The is a diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU) train type 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) around Niigata and Akita areas of

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

from 2019.

Design

The GV-E400 series trains are the first diesel-electric multiple units (not including hybrid train) to be operated by JR East, with diesel engines driving generators, which in turn power electric traction motors. The trains have stainless steel bodies and a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). JR_East_GV-E400_DMF15HZD-G_1736_edited.jpg, Komatsu DMF15HZD-G engine, which dedicates to generating electric power JR East GV-E401-9 inside 20200403.jpg, Interior

Operations

The GV-E400 series trains are scheduled to be used on the following lines. ;Niigata area (from FY2019): * Uetsu Main Line ( Nigata and Yamagata Prefectures) * Shinetsu Main Line (Nigata Prefecture) * Yonesaka Line (Nigata and Yamagata Prefectures) * Banetsu West Line (Nigata and

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Prefectures) ;Akita area (from FY2020): * Tsugaru Line (Aomori Prefecture) * Gono Line (Akita and Aomori Prefectures) * Ou Main Line (Akita and Aomori Prefectures)

Formations

The trains are formed as single-car units classified GV-E400 and two-car units classified GV-E401 + GV-E402.

History

Details of the new trains were announced by JR East on 4 July 2017. A total of 63 vehicles are scheduled to be built, entering service in the Niigata area from 2019, and in the Akita area from 2020. One single-car unit and one two-car unit were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in January 2018 for test-running and evaluation. The first train entered service on 19 August 2019.

Fleet

The depots and deliveries dates for the fleet are as shown below.

References

External links

JR East press release
{{JR East EMU 400 series East Japan Railway Company Train-related introductions in 2019 Kawasaki multiple units