700 Series Shinkansen

700 series

A 700 series train on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Kakegawa and Shizuoka in January 2008
In service 1999–Present
Manufacturer Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo
Replaced 0 series, 100 series, 300 series
Constructed 1997–2006
Scrapped 2012–
Number built 1,328 vehicles (91 sets)
Number in service 912 vehicles (65 sets) (As of 1 April 2016)[1]
Number preserved 1 vehicle
Number scrapped 415 vehicles (26 sets)
Formation 8/16 cars per trainset
Capacity 16-car sets: 1,323 (200 Green + 1,123 Standard)
8-car sets: 571
Operator(s)
Depot(s) Tokyo, Osaka, Hakata
Line(s) served Tokaido Shinkansen, Sanyo Shinkansen, Hakata-Minami Line
Specifications
Car body construction Aluminium
Car length 25,000 mm (82 ft 0 in) (intermediate cars),
27,350 mm (89 ft 9 in)
(end cars)
Width 3,380 mm (11 ft 1 in)
Height 3,690 mm (12 ft 1 in)
Doors 2 per side
Maximum speed 270 km/h (170 mph) (Tokaido), 285 km/h (177 mph) (Sanyo)
Traction system 48 x 275 kW (369 hp) (16-car set),
24 x 275 kW (369 hp) (8-car set)
Power output 13.2 MW (17,700 hp) (16-car set),
6.6 MW (8,900 hp) (8-car set)
Acceleration 2.0 km/h/s (0.56 m·s−2)
Deceleration 2.7 km/h/s (0.75 m·s−2)
Electric system(s) 25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead catenary
Current collection method Pantograph
Safety system(s) ATC-1, ATC-NS
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The 700 series (700系 Nanahyaku-kei) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1997 and 2006, and entering service in 1999. Originally designated as "N300" during the development phase, they formed the next generation of shinkansen vehicles jointly designed by JR Central and JR-West for use on both Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines.

Design

The 700 series is characterized by its flat 'duck-bill' nose designed to reduce the piston effect as the trains enter tunnels. 16-car units are painted white with blue stripes beneath the windows, and are used for Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama services on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines, while 8-car units used for the Sanyo Shinkansen Hikari Rail Star services have a darker livery (grey with black window areas and a yellow stripe beneath the windows) which also acts to visually deemphasize the units' nose area, resulting in a more streamlined impression.

As with the 500 series trains, yaw dampers are fitted between vehicles, and all cars feature semi-active suspension to ensure smooth ride characteristics at high speed. Compared with the small fleet of high-performance, high-cost 500 series trains built for JR-West, these trains were designed to give improved ride comfort and interior ambience over the earlier 300 series trains at a lower cost than the 500 series trains. The cost of a 16-car 700 series unit is approximately 4 billion yen compared with around 5 billion yen for a 16-car 500 series train.

Operations

700 series trainsets are scheduled to be withdrawn from Tokaido Shinkansen services by the end of fiscal 2019.[2]

Variants

Pre-series unit (700-9000 series)

The pre-series set, C0, was delivered in October 1997, and underwent endurance running mainly between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka until early 1999, including a short period of testing as an 8-car formation on the Sanyo Shinkansen. New single-arm current collectors were fitted from the start, and these initially featured the distinctive "wine-glass" pantograph shrouds of the 300X train. These were later changed to a design resembling the 500 series arrangement with additional side fences, which was used on the subsequent production trains. Unit C0 was modified to full production standard in September 1999 and renumbered as C1.

16-car C sets

JR Central set C37 in April 2009
Pantograph detail in March 2009
700 series logo next to door

These units were ordered by JR Central for use on Tokyo to Hakata Nozomi services, displacing the 300 series trains previously used on these services. Interior layout and accommodation is similar to that of the 300 series trains, with three Green class (first class) vehicles, and the same 1,040 mm seat pitch in standard class, and 1,160 mm in Green class. The central gangways were widened by 30 mm to 600 mm, and ceilings were raised by 65 mm to 2,200 mm. The refreshment counters of the 300 and 500 series trains were discontinued and replaced by vending machines selling drinks, located in cars 3, 7, 11, and 15.

