200 Series Shinkansen
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The was a
Shinkansen The , colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond l ...
high-speed train type introduced by
Japanese National Railways The abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pref ...
(JNR) for the Tohoku Shinkansen and Joetsu Shinkansen high-speed rail lines in Japan, and operated by
East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...
(JR East) until 2013. They actually predated the 100 series trains, having been built between 1980 and 1986. It was one of the two recipients of the 23rd
Laurel Prize The is an award presented annually in Japan since 1961 by the Japan Railfan Club. It is awarded for railway vehicles that entered service in the previous year and voted by the selection committee as having the most outstanding functional and des ...
presented by the Japan Railfan Club, the first Shinkansen type to receive that award. The last remaining sets were retired from regular service in March 2013, and were completely withdrawn from service in April 2013.


Design

The 200 Series Shinkansen trains resembled the earlier 0 series trains in styling (some later units had the pointed 'shark nose' of the 100 series), but were lighter and more powerful, since these two lines are mountain routes and have steeper gradients. These lines are also prone to snowfall and the trains had small
snowplow A snowplow (also snow plow, snowplough or snow plough) is a device intended for mounting on a vehicle, used for removing snow and ice from outdoor surfaces, typically those serving transportation purposes. Although this term is often used to re ...
s fitted, as well as protection of equipment against snow. They were originally painted in ivory with a green window band and lower bodyside band, but a number of sets were refurbished and painted into a white-upper/dark blue-lower scheme with new wrap-around cab windows from 1999. The first units were capable of but later ones can do , and four were converted to be capable of . Some units were also modified with retractable
couplers Coupler may refer to: Engineering Mechanical * Railway coupler, a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train device ** Janney coupler ** SA3 coupler ** Scharfenberg coupler for multiple unit passenger cars * Quick coupler, used in constru ...
in the nose for coupling with
Yamagata Shinkansen The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line. The term Yamaga ...
'' Tsubasa'' and Akita Shinkansen '' Komachi'' Mini-shinkansen sets, but these are no longer in service. In addition, some of the later 200 series shinkansen trains were fitted with double-deck cars, which had semi-open standard-class compartments on the lower deck and green class (first class) seating on the upper deck. These too have been removed from service. Withdrawal of the earlier units began in 1997, and the last remaining unrefurbished set was withdrawn in May 2007.


Variants

Since their introduction in 1982, the 200 series sets have been operated in a number of different formations as described below.


E sets (1982–1993)

12-car sets for Tōhoku Shinkansen ''
Yamabiko The is a high-speed Shinkansen train service operated on the Tōhoku Shinkansen between and by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. Name The word ''yamabiko'' is usually translated as 'echo', particularly one which is heard in the ...
'' and '' Aoba'' services, and for
Jōetsu Shinkansen The is a high-speed shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Despite its name, the line does not pass through the city of Joetsu or the hist ...
''
Asahi Asahi (朝日, 旭, or あさひ) means "morning sun" in Japanese and may refer to: Cities * Asahi, Chiba (旭市; ''Asahi-shi'') Wards * Asahi-ku, Osaka (旭区; ''Asahi-ku'') * Asahi-ku, Yokohama (旭; ''Asahi-ku'') Towns * Asahi, Aichi (旭 ...
'' and '' Toki'' services. These had a maximum speed of 210 km/h, and remained in service until early 1993. The 12-car E sets were formed as follows.


F sets (1983–2007)

12-car 200-1000 series sets with a maximum speed of which were introduced in November 1983. From March 1990, four selected 12-car F sets (F90–F93, formerly F54, F59, F14, F16) were upgraded allowing them to run at a maximum of on a small number of down ''Asahi'' services. services were discontinued on the Jōetsu Shinkansen from 1998, with the introduction of
E2 series The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed lines in Japan since 1997. They are formed in 8- and 10-car sets. The 8-car sets were used on the Hokuriku ...
trains, and the F90 sets were subsequently used interchangeably with other F sets. Some F sets are similar to the H sets in that the driving trailer cars were built with a pointed nose, just like the latter. These trains however, feature a solid green line unlike the H sets, where they have two green lines, one thick and one thin, separated by a thin white section near the bottom.


