"Is platform 14 for Tokyo...huh? I thought I was on a different platform last time?" Have you ever had this experience at JR Fukushima Station? Construction of an "approach line" is currently underway to solve the problems lurking at Fukushima Station. ＊＊＊ ＜Tohoku Shinkansen, the main artery of eastern Japan＞ On June 23, 1982, the Tohoku Shinkansen opened, connecting Morioka and Omiya. The travel time between Fukushima and Koriyama was reduced from the previous 40 minutes to about 15 minutes, greatly changing our lives. After that, it was extended to Tokyo, and in 1992 the Yamagata Shinkansen opened. Convenience has improved. ＜Construction to solve the problem is progressing＞ Large-scale construction work is currently underway around Fukushima Station. The work is on the tracks that connect to JR Fukushima Station. Once completed, Shinkansen trains that "arrive" from Yamagata will pass through, which is a long-cherished wish for JR since the Yamagata Shinkansen opened. At first glance, the platform at Fukushima Station appears to be operating normally, but what is the problem? This was the first time a TV cameraman had infiltrated the construction site. <The Yamagata Shinkansen is involved> Currently, there are four Shinkansen tracks at Fukushima Station: one for Tokyo (tracks 11 and 12) and one for Sendai (tracks 13 and 14). However, the problem is that the structure means that trains heading for Fukushima Station are forced to enter platform 14, which should be for the outbound trains. This is because there is only one track entering Fukushima Station from Yamagata. When the Yamagata Shinkansen "Tsubasa" arrives from Yamagata, it enters platform 14. After that, to head towards Tokyo, it needs to cross the outbound track towards Sendai. This is the problem. <Even a slight delay will affect other operations> The Yamagata Shinkansen is prone to delays due to snow, rain, and collisions with animals. If there is a delay and the timetable is disrupted, you may run into a train arriving or passing through Fukushima Station heading towards Sendai. Then, because they have to wait for the train to depart from the platform, the trains heading to Sendai are delayed... If the trains heading to Sendai pass first, the trains at the platform are further delayed. This delay not only delays the arrival of trains from Fukushima to Tokyo, but depending on the situation, it could also lead to delays of trains heading to Tokyo from Kanazawa and Niigata. Also, what seems like a casual coupling at first glance. The "Yamabiko" coming from Sendai crosses the tracks to get to the platform. After that, it is coupled with the "Tsubasa" arriving from Yamagata, so it is even necessary to create a restrictive timetable so that the trains do not collide. <Problem solved! Approach line> So a new "approach line" is being built. This will eliminate the need to cross the tracks in any case, and it is expected to eliminate further delays and set a more flexible timetable. In the construction to be carried out in the future, the tracks will be lifted by a crane and passed over. In other words, the new tracks will be passed over the overpass on the north side of the station. The person in charge of construction said, "There were many constraints in laying this kind of track between the Shinkansen, conventional lines, the Ou Line, and the Tohoku Main Line, so we conducted various technical studies and finally made a technical decision, so we are starting construction." It has been 31 years since the Yamagata Shinkansen opened. Behind the successful start of construction on the approach line, there was also technological progress. The new track will be used from 2026. Just one rail will solve a long-standing problem. *** Once it is in use, the right side of the Shinkansen ticket gate at JR Fukushima Station will be unified with the upbound trains to Tokyo, and the left side with the downbound trains to Sendai, making it easier to understand. The slope of the new approach line is also the steepest in Japan, which is apparently a point of interest for railway fans.