Thread by @StandUserLeon

Quirks of the Shinkansen: Part Two

The plethora of experimental rolling stock that ran on the Shinkansen right-of-way, and their impact on the commute to work of millions of people every day.

First up, the 1000 series.

These trains featured a similar body design to that of the production 0 series, albeit with a few differences. 6 cars were built, formed into 2 sets. After the Tokaido Shinkansen opened, they were shortly converted into maintenance trains.

Next, the 951 series.

This train featured a longer nose compared to the 0 Series, and was built to test for trains regularly operating above 250km/h. It had a speed record of 286km/h, beating the 1000 Series' 256km/h. Only 1 car is preserved.

Next, the 961 series.

This train was produced to test for the potential Tohoku and Joetsu lines, and was designed to run in snowy and cold conditions. It had a speed record of 319km/h, almost as fast as the modern E5 series. Only 2 cars out of 6 were preserved.

Next, the 962 series.

This train was produced to further develop the cold-weather features that were suited for the Tohoku and Joetsu lines. After both lines opened, all 6 cars were converted into "Doctor Yellow" cars, with another track inspection car inserted.

Next, the WIN350. (500-900 series)

JR West decided to test new technology for future trains that would operate at 350km/h. The sole 6 car trainset achieved a record of 350km/h on August 8th of 1992. Technology from this train went to the production 500 series trains.

Next, the STAR21. (952/953 series)

JR East tested their own 350km/h technology too, and achieved an impressive speed record of 425km/h on December 21th of 1993. The sole trainset had two "halves" with differing designs, with one half (952) having articulated bogies.

Next, the 300X. (955 Series)

JR Central also wanted to join in and designed a 6-car set to test high-speed technology. Like the STAR21, both ends differed in design, and had differing materials. It achieved a still unbroken speed record of 443km/h on July 26th of 1996.

The "Gauge Change Train"

This project tested gauge-changing mechanisms to allow for through-running from Shinkansen to narrow-gauge mainline tracks. I will be writing more about this project in a later thread.

Fun fact: it was tested on the TTC in Pueblo, Colorado.

Next, the Fastech 360. (E954/E955 series)

they were designed to reach a service speed of 360km/h. The E954 "Fastech 360S" was intended for Shinkansen use, while the E955 "Fastech 360Z" was intended for usage on the Akita Shinkansen, which uses regional lines.

The trainsets sported emergency air spoiler brakes, which led them to be named the "cat-eared Shinkansen," as the airfoils looked like cat ears. They achieved a top speed of 405km/h. Technology was incorporated into the production E5 and E6 series trains.

And finally, the ALFA-X. (E956 series)

JR East used this trainset of 10 cars to test technology used in future trains that would have a top speed of 360km/h or more. Eddy current brakes were introduced, as well as air spoiler brakes. Further noise prevention was installed.

The ALFA-X end cars were also designed with noise prevention in mind, as car 10 had a nose that was around 22 meters long. That leaves 3 rows of windows on that car. Good luck booking a seat in the front car of future trains!

This concludes the second thread of my Quirks of the Shinkansen series, stay tuned for more obscure facts about the world's most famous high speed rail network!