tried to go to Tokyo, it would take 6 hours and 20 minutes from Morioka to Tokyo / Ueno even if you took the limited express train.

Many citizens of the prefecture have been waiting for the "dream super express" that connects the metropolitan area and Iwate in a short time.

The opening day of the Tohoku Shinkansen, which carries the dreams and hopes of the people of Iwate.

At Morioka Station, the departure ceremony was held before the departure of the first train, Yamabiko No. 10.

Mr. Ono also participated with the then governor of the Japanese National Railways and received a bouquet from a person on the Miss Tohoku Shinkansen.

Mr. Ono

"The home was full of people, including the press. The governor of the Japanese National Railways said," Please do your best today, "and returned," Yes, thank you. "It's the opening day of the Shinkansen. I was nervous with that feeling. "

As the ceremony progressed, Mr. Ono moved to the driver's seat and quietly waited for the time of departure.

Mr. Ono:

"The fact that the passengers are on board means that we have to carry it safely, and we have to drive on time, and I think there was such pressure. I was waiting with the desire to do my best. "

Depart home then ...

And at 7:15 am, the first train of the Tohoku Shinkansen "Yamabiko No. 10" driven by Mr. Ono departed from Morioka Station.

Mr. Ono

"I felt like I was quietly coming out. Then the speed gradually increased, and at our time I was running at 200 km / h and 210 km / h."

At that time, the Tohoku Shinkansen was a 200 series car with a round nose and a green line, and the maximum speed was 210 km / h.

If you use the Tohoku Shinkansen, the connection between Morioka and Ueno takes about 4 hours, including the transfer time, which is more than 2 hours shorter than the previous limited express trains.

Iwate people watching a new page of history from the railway line.

That figure was also visible to Mr. Ono, who was driving.

Mr. Ono

"At that time, I could see quite a few people along the line. Some people were waving the flag. I drove with the feeling that the people who were waiting for the Shinkansen were celebrating."

Born in Ninohe City, after graduating from high school, got a job at the national railway at that time.

Mr. Ono was a driver on the Kitakami Line and Kamaishi Line in the prefecture, including the Chuo Line in Tokyo.

The turning point was two years before the opening of the business.

He was selected as a first-year driver candidate for the Tohoku-Hokkaido Line, and training began in Tokyo and elsewhere.

Mr. Ono:

"I think I can drive a new railroad called the Shinkansen. I might have jumped at something brand new, when I was younger. I didn't think

The Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen, which runs in a snowy country, repeated running tests in the snow.

When I actually drove, I was surprised at the speed and the high performance of the vehicle.

Mr. Ono:

"If it's a conventional line, the speed is about 100 km / h at most, and the Shinkansen is double. I thought it was fast. It felt like a utility pole was flying. The driver's cab was high and the view was good. The driver's seat was completely different from the trains I've been driving since then. Also, it doesn't shake at all. Someone put a cigarette in the cab, but it didn't collapse even when I was driving. It's really big. I thought it was a car that had been used. I thought it would run smoothly with little impact. "

Announcement of big role What was announced ...

Two days before the opening, my boss told me that the most important role of train operation was.

Mr. Ono:

"I was told how to drive the first train, and I said," I understand. I'll try it. "I wasn't very good at that because the press took pictures. I was nervous. I thought it was a big deal. "

On the opening day, in addition to Morioka Station, Kitakami Station and Ichinoseki Station debuted as Shinkansen stops in the prefecture.

Mr. Ono was in charge of driving between Morioka and Sendai Station.

I tried to drive more carefully than usual, and ran the first train to Sendai Station in 1 hour and 16 minutes on time.

Mr. Ono:

"Because it was only the people involved in the railway, including the test run and the test in the snow. It was the first day I drove with the passengers. I was already nervous about driving. The people at each station were amazing. When I arrived in Sendai, I was relieved. I gave a baton touch to the driver heading to Omiya with peace of mind. "

Supporting the mass transportation era

After the opening of the Morioka-Omiya section, the Tohoku-Hokkaido line continued to extend south of Omiya, and in 1991, the Ueno-Tokyo section was opened.

Against the backdrop of an increase in business and skiers, double-decker vehicles also appeared in 1994, supporting the era of mass transportation.

The total number of passengers in 40 years is 1.9 billion.

With the opening of the Shinkansen, day trips between Tohoku and the Tokyo metropolitan area have become possible, and the number of tourists visiting various parts of Tohoku has increased significantly.

