Photography And Half-Thoughts By Mitchell Hegman

...because some of it is pretty and some of it is not.

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Departure Shock

This story dates back to 2017, but the shocking nature of this tale causes me to share it now.

Japanese trains are known for perfect punctuality when arriving and departing.  Trains are expected to arrive and depart on the exact second of their schedule.  Not one second before.  Not one second after.

A horrible incident occurred in November of 2017.   The Tsukuba Express, with service between Tokyo and Tsukuba, departed the station a full 20 seconds early.  Fortunately, no passengers were left stranded at the loading platform.  Nonetheless, the company operating the train immediately put out an apology stating "the great inconvenience we placed upon our customers was truly inexcusable."  

Apparently, that was not enough horror for one (punctual) nation to endure.  In May of 2018, another train departed Notogawa Station early—a full 25 seconds early.  In this instance a passenger was left stranded at the station.  Naturally, the story blew up on social media.  The West Japan Railway Company, operator of the train, immediately sent forth a formal apology.

Hopefully service will not to continue to decay.

Mitchell Hegman

Source: BBC News

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