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Now bullet train geeks can ride the rare, top-secret “Doctor Yellow” train

Mike Sep 10, 2015
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It’s apparently a pretty rare sight, not unlike the majestic (read: ugly as sin) Northern Bald Ibis, the probably made-up Sasquatch, or the sober RocketNews24 writer, but on certain lengths of Shinkansen bullet train track, one can occasionally catch brief glimpses of a completely yellow bullet train as it whizzes past. Japan Rail (JR) doesn’t make the train’s schedule public, it doesn’t stop at stations, and it only runs a few times a month.

And, until a little later this year, no member of the public was ever allowed to ride. Learn how you can ride the special “Doctor Yellow” bullet train after the jump.

If you saw the “Doctor Yellow” moniker and thought this was some kind of badass rescue bullet train that whisks heart attack victims or whatever to the nearest hospital, we’re sorry to inform you that the reality is a little less exciting: the Yellow Doctor is actually equipped with a host of surveillance and testing gadgetry so it can check the miles and miles of track for wear and tear and other potential problem areas. In other words, it’s a bullet train geek’s dream machine!

And now, said geeks are squeeing with delight at the news that a Tokyo-based travel agency, Club Tourism, is offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to board the Yellow Doctor for an educational tour.

An excited Twitter user posts a Doctor Yellow sighting

頑張らないと～
イマイチ流れてないし
ぶれとる。
でもドクターイエローカッコよかった🎵#ファインダー越しの私の世界 #写真好きな人と繋がりたい #写真撮ってる人と繋がりたい #coregraphy #ドクターイエロー pic.twitter.com/QhXVlTtAGa

— taka_photography810 (@taka_photo7200) September 6, 2015

The tour package will apparently be held around the Nagoya area and will include a one hour tour of the interior of the Doctor Yellow train, a short ride on the train, plus an additional tour of the Nagoya bullet train depot—also typically closed to the public. The tour will even include a second-day trip to the SCMAGLEV and Railway Park museum for a full two days of train-centric excitement!

Of course, such a rare opportunity comes at a price. Interested parties should expect to fork out around 41,800 yen (US$350) for the tour package, and the tours themselves are available in a very limited window: Oct. 3 and 24, and Nov. 14 and 21. It also goes without saying that English support will be very limited, if available at all.

If, however, you’re confident in your Japanese skills (or are just content to not understand what the guides are saying) and are in either Tokyo or Nagoya during the time periods above, you can check out more information and book here.

Source: PR Times
Top Image: Official Website

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