Design
They differed visibly from the earlier 0 series in that the nose profile was more pointed. Another less obvious difference with the 16-car sets was that not all the cars were powered; the driving cars on each end were unpowered, as were the two bi-level centre cars. Some later production sets had powered driving cars and four unpowered bi-level trailers in the middle instead. The bi-level trailer cars contained a combination of restaurant cars, and first class compartments, or open-plan first class seating and first class compartments, or open-plan first class seating and refreshment cars. The external livery was white (White No. 3) and blue (Blue No. 20). Following their removal from front-line service, 100 series sets were later reformed into shorter four- and six-car sets for the slower '' Kodama'' services on the Sanyo Shinkansen line. These four- and six-car trains did not have bi-level cars.Variants
Pre-series unit
Originally numbered X0, the pre-series set X1 was delivered in 1985, with test running commencing from 27 March that year. The X1 set entered revenue service for passenger evaluation trials on the '' Hikari'' services from 1 October 1985. This unit differed externally from later production units in having small windows aligned with each seating bay, and also had a slanting headlight arrangement. The type 116 Green (first class) car formed as car 10 initially included one two-seat and two single-seat compartments, but these were removed when the set was modified to full-production standard in 1986. Set X0 was formed as shown below, with car 1 at the end. Set X1 was withdrawn in March 2000.16-car X sets
Following passenger evaluation trials with the pre-series set X1, a total of seven X sets were built for use on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen '' Hikari'' services. The first four production units entered service from 13 June 1986 as 12-car sets without bilevel trailer cars, numbered G1 to G4, and were used on Tokaido '' Kodama'' services until October in the same year. These sets were formed as shown below. Cars 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 were each fitted with cross-arm pantographs. These units were subsequently renumbered as 16-car sets X2 to X5 with the inclusion of bilevel trailer cars, and were introduced on ''Hikari'' services from November 1986. The noticeable difference over previous (0 series and 200 series) shinkansen designs was the inclusion of two bilevel trailer cars in the centre of the formation. The type 168 car had a restaurant area on the upper deck with kitchen facilities and a small buffet counter on the lower deck. The adjacent type 149 car provided private compartments for Green class passengers on the lower deck, with open-plan green car accommodation on the upper deck. From March 1998, the X sets were redeployed to Tokaido ''Kodama'' services. The restaurant cars were no longer used, and fittings were subsequently removed. The fleet of X sets contained the oldest members of the 100 series fleet, and the first withdrawals started in August 1999. From the new timetable change of 2 October 1999, X sets were no longer assigned to regular workings, with the remaining examples subsequently limited to holiday period extra trains. The last remaining units were withdrawn by April 2000.Formation
The 16-car X sets were formed as follows. Cars 2, 6, and 12 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs. (The pantographs on cars 4, 10, and 14 were removed in 1995.)16-car G sets
The G sets were officially classified as "100' series", and 50 units were built from 1988. They differed from the initial X sets in having a type 148 bilevel trailer car in place of the type 168 restaurant car. This had open-plan Green car accommodation on the upper deck, and a self-service cafeteria area on the lower deck. While originally used exclusively on ''Hikari'' services, in later years, these units were more commonly seen on Tokaido ''Kodama'' services. The last remaining sets owned byFormation
The 16-car G sets were formed as follows. Cars 2, 6, and 12 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.16-car V sets (100-3000 series)
The nine V sets (also referred to as "100N") operated byFormation
The 16-car V sets were formed as follows. Cars 4, 6, 12, and 14 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.4-car P sets
The first of two reformed 4-car P sets was introduced on Sanyo Shinkansen ''Kodama'' services from October 2000. P1 was reformed from set V1, with the traction motors in the two end cars (renumbered in -5000 series) replaced by those from surplus JR-West G set cars. P2 was reformed from unit V6 in October 2000. Subsequent sets P3 and P4 were formed in 2001 by transplanting the cab sections of surplus non-powered G set cars onto powered intermediate cars renumbered into the 121-5050 and 122-5050 series. Set P1 was the first to be repainted into the new JR-West "fresh green" ''Kodama'' livery, in August 2002, and the entire fleet of twelve sets (P1–P12) had been similarly treated by March 2005.Formation
Cars 2 and 4 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.Interior
The first three sets (P1 to P3) were refurbished in February and March 2002 with 2+2 abreast seating using former ''West Hikari'' seats. Sets from P4 onward (formed in August 2001) had 2+2 seating from the outset.6-car K sets
The first six-car K set (K51) was formed in January 2002 for use on Sanyo Shinkansen ''Kodama'' services from February 2002. These sets feature 2+2 abreast seating throughout, utilizing former Green class seats from withdrawn 100 series cars. Sets started appearing in the new JR-West ''Kodama'' livery from August 2002, with all ten sets (K51–K60) similarly treated by August 2004. Three K sets were returned to the original white/blue livery from July 2010. The first set treated, K53, was returned to traffic on 14 July 2010. These sets were withdrawn from service on 16 March 2012.Formation
Cars 2 and 6 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.Preserved examples
* 123-1 (set X2) and 168-9001 (set X1) at theSee also
*References
Further reading
* {{JR-West rolling stock Central Japan Railway Company West Japan Railway Company Shinkansen train series Hitachi multiple units Train-related introductions in 1985 Passenger trains running at least at 200 km/h in commercial operations 25 kV AC multiple units Kawasaki multiple units Kinki Sharyo multiple units Nippon Sharyo multiple units Tokyu Car multiple units