E3 Series Shinkansen on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The is a
File:E3kei_step.JPG, An extended doorway step on an E3 series ''Komachi'' set
File:E3 R1-E5 Coupling in omiya 20130320.jpg, Pre-series set R1 in service, March 2013
The full-production trainsets built from 1996 for the Akita Shinkansen were 5-car sets, but sixth cars were added by the end of 1998. A total of 26 Akita Shinkansen sets were in service by the end of 2005. Sets R1 to R16 were leased by
The build details are as shown below. , the last of the original 26 sets (R22) was scrapped.
File:E3 Green car 20070101.JPG, Green car interior
File:JReastE3 E326-26 inside.jpg, Interior of standard-class car 12
File:JReastE3 E322-17 inside.JPG, Interior of standard-class car 16
Three 7-car E3-1000 sets (numbered L51 – L53) were built between 1999 and 2005 for use on
File:JReastE3-1000 inside.jpg, Standard class car interior
The build details are as shown below.
The former identities of the cars reformed into sets L54 and L55 are as shown below.
The first of a fleet of twelve new E3-2000 series 7-car sets entered service on Yamagata Shinkansen ''Tsubasa'' services on 20 December 2008. The new fleet totally replaced the older 400 series trains by summer 2009. The new trains incorporate design improvements, including active suspension, full-colour LED destination indicators, and AC power outlets in all cars. Seating capacity in cars 16 and 17 has been reduced by 4 (one row of seats) compared with the E3-1000 series to provide uniform seating pitch in all cars (seat pitch was previously reduced in non-reserved cars).
File:E311-2009.jpg, E311-2009 (car 11)
File:E326-2009.jpg, E326-2009 (car 12)
File:E329-2009.jpg, E329-2009 (car 13)
File:E326-2109.jpg, E326-2109 (car 14)
File:E328-2000.jpg, E328-2009 (car 15)
File:E325-2000.jpg, E325-2009 (car 16)
File:E322-2000.jpg, E322-2009 (car 17)
File:JReastE3-2000 inside.jpg, Standard class car interior
From spring 2014, the entire fleet of 15 E3-1000 and E3-2000 series ''Tsubasa'' sets were scheduled to be repainted in a new colour scheme designed by industrial designer
File:E3 Logo Tsubasa-Omiya 20140517.jpg, Apple and rice motif
File:E3 Logo Tsubasa omiya 20140517.jpg, Cherry and safflower motif
This is a six-car set rebuilt from former Akita Shinkansen trainset R18 as an excursion train named for use on the Yamagata Shinkansen between Fukushima and Shinjo, entering service from July 2014. The design work for the rebuilt train was overseen by industrial designer
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
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 built for '' Komachi'' services which commenced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with the opening of the new Akita Shinkansen " mini-shinkansen" line, a regular narrow-gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structur ...
line between and re-gauged to . Later versions of the E3 series were also introduced for use on 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'' services. Both "mini-shinkansen" lines join the Tohoku Shinkansen, providing services to and from Tokyo.
Design
The design of the original Akita Shinkansen E3 series trains was overseen by industrial designerKenji Ekuan
was a Japanese industrial designer, best known for creating the design of the Kikkoman soy sauce bottle.
Biography
Born in Tokyo on September 11, 1929, Ekuan spent his youth in Hawaii. At the end of World War II, he moved to Hiroshima, where he w ...
. Like the 400 Series Shinkansen, these trains are built to a smaller loading gauge
A loading gauge is a diagram or physical structure that defines the maximum height and width dimensions in railway vehicles and their loads. Their purpose is to ensure that rail vehicles can pass safely through tunnels and under bridges, and ke ...
than mainline Shinkansen trains—the width and length of each car is reduced to fit on the narrower clearances of the "mini-shinkansen". Doorway steps fold out to bridge the gap between the narrow body and the platform at regular shinkansen stations.
Variants
* E3 series "R" sets: 26 x 6-car sets used on Akita Shinkansen ''Komachi'' services since 3 June 1997 * E3-1000 series "LR" sets: 3 x 7-car sets used on Yamagata Shinkansen ''Tsubasa'' services since 4 December 1999 * E3-2000 series "LR" sets: 12 x 7-car sets used on Yamagata Shinkansen ''Tsubasa'' services since 20 December 2008 * E3-700 series ''Toreiyu'': 6-car excursion trainset used on Yamagata Shinkansen from July 2014 * E3-700 series ''Genbi Shinkansen'': 6-car excursion trainset used on Joetsu Shinkansen from 29 April 2016 to December 2020.Pre-series set
A pre-series 5-car set, numbered S8, was delivered fromKawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese Public company, public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, Heavy equipment (construction), heavy equipment, aerospace and Military, defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headq ...
to Sendai Depot in March 1995 for extensive testing. It was modified to full-production specifications in March 1997 ahead of the start of Akita Shinkansen services.
