I wonder why they are changing though because they are going from electric to electric. I thought trolley buses would be more enviromentally friendly because at least you dont have batteries to contend with and dispose of when they are worn out
I'm guessing the operating company ran the numbers and realized it would spend less money per year on batteries and chargers than it would maintaining 7.4 km of overhead wires (Yes, the tunnel is 3.7 km, but there are two wires, a positive and a neutral; with trams and electric trains the metal rails act as the neutral).
There's also the problem of having to stop when the trolley connector thingy detaches from the overhead wire, so the driver has to go out and reattach it using an insulated pole. Maybe that's a solved problem by now, I don't know, but it has at least plagued trolley busses in the past. Should in any case be less likely in such a controlled environment as this tunnel. If trolley systems where designed today, they would probably have a robotic system to keep things connected, and automatically reattach if it still fails. And a hybrid trolley + battery system would be possible, so you could extend bus service beyond the overhead wire network.
@@tvuser9529 Hybrid trolley and battery systems are pretty much the standard for trolley buses built in the last 10 years. So a trolley bus is a battery bus with additional trolley pole and electrical transforming equipment - and these cost a lot of money, at a time, when battery buses become cheaper every year... Also, the trolley bus parts of the equipment have skyrocketed in price in the recent decades - you almost pay threefold for a trolleybus than you would for a diesel bus. Combine that with improving batteries and charging systems, and the trolley bus is quickly outprized by battery buses - especially on a short trip like here, where the buses are at a terminus every few minutes, and can recharge in a stationary setting... (automatic reattaching of wires isn't really necessary any more (since modern trolley buses have batteries anyways), they can just run with their collectors down to the next safe point (often even the terminus) and re-attach then. There are automatic systems, but those need special house-top shaped plastic bits on the places, where the wires need to be regularly reattached. Contrast issues to the day-time sky are an issue for automatic systems...)
I found an old site about the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Wow. That is something I would try when I am visiting Japan for the first time. So much to do in Japan :-) So Step 1 would be 1.Toyama Local Railway from Toyama Station to Tateyama Station 2. Tateyama Cable Car and Tateyama Highland Bus, from Tateyama Station to Murodo, 3. THIS VIDEO Tateyama Trolley Bus, Tateyama Ropeway and Kurobe Cable Car from Murodo to Lake Kurobe, "Kurobeko", 4. Transshipment on the fourth Kurobe Dam and Kanden Trolley Bus, from Lake Kurobe, "Kurobeko", to Ohgisawa, :-)
Hmm, I’m not sure this is progress. The extra weight of batteries will make them less efficient and the thought of a Lithium battery fire in an enclosed space worries me. I was in Japan October and did intend to visit this area but ran out of time unfortunately. Next year hopefully.
Wow, what a great video. Thanks for capturing this moment.
Good thing I visited this route this month, I too will have a video of this uploaded eventually
I wonder why they are changing though because they are going from electric to electric. I thought trolley buses would be more enviromentally friendly because at least you dont have batteries to contend with and dispose of when they are worn out
I'm guessing the operating company ran the numbers and realized it would spend less money per year on batteries and chargers than it would maintaining 7.4 km of overhead wires (Yes, the tunnel is 3.7 km, but there are two wires, a positive and a neutral; with trams and electric trains the metal rails act as the neutral).
There's also the problem of having to stop when the trolley connector thingy detaches from the overhead wire, so the driver has to go out and reattach it using an insulated pole. Maybe that's a solved problem by now, I don't know, but it has at least plagued trolley busses in the past. Should in any case be less likely in such a controlled environment as this tunnel.
If trolley systems where designed today, they would probably have a robotic system to keep things connected, and automatically reattach if it still fails. And a hybrid trolley + battery system would be possible, so you could extend bus service beyond the overhead wire network.
@@tvuser9529 Hybrid trolley and battery systems are pretty much the standard for trolley buses built in the last 10 years. So a trolley bus is a battery bus with additional trolley pole and electrical transforming equipment - and these cost a lot of money, at a time, when battery buses become cheaper every year...
Also, the trolley bus parts of the equipment have skyrocketed in price in the recent decades - you almost pay threefold for a trolleybus than you would for a diesel bus. Combine that with improving batteries and charging systems, and the trolley bus is quickly outprized by battery buses - especially on a short trip like here, where the buses are at a terminus every few minutes, and can recharge in a stationary setting...
(automatic reattaching of wires isn't really necessary any more (since modern trolley buses have batteries anyways), they can just run with their collectors down to the next safe point (often even the terminus) and re-attach then. There are automatic systems, but those need special house-top shaped plastic bits on the places, where the wires need to be regularly reattached. Contrast issues to the day-time sky are an issue for automatic systems...)
I have never seen this before, this can only happen in Japan, thank you for sharing this video ;-)
トロリーバスも電気バスも自然環境に配慮した公共交通機関でしたね。
Wait, so what will happen? What is the replacement?
the last left-hand-traffic trolleybus in the world, all remaining trolleybuses other than this one are in right-hand-traffic countries
I found an old site about the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Wow. That is something I would try when I am visiting Japan for the first time. So much to do in Japan :-) So Step 1 would be 1.Toyama Local Railway from Toyama Station to Tateyama Station 2. Tateyama Cable Car and Tateyama Highland Bus, from Tateyama Station to Murodo, 3. THIS VIDEO Tateyama Trolley Bus, Tateyama Ropeway and Kurobe Cable Car from Murodo to Lake Kurobe, "Kurobeko", 4. Transshipment on the fourth Kurobe Dam and Kanden Trolley Bus, from Lake Kurobe, "Kurobeko", to Ohgisawa, :-)
End of an era
Consider what would happen in the narrow tunnel if the LIon battery of the heavy “modern electric bus” catches on fire.
I wonder if reasoning for a change is the same as the reason why Japan doesn't have trolley buses in the first place.
Hmm, I’m not sure this is progress. The extra weight of batteries will make them less efficient and the thought of a Lithium battery fire in an enclosed space worries me. I was in Japan October and did intend to visit this area but ran out of time unfortunately. Next year hopefully.
正しいevの在り方が、ここにある。。
Makes no sense to replace them with battery electric bus. Trolley busses are more environmentally friendly and long lasting too.