It also contributed greatly to the economic development of Tohoku.

Mr. Ono has been operating the Tohoku Shinkansen for nearly 15 years since it opened.

I retired in March 1997.

It was the year when the E2 Series, which is still in active service and has a maximum speed of 275 km / h, was introduced as the Shinkansen went up in speed due to competition with aircraft.

Mr. Ono

"I enjoyed being a Shinkansen driver for more than 10 years as the Tohoku Shinkansen extended from Omiya to Ueno and Tokyo. I'm still proud that I didn't have a major accident. I wonder if he was happy after all. "

After Mr. Ono retires as a driver, the Tohoku Shinkansen will extend north from Morioka Station.

In 2010, 28 years after its opening, Tokyo and Shin-Aomori were fully connected.

Speed ​​up

The speed has also increased.

A test vehicle "FASTECH 360S" with a different shape of the leading vehicle was introduced, and tests such as reducing air resistance when entering the tunnel to suppress noise were repeated.

It can be said that the speedup has come to fruition with the introduction of the E5 series, which is currently operated as "Hayabusa".

It made its debut on March 5, 2011, and in 2013, it will start commercial operation at 320 km / h, which is the highest speed in Japan.

Compared to when it opened in 1982, it is more than 100 kilometers faster, and the travel time between Morioka and Tokyo has been reduced to a minimum of 2 hours and 10 minutes.

When asked what Mr. Ono thinks of the current vehicle ...

Mr. Ono

"When I look at the vehicles, they are newer and more wonderful. It makes me feel like I wanted to drive such a vehicle as well."

Aiming for further "evolution"

The "evolution" of the Tohoku Shinkansen continues.

For about three years from May 2019 to March 2019, JR East will use the next-generation Shinkansen test vehicle "ALFA-X" for test runs aimed at improving vehicle safety, durability, and environmental performance. Implemented.

The number reached more than 180 days.

Going forward, we will continue to aim to increase the operating speed to 360 km / h, which is 40 km faster than the current rate, by the end of 2030, when the Hokkaido Shinkansen will be extended to Sapporo, while eliminating noise and improving braking performance.

What role will the Tohoku Shinkansen play in the future?

Shigeru Sawada, Senior Manager of Iwagin Research & Consulting, said:

Mr. Shigeru Sawada, Iwagin Research & Consulting

"In the post-corona era, it will play an even more important role in tourism promotion. , I think the role of transporting passengers to various parts of Tohoku is still strong in tourism use. "

Safe driving forever

This March, the Tohoku-Hokkaido derailed due to an earthquake that observed a seismic intensity of 6 upper in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures.

It took almost a month for the operation to resume on all lines due to the interruption between Morioka Station and Nasushiobara Station in Tochigi Prefecture.

It became impossible to go directly to Tokyo etc. from Iwate prefecture, and many people decided to use high-speed buses and airplanes from Hanamaki Airport.

Mr. Ono believes that in addition to improving convenience, further improvement in safety is indispensable.

Mr. Ono

"It's safe to drive even if the speed increases. Japan has many earthquakes and derailed due to the earthquake in March, but I think we must be prepared for disaster resistance."

Finally, I asked Mr. Ono about his thoughts on the Tohoku Shinkansen, which is still evolving.

Mr. Ono

"It's a difference from our time. The newly developed next-generation Shinkansen ALFA-X is 360 km / h. The speed will increase, so I'm looking forward to it and I'd like to ride it. I hope that the Shinkansen will continue to allow customers to have fun without forgetting to drive safely even when they go up. "

Last May, when I was assigned to the Morioka Broadcasting Station as a new reporter, I got off at JR Morioka Station with great hope and some anxiety.

I've been on the Shinkansen many times until then, but the journey of about 500km to Morioka, where I had various thoughts in my seat, passed in a blink of an eye.

The Tohoku Shinkansen, which has carried the lives of many people.

I would like to continue to cover the appearance that has evolved with the times, such as Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa.

Morioka Broadcasting Station reporter

Daiki Awata

Joined in 2021 Covered

police, judiciary, railways, sports, etc.

When he was a student, he also had a part-time job as a station employee at Shinjuku Station on the Odakyu Line.

When he returns home, he wants to transfer to the Shinkansen and challenge Morioka-Tokyo-Himeji.