TOKYO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese bullet train operator is investigating what caused two linked Shinkansen trains to uncouple while moving at high speed, public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday.
A coupler on the Tokyo-bound two-train service on the Tohoku Shinkansen line became unhinged while it was running between Furukawa and Sendai stations in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi on Thursday morning, causing it to make an emergency stop and services on the line to be halted for hours, the report said, citing railway operator East Japan Railway.
The company, also known as JR East, said it was the first time that its coupled Shinkansen trains had detached while in motion, but no injuries were reported among the some 320 people aboard and there were no derailments of the cars.
JR East said its investigation revealed that the trains were traveling at a speed of about 315 km per hour when they detached, adding that the coupler was designed to detach only when the trains slow down to a speed of 5 km per hour or below.
The cause of the incident is being investigated but no external abnormalities have been found on the coupler, JR East said.
The company quoted the driver as saying emergency braking was suddenly applied and no unusual noise was heard or shaking felt shortly before the coupler became unhinged.
JR East is conducting emergency visual inspections of all its Shinkansen trains that are coupled for operations.
Following the uncoupling incident, a total of 72 trains on the Tohoku, Yamagata, and Akita Shinkansen lines were canceled and 35 delayed, affecting roughly 45,000 passengers, accoridng to JR East. ■