Specifications permit 285 km/h running on the Sanyo Shinkansen with speed restricted to 270 km/h on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. The initial batch ordered by JR Central consisted of 17 units, with the first 4 units delivered in time for introduction on three daily return Nozomi services from March 1999. Services featuring 700 series stock were increased to five daily from July 1999, and further increased from October 1999. With continuing deliveries, 700 series trains were also introduced on Tōkaidō Shinkansen Hikari services from late 2000.

Set numbers C25 onwards introduced from May 2001 incorporate minor interior design improvements, including power outlets at the ends of cars for PC users, and hand-grabs on the edge of aisle seats. An order for an additional batch of six units was placed by JR Central in December 2003, with delivery scheduled for the end of 2004. These sets (C55 to C60) provided additional capacity for services connected with the Aichi Expo in 2005.

Streamlined bogie covers and flush diaphragm covers added experimentally to set C46, February 2003

Before entering passenger service, JR Central set C46 was used on a series of test runs from late January 2003 fitted with streamlined bogie covers on all cars and flush diaphragm covers between cars 16/15 and 15/14. These modifications were removed before the unit entered revenue service. Flush diaphragm covers were used on future trains, such as the N700 series.

Between October 2008 and June 2009, JR Central's fleet of 60 700 series sets underwent modifications to increase the acceleration from the original 1.6 km/h/s to 2.0 km/h/s (0.44 m·s−2 to 0.56 m·s−2) on the Tokaido Shinkansen to improve timetable planning flexibility.[3]

During fiscal 2011, eight JR Central "C" sets (C11 to C18) were transferred to JR-West to replace its fleet of nine 300 series sets scheduled to be withdrawn by spring 2012.[4]

Withdrawals of 700 series sets began in 2012 with the withdrawal of set C4. It continued in 2013 (sets C1, C2, C3, C5 - C8) and in 2014 (C9, C10, C20 - C24).

Formation

The 16-car C sets are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Hakata (west) end.[5]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Designation Tc M2 M'w M1 M1w M' M2k T's Ts M2s M'h M1 M1w M' M2w T'c
Numbering 723 727 726-500 725 725-300 726 727-400 718 719 717 726-700 725-600 725-500 726-200 727-500 724
Seating capacity 65 100 85 100 90 100 75 68 64 68 63 100 90 100 80 75

Cars 5 and 12 each have one single-arm pantograph.

Interior

16-car B sets (700-3000 series)

JR-West 700-3000 series set B9 in March 2010
The "JR700" logo on the side of set B14 in January 2011

These are the units owned by JR-West for use on through Hikari services from Tokyo, displacing the 100 series stock previously used on these services. A total of 15 units were delivered from June 2001 to 2005. These trains use the same bogies as the JR-West 500 series sets. Other differences include LED destination indicator panels, white pantograph side fences, "JR 700" logos on the cab sides, and also different seat designs.

Formation

The 16-car B sets are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Hakata (west) end.[5]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Designation Tc M2 M'w M1 M1w M' M2k T's Ts M2s M'h M1 M1w M' M2w T'c
Numbering 723-3000 727-3000 726-3500 725-3000 725-3300 726-3000 727-3400 718-3000 719-3000 717-3000 726-3700 725-3600 725-3500 726-3200 727-3500 724-3000
Seating capacity 65 100 85 100 90 100 75 68 64 68 63 100 90 100 80 75

Cars 5 and 12 each have one single-arm pantograph.

