E7 Series Shinkansen

E7 series

E7 series set F4 on an Asama service in April 2014
In service 15 March 2014 – Present
Manufacturer Hitachi, J-TREC, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Replaced E2 series
Constructed 2013–2015
Number built 216 vehicles (18 sets)
Number in service 216 vehicles (18 sets)
Formation 12 cars per set
Fleet numbers F1–F18
Capacity 934
Operator(s) JR East
Depot(s) Nagano
Line(s) served Hokuriku Shinkansen
Specifications
Car body construction Aluminium alloy
Car length 26,000 mm (85 ft 4 in) (end cars)
25,000 mm (82 ft 0 in) (intermediate cars)
Width 3,380 mm (11 ft 1 in)
Doors 2 sliding doors per side
Maximum speed Design: 275 km/h (170 mph)
Service: 260 km/h (160 mph)
Weight approx. 540 t
Power output 12 MW
Acceleration 1.6 km/h/s
Electric system(s) 25 kV AC, 50/60 Hz
Current collection method Overhead catenary
Safety system(s) DS-ATC, RS-ATC
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The E7 series (E7系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Hokuriku Shinkansen since 15 March 2014.[1][2]

Jointly developed alongside the similar JR West W7 series, the first E7 series trains were delivered in late 2013.

Design

Based on the earlier E2 series trains, the E7 series trains are designed with a "Japanese" theme inside and out, combining futuristic styling with traditional design elements overseen by industrial designer Ken Okuyama together with Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[3] Externally, the roof is finished in a "sky blue" colour, and the bodysides are "ivory white" with "copper" and "sky blue" lining.[4] The bodyside logos consist of a number "7" in silver stylized as an arrowhead, and include the lettering "East Japan Railway Company".[5]

Manufacture of the E7 series sets was shared between Hitachi in Kudamatsu, Yamaguchi, J-TREC in Yokohama, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe.[6] J-TREC is building five E7 series sets (60 vehicles), starting in July 2013.[6]

The trains have a maximum design speed of 275 km/h (170 mph),[7] but operate at a maximum speed of 260 km/h (160 mph) on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, limited to 240 km/h (150 mph) on the Joetsu Shinkansen tracks between Omiya and Takasaki, and to 110 km/h (70 mph) on the Tohoku Shinkansen tracks between Tokyo and Omiya.[2] Increased power output enables the trains to maintain speeds of at least 210 km/h (130 mph) on the steep gradients of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.[8]

Car 12 (Gran Class) is equipped with full active suspension, and the other cars are equipped with semi-active suspension.[7]

Operations

The trains entered regular passenger service from the start of the revised JR East timetable on 15 March 2014, with three trainsets introduced on Asama services on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (then still called the Nagano Shinkansen) between Tokyo and Nagano.[1] Initially, E7 series trainsets operated seven return Asama services daily, with a further four return workings added from 19 April 2014.[1]

Since 14 March 2015, with the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension from Nagano to Kanazawa, E7 series trainsets are also used on Hakutaka, Kagayaki, and Tsurugi services alongside the similar design JR West W7 series trains.[9]

Formations

The 12-car sets are numbered "F1" onward, and consist of 10 motored intermediate cars with non-powered (trailer) end cars.[7] Car 11 provides Green car (first class) accommodation, and car 12 provides Gran Class luxury accommodation.[7] Sets are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.[10]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Designation Tc M2 M1 M2 M1 M2 M1 M2 M1 M2 M1s Tsc
Numbering E723 E726-100 E725 E726-200 E725-100 E726-300 E725-200 E726-400 E725-400 E726-500 E715 E714
Weight (t) 41.3 44.7 46.1 45.2 46.4 45.2 46.5 45.2 46.4 45.0 45.6 44.5
Capacity 50 100 85 100 85 90 58 100 85 100 63 18
Facilities Toilets   Toilets, phone   Toilets   Wheelchair space, universal access toilet, phone   Toilets   Wheelchair space, universal access toilet Toilets