Until it was augmented to six cars in 1998, the pre-series was formed as follows, with scissors-type pantographs on cars 12, 13, and 14. Set R1 was withdrawn following its final revenue run on 20 July 2013.
E3 series "R" sets
The full-production trainsets built from 1996 for the Akita Shinkansen were 5-car sets, but sixth cars were added by the end of 1998. A total of 26 Akita Shinkansen sets were in service by the end of 2005. Sets R1 to R16 were leased 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) from the owning company, , a third-sector company jointly owned by JR East and Akita Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its ge ...
. This lease ended on 21 March 2010 with the dissolution of Akita Shinkansen Sharyō Hoyū.
The E3 series sets are scheduled to be phased out following the introduction of new E6 series sets from March 2013, with 19 sets (114 vehicles) scheduled to be withdrawn during fiscal 2013.
From the start of the 15 March 2014 timetable revision, E3 series trainsets were no longer used on Akita Shinkansen ''Komachi'' services. Two sets remained in service, used on ''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 ''Nasuno
The is a train service operated on the Tōhoku Shinkansen by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. It serves all stations between and , a medium-sized city approximately 225 km north of Tokyo.JR Timetable, December 2008
Origin
...
'' services.
Formation
Cars 12 and 15 are equipped with PS206 single-arm pantographs.Fleet history
The build details are as shown below. , the last of the original 26 sets (R22) was scrapped.
Notes
Interior
E3-1000 series
Three 7-car E3-1000 sets (numbered L51 – L53) were built between 1999 and 2005 for use on 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'' services from 4 December 1999 to augment the 400 series fleet following with the extension of the line to Shinjo. From 2014, a further two sets (L54 and L55) were introduced, reformed from withdrawn Akita Shinkansen E3-0 series "R" sets, to replace the two older sets L51 and L52.
Formation
The sets are formed as shown below, with five motored ("M") cars and two non-powered trailer ("T") cars, and car 11 at the Tokyo end. Cars 12 and 14 are equipped with PS206 single-arm pantographs.Interior
Fleet history
The build details are as shown below.
L54/L55 conversion details
The former identities of the cars reformed into sets L54 and L55 are as shown below.
E3-2000 series
The first of a fleet of twelve new E3-2000 series 7-car sets entered service on Yamagata Shinkansen ''Tsubasa'' services on 20 December 2008. The new fleet totally replaced the older 400 series trains by summer 2009. The new trains incorporate design improvements, including active suspension, full-colour LED destination indicators, and AC power outlets in all cars. Seating capacity in cars 16 and 17 has been reduced by 4 (one row of seats) compared with the E3-1000 series to provide uniform seating pitch in all cars (seat pitch was previously reduced in non-reserved cars).
Formation
Cars 12 and 14 are equipped with PS206 single-arm pantographs.Fleet history
, the E3-2000 series fleet is as follows.Interior
Repainting
From spring 2014, the entire fleet of 15 E3-1000 and E3-2000 series ''Tsubasa'' sets were scheduled to be repainted in a new colour scheme designed by industrial designer Ken Okuyama
Ken Okuyama (born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken Okuyama Design company. Okuyama formerly worked for Pininfarina, designing and supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5. His given name is ...
. The new colour scheme uses white, evoking the snow of Mount Zaō
The , commonly called Mount Zaō, are a complex cluster of stratovolcanoes on the border between Yamagata Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture in Japan. The central volcano of the group includes several lava domes and a tuff cone, Goshiki-dake, which ...
, deep purple inspired by the Mandarin duck
The mandarin duck (''Aix galericulata'') is a perching duck species native to the East Palearctic. It is medium-sized, at long with a wingspan. It is closely related to the North American wood duck, the only other member of the genus ''Aix''. ...
, the prefectural bird for Yamagata Prefecture, together with yellow and red for the safflower
Safflower (''Carthamus tinctorius'') is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant in the family Asteraceae. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds and was used by the early Spanish colonies along ...
, the prefectural flower of Yamagata Prefecture. The first repainted set is appeared in late April. Three sets were repainted by June 2014, and the rest of the fleet of 15 sets was repainted by mid 2016.
E3-700 series ''Toreiyu'' excursion set
This is a six-car set rebuilt from former Akita Shinkansen trainset R18 as an excursion train named for use on the Yamagata Shinkansen between Fukushima and Shinjo, entering service from July 2014. The design work for the rebuilt train was overseen by industrial designer Ken Okuyama
Ken Okuyama (born 1959) is a Japanese industrial designer. He is the owner of the Ken Okuyama Design company. Okuyama formerly worked for Pininfarina, designing and supervising projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5. His given name is ...