Formations

The 12-car F sets were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Car 11 was a Green (first class) car, and car 9 had a buffet counter. Cars 2, 4, 10, and 12 were each fitted with one cross-arm
pantograph A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen. If a line dr ...
. (3, 5, 7, and 9 for sets F90-93)


Interior

File:200 F green interior Niigata 20020101.jpg, Green car, January 2002 File:200 F interior Niigata 20020101.jpg, Standard-class car with fixed 3-abreast seating rows, January 2002


Set F80

One F set, F17, was specially modified at Sendai Depot between August 1997 and January 1998 for use on additional
Nagano Shinkansen The is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The first section, between and in Nagano Pr ...
'' Asama'' services in February 1998 during the
1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...
held in Nagano. The train was renumbered F80, and modifications included ability to operate on both 25 kV AC 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies, weight-saving measures to comply with the 16 tonne axle load restriction, and additional control equipment to cope with the 30
Per mille (from Latin , "in each thousand") is an expression that means parts per thousand. Other recognised spellings include per mil, per mill, permil, permill, or permille. The associated sign is written , which looks like a percent si ...
gradient of the Nagano Shinkansen. Maximum speed was limited to 210 km/h when operating on the Nagano Shinkansen. Seats in the end cars, cars 1 and 12, were replaced with
E2 series The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Tohoku Shinkansen high-speed lines in Japan since 1997. They are formed in 8- and 10-car sets. The 8-car sets were used on the Hokuriku ...
-style seats to reduce weight. The train was formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Car 11 was a Green (first class) car, and car 9 had a buffet counter. Cars 2, 4, 8, and 10 were each fitted with one cross-arm
pantograph A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen. If a line dr ...
. After February 1998, set F80 was used interchangeably with other F sets, and remained in operation until 2004.


G sets (1987–1999)

10-car, and later 8-car, sets formed from the earlier 12-car E sets, with a maximum speed of 210 km/h. These entered service from 18 April 1987.


Formations

The initial 10-car G sets were formed as follows. The 8-car G sets were formed as follows. Cars 2, 4, 6, and 8 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs. Some sets had an "Mpk" car (numbered 225-400) in place of the 237 buffet car for car 11.


H sets (1990–2005)

Six 13-car and later 16-car sets (H1–H6) with a maximum speed of 240 km/h for use on ''Yamabiko'' (nicknamed ''Super Yamabiko'') services, incorporating two bilevel Green cars (cars 9 and 10) These sets entered service from 23 June 1990. Regular operations using 16-car H sets ended from the start of the revised timetable on 13 March 2004, but sets H4 and H5 were reinstated as 12-car sets from the summer of 2004 for seasonal use with their Green cars removed. These two sets survived until mid-2005.


Formations

The initial 13-car H sets were formed as follows. The 16-car H sets were formed as follows. Cars 2, 4, 8, 12, and 14 were each fitted with one cross-arm pantograph. The 12-car H sets (H4 & H5) were formed as follows. Cars 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 were each fitted with one cross-arm pantograph.


K sets (1992–2013)

8-car and later 10-car sets with a maximum speed of 240 km/h modified with nose-end couplers to operate in conjunction with 400 series
Yamagata Shinkansen The is a Mini-shinkansen route in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It provides service between Tokyo and Shinjō in Yamagata Prefecture over the tracks of the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ōu Main Line. The term Yamaga ...
sets and E3 series Akita Shinkansen sets. The remaining sets in use on the Tōhoku Shinkansen were withdrawn from 19 November 2011, but 200 series sets continued to be used on the Jōetsu Shinkansen. The last remaining sets were withdrawn from regular service by the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013.


Formations

The K sets are formed as follows.


Interior

File:200 K refurb green car interior Sendai 20020825.jpg, Refurbished Green car, August 2002 File:200 K refurb interior Echigo-Yuzawa 20020101.jpg, Refurbished standard-class car, January 2002


Special event train services


Tohoku Shinkansen 25th anniversary

On 23 June 2007, 10-car set K47 was used for a special ''Yamabiko'' 931 service from Omiya to Morioka to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Tohoku Shinkansen. Set K47 was specially repainted back into its original ivory and green livery for this event.


Tohoku Shinkansen 30th anniversary

On 23 June 2012, 10-car set K47 was used for a special ''Yamabiko'' 235 service from Omiya to Morioka to mark the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Tohoku Shinkansen.


Joetsu Shinkansen 30th anniversary

On 17 November 2012, 10-car set K47 was used for a special service, running as ''Toki'' 395, from Omiya to Niigata.


