E4 Series Shinkansen
{{short description|Japanese high speed train type}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox train
| name = E4 series
| image = Series-E4-P20.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| imagealt =
| caption = E4 series train set P20 on a Joetsu Shinkansen Max Tanigawa service in February 2021
| stocktype =
| service = 20 December 1997 – 17 October 2021 ({{age in years and days|1997|12|20|2021|10|17}})
| manufacturer = Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries
| factory =
| family = Max
| replaced =
| yearconstruction = 1997–2003
| yearservice = December 1997 (Tohoku Shinkansen)
May 2001 (Joetsu Shinkansen)
| refurbishment =
| successor = E7 series
| yearscrapped = 2013–2022
| numberconstruction =
| numberbuilt = 208 vehicles (26 sets)
| numberservice = None
| numberpreserved = 1 vehicle
| numberscrapped = 207 vehicles (26 sets)
| formation = 8 cars per trainset
| fleetnumbers = P1–P22, P51–P52, P81–P82
| capacity = 817 (54 Green + 763 Standard)
| operator = JR East
| depots = Niigata, Sendai
| lines = Joetsu Shinkansen, Tōhoku Shinkansen
| carbody = Aluminium
| trainlength =
| carlength = End cars: {{convert|25700|mm|ftin|frac=16|abbr=on}},
Intermediate cars: {{convert|25000|mm|ftin|frac=16|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|3380|mm|ftin|frac=16|abbr=on}}
| height =
| floorheight =
| doors = 2 per side
| maxspeed = {{convert|240|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| weight = 428 t
| acceleration = {{cvt|1.65|km/h/s}}
| deceleration = {{cvt|2.69|km/h/s}} (service)
{{cvt|4.04|km/h/s}} (emergency)
| traction = IGBT-VVVF (Mitsubishi Co.)
| traction motors = 16 x {{convert|420|kW|0|abbr=on}} AC traction motors
| poweroutput = {{convert|6.72|MW|hp|0|abbr=on}}
| transmission =
| aux =
| hvac =
| powersupply =
| electricsystem = 25 kV AC, 50 Hz overhead catenary
25kV AC, 50Hz and 60Hz (Sets P81 and 82 only, for use on Hokuriku Shinkansen.)
| collectionmethod = Pantograph
| uicclass = 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
| aarwheels =
| bogies =
| brakes = Pneumatic and Regenerative
| coupling =
| multipleworking = 400/E3-1000/E3-2000 series
| gauge = {{RailGauge|1435 mm|allk=on}}
}}
The {{Nihongo|E4 series|E4系}} was a high-speed Shinkansen electric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. They were the second series of completely bi-level Shinkansen trainsets to be built in Japan (the other being the E1 series). They previously operated on the Tōhoku and Jōetsu Shinkansen, and occasionally on the Nagano Shinkansen. E4 series trains feature double-decker cars to accommodate additional commuter traffic around Tokyo and other urban areas.{{cite book |script-title=ja: JR全車輌ハンドブック2006 |trans-title=JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2006| publisher = Neko Publishing| year = 2006| location = Japan| isbn = 4-7770-0453-8}} They were often coupled to 400 series trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Fukushima before the latter retired in April 2010 along with the E3 series trains until September 2012. The last trains of the E4 series were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021.
Two eight-car sets can be coupled together for extra capacity: a sixteen-car E4 series formation trainset carries a total of 1,634 seated passengers, the highest-capacity high-speed rail trainset in the world.{{cite book |script-title=ja: 鉄道のテクノロジーVol1：新幹線 |trans-title=Railway Technology Vol.1: Shinkansen| publisher = Sanei Mook| date = April 2009| location = Japan| isbn = 978-4-7796-0534-5}}
26 units were built between 1997 and 2003. As with the earlier E1 series trains, maximum speed was {{Convert|240|km/h|mph|round=5|abbr=on}}.
Operations
E4 series sets were used on the following services.
- Joetsu Shinkansen
- Max Asahi (May 2001 – November 2002)
- Max Tanigawa (until 1 October 2021)
- Max Toki (until 1 October 2021)
- Tohoku Shinkansen
- Max Nasuno (until 28 September 2012)
- Max Yamabiko (until 28 September 2012)
- Hokuriku Shinkansen
- Max Asama (until 15 September 2003)
Formation
| class="wikitable" | ||||||||
| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation
| T1c || M1 || M2 || T || Tk || Mp || Ms ||Tpsc | ||||||||
| Numbering
| E453-100 || E455-100 || E456-100 || E458 || E459-200 || E455 || E446 || E444 | ||||||||
| Seating capacity
| 75 || 133 || 119 || 124 || 110 || 122 || 91 || 43 |
Cars 4 and 6 were each equipped with a PS201 pantograph.{{cite book |script-title=ja: JR電車編成表 2010夏 |trans-title=JR EMU Formations – Summer 2010| publisher = Kotsu Shimbunsha| date = May 2010| location = Japan| page = 9| isbn = 978-4-330-14310-1}}
Variants
Sets P51 and P52, delivered in January and February 2001 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of the Nagano Shinkansen for use on services to Karuizawa.