Interior

8-car E sets (700-7000 series)

A Hikari Rail Star trainset in April 2009
The "Rail Star" logo on set E6 in May 2009

8-car E units were introduced by JR-West for use on new limited-stop Sanyo Shinkansen Hikari Rail Star services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata from 11 March 2000, replacing the former 0 series West Hikari services. The first units were delivered at the beginning of December 1999, with a total of 16 units built. Externally, these units differ noticeably from their JR Central sisters in having a variation of the 500 series livery with the blue waistline band replaced by a band of "sunny yellow". "Rail Star" logos are applied to the sides of alternate cars as well as on the cab sides. Each 8-car train has two single-arm pantographs of a similar design to the JR Central 16-car sets. It was originally planned that sets would be able to operate coupled together, enabling 16-car formations to be run in busy periods, but this feature has never been utilized. With the discontinuation of Hikari services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, replaced by Sakura services from 2011, these sets are primarily used on Kodama services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata.[6]

Formation

The 8-car E sets are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Hakata (west) end).[5]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Designation Tc M1 Mpk M2 M2w Mp M1kh T'c
Numbering 723-7000 725-7600 726-7500 727-7000 727-7100 726-7000 725-7700 724-7500
Seating capacity 65 100 80 80 72 72 50 52

Cars 2 and 7 each have one single-arm pantograph.

Interior

The trains feature four 4-seat compartments in car 8, and the seats at the ends of each car have power supply outlets for mobile PC users. Unlike the 0 series SK sets which they replaced, no Green class accommodation is provided. However, the five reserved standard class cars, cars 4 to 8, have club class style 2+2 abreast seating compared to the normal 2+3 seating arrangement in the non-reserved cars. Seat pitch is 1,040 mm (41 in) throughout. Car 4 was also designated as a "Silence car", in which onboard announcements were omitted, but this was discontinued from March 2011.[6]

Fleet history

The annual totals for the fleet sizes (number of vehicles as of 1 April each year) owned by JR Central and JR West are as follows.[7]

Year ■ JR Central ■JR West Total
1998 16 0 16
1999 80 0 80
2000 176 72 248
2001 384 104 488
2002 592 168 760
2003 768 232 1,000
2004 864 312 1,176
2005 960 328 1,288
2006 960 368 1,328
2007 960 368 1,328
2008 960 368 1,328
2009 960 368 1,328
2010 960 368 1,328
2011 960 368 1,328
2012 896 416 1,312
2013 752 496 1,248
2014 640 496 1,136
2015 512 496 1,008
2016 448 464 912
250
500
750
1,000
1,250
1,500
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
  •   JR Central
  •   JR West

Derivatives

Two Class 923 "Doctor Yellow" trains based on the 700 series design are used for track and overhead wire diagnostic work on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen lines. Both the 800 series and Taiwan High Speed 700T were directly developed from the 700 series. The N700 series is also developed from the 700 series.

Preserved examples

See also

References

  • JR全車両ハンドブック2006 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2006]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2006. 
  1. ↑ JR電車編成表 2016夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 20 May 2016. p. 108, 130-132. ISBN 978-4-330-68216-7.
  2. ↑ Ｎ７００Ａの追加投入について 全ての東海道新幹線が「Ｎ７００Ａタイプ」になります [Details of additional N700A introductions - All Tokaido Shinkansen services to become N700A type] (pdf). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Central Japan Railway Company. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  3. ↑ JR Central press release: "７００系の加速度向上について" (Increased acceleration for 700 series) (26 June 2009). Retrieved on 28 June 2009. (Japanese)
  4. ↑ JR電車編成表 2013夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2013]. Japan: JRR. May 2013. pp. 413–415. ISBN 978-4-330-37313-3.
  5. 1 2 3 JR電車編成表 2011夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2011]. Japan: JRR. May 2010. ISBN 978-4-330-21211-1.
  6. 1 2 JR特急列車年鑑2014 [Limited Express Annual 2014]. Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. 20 December 2013. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-4-86320-793-6.
  7. ↑ Ikeguchi, Eiji (December 2016). 700系新幹線の軌跡 [The 700 series trajectory]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 56 no. 668. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. p. 19.
  8. ↑ リニア・鉄道館 ７００系新幹線電車の展示について [700 series shinkansen exhibit at SCMaglev and Railway Park] (pdf). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Central Japan Railway Company. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.

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