If you have not heard already, a 8.9 magnitude earthquake (5th stongest in recorded history) has struck just off the coast of Japan. A massive Tsunami is now hitting other places. To our friends and fellow hobbiest, we are thinking of you... :tb-sad: :tb-sad: :tb-sad: :tb-sad:
I lived in Japan from 1996-1998 so this disaster really hits home with me. One of the videos that I watched on YouTube today showed boxes falling off a shelf and when I looked closer I noticed it was a hobby shop. Terrible tragedy. Praying that they get power to the cooling systems on those reactors quickly. Jamie
Check out these trains in Japan shaking on the tracks during the quake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j8RaNF-ag8
It's a brave man that stands under cantenary during an earthquake. By quake standards, this one seemed to last forever. In all of the videos I've watched (and judging from the ones I've been in) it looked like it was over and then it started up again. Scary.
I was a university student in Japan between 1998 and 2000. I lived in Akita Prefecture, which is on the Sea of Japan side of the island of Honshu (the main island). In fact, my name here on the board is the name of the Shinkansen ("bullet train") that runs from Akita City to Tokyo. I had to go through Sendai every time I took either the local lines or the Komachi "Super Express" en route to Tokyo, and it was one of my favorite places to stop and spend a few days during breaks from school. I also have a few Japanese friends and former schoolmates who live in Sendai, so, I have a vested interest in this situation. I, like many here, hope that you, our fellow railway enthusiests in Japan, and your loved ones are safe. KI WO TSUKETE, NE!!! ("PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES/STAY SAFE!!!") - Erik "Komachi"
I have been unable to confirm this, but I spoke with my grandmother last night and she said the TV said the land mass of Japan move 6 feet closer to Asia. I do remember a similar report after the Chile quake last year.
Technical Information "At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters). :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd: Also to sadly report there has been a major explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Efforts to keep the reactor from a meltdown are still ongoing... I have seen a report that the KATO family is safe; but, conditions of the factory and staff there are unknown.
I'm quite sure Kato's manufacturing timetable WILL be affected by the quake in some way or another, whether it's their facilities in Saitama (north of Tokyo), or whether it has to do with related issues (outside vendors, shipping, etc). The Toyota automobile company is shutting down production this week at nearly all of its manufacturing facilities. I'm quite sure Kato might have a similar shutdown, even if for a brief period of time.
I was in Japan when the quake hit. Actually, believe it or not, I was on the 5th floor in TamTam, the biggest model railroad shop in Akihabara, Tokyo. I was getting a few bits for my layout and trying to decide if I could fit a Unitram box in my suitcase when it began. If anyone is interested I could go into detail about it but basically Tokyo was mostly fine, just some minor building damage. Obviously what happened further north was terrible though and I really felt for all the poor people caught up in it. It was heart breaking to watch on the news. Families missing members who didn't get away in time, also having lost all their possessions, their homes, their livelihoods... One image that really struck me was a child's drawing made a few days later. I can't really describe it other than to say it showed just how much trauma the event had caused. On the day trains were not running until later that evening and even then they were on a reduced service. Aside from needing to check the tracks were clear and deal with the electricity shortages (as I'm sure most of you are aware Japan's railways are mostly electric) there were more important things to worry about, such as the trains hit by the tsunami and the JR staff in those areas. The safety features of the rail network operated well and there didn't appear to be any earthquake related accidents. A lot of people ended up stranded and they opened the stations up for people to wait in. It was a nice warm day until about 30 minutes after the quake when it suddenly went overcast and cold. It wasn't until the day after that people realised what had happened in Tohoku and we all felt guilty for complaining about having to walk home the day before. I just wish there was more I could have done, but for medical reasons I can't even give blood... I donated some money, but... Obviously I wasn't in the UK to see the TV news coverage but I did see what they posted on the BBC web site. It was quite upsetting really, they focused on Fukushima when the real tragedy going on got little coverage. The Japanese media was the opposite, spending a lot of time on the human aspect of it all. There have been a lot of photos and video clips posted, including some of the trains hit by the wave, but I don't think I want to re-post them here. がんばって、みなさん。