Sets P81 and P82, delivered in July and November 2003 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of the Nagano Shinkansen, and are also capable of operating under 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies for use on services to Nagano.
Interior
As with the earlier E1 series, the upper deck saloons of non-reserved cars 1 to 3 were arranged 3+3 with no individual armrests, and did not recline. The lower decks of these cars, and the reserved-seating saloons in cars 4 to 8 had regular 2+3 seating. The green car saloons on the upper decks of cars 7 to 8 had 2+2 seating. The trains had a total seating capacity of 817 passengers.{{cite book |script-title=ja: 新幹線NAVI |trans-title=Shinkansen Navi| publisher = Ikaros Publishing| date = July 2004| location = Japan| isbn = 4-87149-562-0}}
File:TEC SeriesE4 Interior P3 GREEN.jpg|Green class saloon (upper deck), February 2011
File:E4 std lower reserved Sendai 20020825.jpg|Standard-class reserved car lower deck with 2+3 seating
File:E4 std upper non-reserved Sendai 20020824.jpg|Standard-class non-reserved car upper deck with non-reclining 3+3 seating
E4 series interior 20140406.jpg|Vestibule area and stairway
History
File:E4+E3 1000 omiya.jpg, which is running in tandem with the E4.]]
The first E4 series set, P1, was delivered to Sendai Depot on 8 October 1997, with the first sets entering revenue-earning service on the Tohoku Shinkansen from 20 December 1997.
All cars were made no-smoking from the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007.
In March 2011, it was announced that the entire E4 series fleet would be withdrawn by around 2016.{{cite web|url= http://mainichi.jp/select/wadai/news/20110309k0000e040071000c.html|script-title= ja:JR東：2階建て新幹線「Max」5年後全廃 老朽化進み|trans-title= JR East to withdraw all "Max" double-decker trains within 5 years|first= Masatoshi|last= Saito|date= 9 March 2011|work= Mainichi jp|publisher= The Mainichi Newspapers|location= Japan|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110310061911/http://mainichi.jp/select/wadai/news/20110309k0000e040071000c.html|archive-date= 10 March 2011|access-date= 9 March 2011|url-status=dead}}
In September 2012, E4 series were entirely withdrawn from Tohoku Shinkansen services, and all allocated for use on Joetsu Shinkansen services only.{{cite book |script-title=ja: JR電車編成表 2018冬 |trans-title= JR EMU Formations – Winter 2018 |publisher = Kotsu Shimbunsha |date = 15 November 2017 |location = Japan |language = ja |page = 13|isbn = 978-4-330-84117-5}} The trains were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021,{{Cite web|title=JR East to Retire the Last Double-Decker Shinkansen Train – Japan Station|url=https://www.japanstation.com/jr-east-to-retire-the-last-double-decker-shinkansen-train/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=japanstation.com}} and were completely retired on 17 October of the same year.
Livery change
File:E4 P5 Max Toki 316 Takasaki 20140407.JPG
From 2014, the fleet of 24 sets still in service began to be repainted, receiving a new livery identical to that previously carried by the E1 series trains, with a toki (crested ibis) pink stripe separating the white on the upper body and blue on the lower body. The first reliveried set, P5, was returned to service in early April 2014,{{cite web|url= http://rail.hobidas.com/rmn/archives/2014/04/jre4p.html|script-title= ja: E4系P編成が塗装変更を実施|trans-title= E4 series P sets repainted|date= 7 April 2014|work= RM News|publisher= Neko Publishing Co., Ltd.|location= Japan|language= ja|access-date= 7 April 2014|archive-date= 9 August 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170809131925/http://rail.hobidas.com/rmn/archives/2014/04/jre4p.html|url-status= dead}} with the entire fleet be treated by the end of fiscal 2015.{{cite web|url= http://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20140326e4toshokuhennkou.pdf|title= 上越新幹線(E4系)のエクステリアデザインが生まれ変わります!|trans-title= Exterior design of Joetsu Shinkansen E4 series to be updated|date= 26 March 2014|work= News release|publisher= East Japan Railway Company – Niigata Division|location= Japan|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140327085835/http://www.jrniigata.co.jp/press/20140326e4toshokuhennkou.pdf|archive-date= 27 March 2014|access-date= 27 March 2014|url-status=dead}}
File:E4 P5 Max logo Takasaki 20140407.JPG|The new logo, April 2014
Withdrawals
Withdrawals started in July 2013, with sets P2 and P3.{{cite book |script-title=ja: JR電車編成表 2014冬 |trans-title=JR EMU Formations – Winter 2014 |publisher = Kotsu Shimbunsha |date = 1 December 2013 |location = Japan |page =356 |isbn = 978-4-330-42413-2}}
Preserved examples
File:Niitsu Tetudou Hakubutsukan E4kei.jpg
File:Max JR east-Japan.jpg in August 2008]]
End car E444-1 from set P1 is displayed at the Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum in Niitsu, Niigata.{{cite web |url= http://rail.hobidas.com/news/info/article/post_809.html |script-title=ja: 新津鉄道資料館 新規実物車輌展示 |trans-title=New rolling stock exhibits at Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum |date= 7 June 2017 |work= Tetsudo Hobidas |publisher= Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. |location= Japan|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170608053107/http://rail.hobidas.com/news/info/article/post_809.html |archive-date= 8 June 2017 |url-status=live |access-date= 8 June 2017}} It was moved by road from Niigata Depot to the museum in the early hours of 20 June 2017.{{cite web |url= http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASK6N5V64K6NUOHB00C.html |script-title=ja: 深夜の住宅街、新幹線ゆっくり陸送 新潟 |trans-title=Shinkansen transported slowly by road late at night through residential area in Niigata |date= 21 June 2017 |work= The Asahi Shimbun |location= Japan|language= ja|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170621011946/http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASK6N5V64K6NUOHB00C.html |archive-date= 21 June 2017 |url-status=live |access-date= 21 June 2017}}
Fleet list
The build details are as shown below. All units retired from regular service as of 1 October 2021.