Cars 3 and 7 are each equipped with a single-arm pantograph.[10]

Interior

The 12-car trains have accommodation in three levels of service: Gran Class, Green car, and ordinary-class cars, with a total seating capacity of 934.[2] Gran Class seating (car 12) is arranged 2+1 abreast with a seat pitch of 1,300 mm (51 in), Green car seating (car 11) is arranged 2+2 abreast with a seat pitch of 1,160 mm (46 in), and ordinary seating (cars 1 to 10) is arranged 3+2 abreast with a seat pitch of 1,040 mm (41 in).[7] AC power outlets are provided for each seat in all three classes.[7] The Gran class seats are supplied by Toyota Boshoku.[11] Car saloons and vestibule areas are equipped with security cameras.[4] Between October and December 2015, luggage racks are scheduled to be added at one end of each of the even-numbered ordinary class cars and also in Green car 11, by removing a pair of seats (1D and 1E). The luggage racks are to cater to the increased number of overseas tourists with suitcases and also passengers with ski and snowboard equipment in the winter season.[12]

History

In December 2011, the Mainichi Shimbun reported that JR East was considering developing new E7 series 10-car sets based on the existing E2 series design for use on Hokuriku Shinkansen services.[13] Details of the new trains were formally announced jointly by JR East and JR West on 4 September 2012.[4]

The first E7 series train was delivered to Sendai Depot in November 2013, and shown off to the media on 28 November.[14] Night-time testing commenced in December 2013 on the Nagano Shinkansen, with daytime test-running between Nagano and Tokyo starting on 8 January 2014.[15] The design of the logo to be applied to the sides of cars 1 and 12 was officially unveiled in February 2014.[5]

The first three trains, sets F1 to F3, entered regular passenger service from the start of the revised JR East timetable on 15 March 2014.[16] The entire fleet of 17 sets, numbered F1 to F17, was delivered by the start of the 14 March 2015 timetable revision, although sets F16 and F17 did not enter revenue service until after this date.[16]

In April 2015, JR East announced that it was ordering an additional E7 series set to be introduced from autumn 2015, replacing the remaining E2 series trainsets used on regularly scheduled Hokuriku Shinkansen Asama services.[17]

In May 2015, the E7 series and JR West W7 series were awarded the 2015 Blue Ribbon Award, presented annually by the Japan Railfan Club.[18] A presentation ceremony was held at JR West's Hakusan Depot on 24 October 2015.[19]

Fleet list

As of 31 December 2015, all 18 sets on order had been delivered, with build details as follows.[20] All sets are based at Nagano Shinkansen Depot.[20]

