JR East to Launch Japan’s First Cargo-Only Shinkansen

TOKYO, Dec 10 (News On Japan) - JR East announced that it will begin operating the nation’s first cargo-only Shinkansen on March 23rd 2026, running between Morioka and Tokyo with loading and unloading carried out on dollies directly at the rail yard.

The train will use a seven-car E3 series set previously deployed on the Yamagata Shinkansen ‘Tsubasa,’ with all passenger seating removed and the cars fully converted for freight use, allowing the service to carry up to 17.4 tons, or roughly 1,000 boxes.

The train will run coupled with the ‘Yamabiko’ and operate one scheduled round per weekday. JR East expects strong demand for transporting agricultural and marine products along the route.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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