Mini-Shinkansen

Mini-Shinkansen (Japanese: ミニ新幹線) is the name given to the concept of converting existing 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge railway lines to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge to allow operation of Shinkansen services in Japan. While the track gauge is widened, the original loading gauge is retained, requiring the use of specially designed Shinkansen rolling stock with a narrower cross-section, leading to the "mini-Shinkansen" designation.

Unlike purpose-built high-speed Shinkansen lines, mini-Shinkansen routes are constrained by their legacy infrastructure to maximum operating speed of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph). Two mini-Shinkansen routes have been constructed: the Yamagata Shinkansen, which opened in 1992, and the Akita Shinkansen, which opened in 1997. Both connect to the high-speed Tōhoku Shinkansen for direct service to and from Tokyo.

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