The Japanese bullet train system is equipped with a network of sensitive seismometers. On March 11, 2011, one of the seismometers detected an 8.9 magnitude earthquake 12 seconds before it hit and sent a stop signal to 33 trains. As a result, only one bullet train derailed that day.

How Japan’s Rail Network Survived the Earthquake The Tohuko Shinkansen bullet trains re-started operations only 49 days after the earthquake had caused this damage. The Tohuko Shinkansen bullet trains re-started operations only 49 days after the earthquake had caused this damage. The number of the people who could not go home on that day in […]

The Japanese bullet train system is equipped with a network of sensitive seismometers. On March 11, 2011, one of the seismometers detected an 8.9 magnitude earthquake 12 seconds before it hit and sent a stop signal to 33 trains. As a result, only one bullet train derailed that day. Read More »