. The six-car set has a total seating capacity of 143 passengers. Car 11 is a standard-class car with reserved seating arranged 2+2 abreast, cars 12 to 14 feature Japanese-style ''tatami
A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Tatamis are made in standard sizes, twice as long as wide, about 0.9 m by 1.8 m depending on the region. In martial arts, tatami are the floor used for traini ...
'' seating, car 15 is a lounge car with a bar counter, and car 16 has ''ashiyu
An is a Japanese public bath
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, p ...
'' foot baths. The name of the train is a portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words The train was normally used on special ''Toreiyu Tsubasa'' services running at weekends. The train was discontinued in March of 2022.
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 11 20150307.JPG, Interior of car 11 with conventional seating
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 14 20150307.JPG, Interior of car 14 with Japanese-style ''tatami'' seating
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 15 20150307.JPG, The ''tatami'' lounge area in car 15
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 15 bar 20150307.JPG, The bar counter in car 15
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 16 entrance 20150307.JPG, The entrance to car 16
File:E3-700 R18 Toreiyu car 16 ashiyu 20150307.JPG, The ''ashiyu'' foot baths at the end of car 16
The was a six-car set rebuilt from former Akita Shinkansen trainset R19 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe as an excursion train for use on the Joetsu Shinkansen between and . The train began operations on 29 April 2016, mostly on weekends and holidays. It was withdrawn from service on 19 December 2020.
The exterior livery was designed by photographer
File:Genbi Shinkansen car 11 interior 20180106.jpg, The interior of reserved-seating car 11 in January 2018
File:Genbi-car No.12.jpg, The interior of car 12 in January 2018 (mirror installation by Yusuke Komuta)
File:E3-700 Genbi Shinkansen car13 cafe.jpg, The cafeteria counter in Car 13 in June 2017
File:E3-700 Genbi Shinkansen car13 Children Playground.jpg, The children's play area in car 13 in June 2017
File:Genbi-interior.jpg, The interior of car 14 in January 2018 (photographs by Naoki Ishikawa)
E3 Series ''Tsubasa/Yamabiko/Nasuno''
{{JR East EMU Shinkansen train series East Japan Railway Company Kawasaki multiple units Tokyu Car multiple units Train-related introductions in 1997 Passenger trains running at least at 250 km/h in commercial operations 20 kV AC multiple units 25 kV AC multiple units
Formation
The ''Toreiyu'' set is based at Yamagata Depot and formed as shown below, with car 11 at the Fukushima end.E3-700 series ''Genbi Shinkansen'' excursion set
The was a six-car set rebuilt from former Akita Shinkansen trainset R19 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe as an excursion train for use on the Joetsu Shinkansen between and . The train began operations on 29 April 2016, mostly on weekends and holidays. It was withdrawn from service on 19 December 2020.
The exterior livery was designed by photographer Mika Ninagawa
is a Japanese photographer and Film director, director, known for her brightly colored photographs of flowers, goldfish, and landscapes.
Biography
Daughter of acclaimed theatre director Yukio Ninagawa, she first came to prominence in the late 1 ...
. The first car of the six car set featured the art of Nao Matsumoto; a golden yellow motif based on harvests, festivals and light was present in the car. Window shades displayed art using a special dye as the train passes through tunnels. The second car featured stainless steel mirrors on the walls, the work of Yusuke Komuta. They reflect the landscape outside the train. The third car featured a children's area and a cafe. The children's area featured blue and white representations of toy trains by Art Unit Paramodel. The cafe section of the car was designed by Kentaro Kobuke and served sweet items featuring local products. The fourth car featured an alpine photography exhibition by Naoki Ishikawa. The fifth car featured an abstract flower artpiece by Haruka Koujin Haruka may refer to:
People
*Haruka (given name), a Japanese given name
*Haruka (model) (born 1975), Japanese fashion model
Music
*Haruka (Melody song), "Haruka" (Melody song)
*Haruka (Scandal song), "Haruka" (Scandal song)
*Haruka (Tokio song), ...
that vibrated with the motion of the train. The final car featured a short film by Brian Alfred, depicting the scenery of Niigata. The trainset was shown off to the media on 12 January 2016.
Formation
The ''Genbi Shinkansen'' set was based at Niigata Depot and formed as shown below, with car 11 at the Tokyo end. Cars 12 and 15 each have one single-arm pantograph.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 ...
References
External links
E3 Series ''Tsubasa/Yamabiko/Nasuno''
{{JR East EMU Shinkansen train series East Japan Railway Company Kawasaki multiple units Tokyu Car multiple units Train-related introductions in 1997 Passenger trains running at least at 250 km/h in commercial operations 20 kV AC multiple units 25 kV AC multiple units