| class="wikitable" |
| Set No.
! Manufacturer ! Delivered ! Reliveried ! Withdrawn |
|---|
| style="background: #FCC | P1
| 8 October 1997 | 12 May 2015 |
| style="background: #FF6 | P2
| Hitachi | 20 October 1997 | - |
| style="background: #FF6 | P3
| Kawasaki HI | 27 October 1997 | - |
| style="background: #FCC | P4
| Hitachi | 10 February 1999 | 10 February 2016 | 15 September 2017 |
| style="background: #FCC | P5
| Kawasaki HI | 22 February 1999 | 3 April 2014 |
| style="background: #FCC | P6
| rowspan="2" | Hitachi | 15 March 1999 | 11 June 2014 |
| style="background: #FCC | P7
| 14 April 1999 | 25 March 2015 | 29 May 2019 |
| style="background: #FCC | P8
| Kawasaki HI | 31 May 1999 | 3 July 2015 | 20 June 2019 |
| style="background: #FCC | P9
| Hitachi | 21 June 1999 | 20 August 2015 | 12 July 2019 |
| style="background: #FCC | P10
| Kawasaki HI | 12 July 1999 | 4 February 2015 | 7 May 2019 |
| style="background: #FCC | P11
| rowspan="2" | Hitachi | 26 July 2000 | 3 March 2016 | 28 October 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P12
| 28 August 2000 | 13 April 2016 | 24 November 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P13
| Kawasaki HI | 11 September 2000 | 10 May 2016 | 20 December 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P14
| Hitachi | 13 October 2000 | 1 June 2016 | 18 January 2022 |
| style="background: #FCC | P15
| Kawasaki HI | 16 October 2000 | 17 October 2016 | 17 December 2019 |
| style="background: #FCC | P16
| rowspan="2" | Hitachi | 27 November 2000 | 1 May 2014 | 24 August 2020 |
| style="background: #FCC | P17
| 21 March 2001 | 30 September 2014 | 14 February 2022 |
| style="background: #FCC | P18
| rowspan="2" | Kawasaki HI | 4 June 2001 | 30 April 2015 | 22 February 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P19
| 25 June 2001 | 20 August 2015 | 18 March 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P20
| Hitachi | 16 July 2001 | 9 October 2015 | 26 April 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P21
| rowspan="4" | Kawasaki HI | 9 October 2001 | 4 November 2015 | 27 May 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P22
| 20 November 2001 | 18 December 2015 | 21 June 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P51
| 31 January 2001 | 7 July 2014 | 25 November 2020 |
| style="background: #FCC | P52
| 20 February 2001 | 27 August 2014 | 5 October 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P81
| Hitachi | 30 July 2003 | 22 July 2015 | 7 May 2021 |
| style="background: #FCC | P82
| Kawasaki HI | 20 November 2003 | 19 January 2016 | 30 March 2022 |
See also
- TGV Duplex, French double-deck high speed train
- List of high-speed trains
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Shinkansen E4|E4 series Shinkansen}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170724223020/http://www.jreast.co.jp/train/shinkan/e4.html E4 Series Max Toki/Max Tanigawa] {{in lang|ja}} (Archived on July 24, 2017)
{{Shinkansen}}
{{High-speed rail}}
{{JR East EMU}}
Category:Shinkansen train series
Category:East Japan Railway Company
Category:Hitachi multiple units
Category:Kawasaki multiple units
Category:Train-related introductions in 1997
Category:Passenger trains running at least at 200 km/h in commercial operations