''Sayonara 200 series Yamabiko''

On 30 March 2013, 10-car set K47 was used for a special train operated from Morioka to Tokyo, following the withdrawal of 200 series trains from regular scheduled services on 16 March.


''Arigato 200 series''

On 13 April 2013, a special service ran from Sendai to Ueno in Tokyo.


''Sayonara 200 series''

On 14 April 2013, 10-car set K47 was used for two final services from Niigata to Tokyo and from Omiya to Niigata, marking the last public operation of the 200 series trains.


Derailment

A refurbished 200 series train (set K25 on the '' Toki'' 325 service) derailed on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line while travelling at a speed of approximately 200 km/h between
Nagaoka Station is a railway station in the city of Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The station is located 270.6 kilometers from . Lines Nagaoka Station is served by the following lines: * Joetsu Shinkansen *Shine ...
and Urasa Station on 23 October 2004 during the
2004 Chūetsu earthquake The occurred in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, at 17:56 local time (08:56 UTC) on Saturday, October 23, 2004. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) named it the .
. Eight of the ten cars were derailed. This was the first derailment of a Shinkansen train in service. None of the 155 passengers on board was injured. Set K25 was officially withdrawn on 25 March 2005.


Preserved examples

* 221-1 and 237-1 (ex-set E1, later F30) at Sendai General Shinkansen Depot * 215-1, 222-1, 226-1 (all ex-set E1, later F30), and 249-5 (ex-set H5) stored outdoors at Sendai General Shinkansen Depot, but all cut up in 2010 * 215-15, 221-15 and 237-15 (ex-set E15, later F37) next to
Nagareyama Onsen Station was a railway station on the Hakodate Main Line in Nanae, Hokkaido, Japan, operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The station closed on March 12, 2022. Lines Nagareyama Onsen Station is served by the Hakodate Main Line The ...
on the
Hakodate Main Line The is a railway line connecting the cities of Hakodate and Asahikawa via Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan. It is one of the trunk lines operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido). The Sawara Line, a 35 km loop line from Ōnuma to Mo ...
(to be cut up in June 2013) * 222-35 (ex-set K31) at The Railway Museum in
Saitama, Saitama is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance. Being in the Greater Tokyo Area and lying 1 ...
* 221-1505 (ex-set K25) at
JR East General Training Center JR, J. R. or Jr. may refer to: * Jr. or Junior (suffix), a name suffix Arts and entertainment * J.R. (album), ''J.R.'' (album), an album by Jim Bob * ''J R'', a 1975 novel written by William Gaddis * "Jr.", a song by Codeine on the album ''Barely ...
in Shirakawa City. Fukushima Prefecture. where it's preserved and displayed. * 221-1510 (ex-set F13, later K47) outside Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum in
Niitsu, Niigata was a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The city itself was founded on January 1, 1951, but the area had already been opened to railway traffic as early as November 20, 1897. As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 66,058 and ...
since June 2013 File:221-1 Sendai General Shinkansen Depot 20060729.JPG, Preserved car 221-1 at Sendai General Shinkansen Depot in July 2006 File:Rifu Line 701 EMU train runs.JPG, Five cars of former set F30 stored at Sendai General Shinkansen Depot in January 2003 File:200 249-5 H5 Sendai General Shinkansen Depot 20080726.jpg, Car 249-5 of former set H5 stored at Sendai General Shinkansen Depot in July 2008 File:Nagareyama-Onsen station Platform 20110827.jpg, Preserved 200 series cars next to Nagareyama Onsen Station in Hokkaido in August 2011 File:Shinkansen 200 type-222 35 at the Railway Museum.jpg, Preserved car 222-35 at the Railway Museum in Saitama in January 2015 File:NIIGATA-CITYNiitsuRailwayMuseum02.JPG, Preserved car 221-1510 outside the Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum in August 2014


See also

*
List of high speed trains The following is a list of high-speed trains that have been, are, or will be in commercial service. A high-speed train is generally defined as one which operates at or over in regular passenger service, with a high level of service, and often c ...


Further reading

* *


References

* * *


External links


200 Series ''Toki/Tanigawa''
{{JR East EMU Shinkansen train series East Japan Railway Company Train-related introductions in 1982 Hitachi multiple units Kawasaki multiple units Nippon Sharyo multiple units 25 kV AC multiple units Passenger trains running at least at 200 km/h in commercial operations Kinki Sharyo multiple units Tokyu Car multiple units