Set No. Manufacturer Delivery date
F1 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 27 November 2013
F2 Hitachi 25 December 2013
F3 Hitachi 30 January 2014
F4 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 24 February 2014
F5 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 18 March 2014
F6 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 2 June 2014
F7 J-TREC Yokohama 26 June 2014
F8 J-TREC Yokohama 14 July 2014
F9 J-TREC Yokohama 27 August 2014
F10 Hitachi 16 September 2014
F11 J-TREC Yokohama 6 October 2014
F12 J-TREC Yokohama 10 November 2014
F13 Hitachi 19 December 2014
F14 Hitachi 19 January 2015
F15 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 6 February 2015
F16 Hitachi 8 April 2015
F17 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 6 March 2015
F18 J-TREC Yokohama 26 October 2015[21]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 3月15日ダイヤ改正と各地の話題　 [15 March timetable revision and topics from around the regions]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 43 no. 361. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. May 2014. p. 12.
  2. 1 2 3 "E7系・W7系新幹線電車" [E7/W7 series shinkansen EMU]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 52 no. 619. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. November 2012. pp. 48–49.
  3. ↑ 北陸路走る　伝統と未来　新幹線デザイン決定 [Hokuriku Shinkansen design announced - tradition and future]. Chunichi Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Chunichi Shimbun. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 北陸新幹線用の新型車両について [New trains for Hokuriku Shinkansen] (pdf). Press release (in Japanese). Japan: JR East & JR West. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  5. 1 2 北陸新幹線用新型車両シンボルマークデザイン決定 [Logo design finalized for new Hokuriku Shinkansen trains] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company & West Japan Railway Company. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  6. 1 2 総合車両製作所、北陸新幹線の車両生産工場増強－６０両５編成受注 [J-TREC expands its rolling stock manufacturing facilities for Hokuriku Shinkansen trains, with order for 60 vehicles]. Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Business Line (in Japanese). Japan: The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun Ltd. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "E7系新幹線電車" [E7 series shinkansen EMU]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 54 no. 634. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. February 2014. pp. 9–13.
  8. ↑ Saito, Masatoshi (4 September 2012). ＪＲ東:北陸新幹線の新型車両「Ｅ７系」概要発表 [JR East announces details of new E7 series for Hokuriku Shinkansen]. Mainichi jp (in Japanese). Japan: The Mainichi Newspapers. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  9. ↑ 北陸新幹線 長野～金沢間開業に伴う運行計画の概要について [Outline of service plans for opening of Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano to Kanazawa] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: JR East & JR West. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  10. 1 2 "E7系・W7系新幹線電車" [E7/W7 series shinkansen EMU]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 54 no. 635. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. March 2014. pp. 57–64.
  11. ↑ トヨタ紡織、鉄道車両用シートを初受注 ～ 北陸新幹線「グランクラス」に採用 ～ [Toyota Boshoku wins first order for train seats - to be used on Hokuriku Shinkansen "Gran Class"]. News Release (in Japanese). Japan: Toyota Boshuku Corporation. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  12. ↑ 北陸新幹線Ｅ７系・Ｗ７系への荷物置場の設置について [Installation of luggage racks on Hokuriku Shinkansen E7/W7 series trains]. News release (in Japanese). Japan: West Japan Railway Company. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  13. ↑ Saito, Masatoshi (13 December 2011). 北陸新幹線：山越え時速２００キロ、パワフル「Ｅ７系」金沢へ　延伸でＪＲ東日本開発 [JR East to develop powerful E7 series to maintain 200 km/h through mountains to Kanazawa on Hokuriku Shinkansen]. Mainichi jp (in Japanese). Japan: The Mainichi Newspapers. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  14. ↑ 流線型に銅色ライン…北陸新幹線「Ｅ７系」公開 [Streamlined form with copper lining - Hokuriku Shinkansen "E7 series" unveiled]. Yomiuri Online (in Japanese). Japan: The Yomiuri Shimbun. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  15. ↑ Ｅ７系、昼の信濃路を疾走　長野－東京間試験走行 [E7 series starts daytime test-running between Nagano and Tokyo]. Shinmai Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun. 9 January 2014. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  16. 1 2 平成27年3月14日ダイヤ改正にともなうJR東日本車両の動き [Rolling stock changes connected with the 14 March 2015 timetable revision]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 55 no. 649. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. May 2015. p. 68.
  17. ↑ ＪＲ西 １３０億円増収効果　１６年３月期予想 秋以降に車両追加 [JR West forecasts profits of 13 billion yen for March 2016 - Additional train from autumn]. Chunichi Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Chunichi Shimbun. 1 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  18. ↑ ブルーリボン賞・ローレル賞 [Blue Ribbon Award & Laurel Prize] (in Japanese). Japan: Japan Railfan Club. May 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  19. ↑ E7系・W7系　ブルーリボン賞を受賞 [E7 and W7 series receive Blue Ribbon Award]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 56 no. 658. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. February 2016. p. 67.
  20. 1 2 JR電車編成表 2016冬 [JR EMU Formations - Winter 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 18 November 2015. p. 16. ISBN 978-4-330-62315-3.
  21. ↑ JR車両のうごき [JR rolling stock changes]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45 no. 383. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. March 2016. p. 126.
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