N700 Series Shinkansen

N700 Series Shinkansen
Set F12 in February 2023
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo
Designer(s)	Tetsuo Fukuda, Kazuo Kimura
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	2005 – 2020
Number built	2,993 cars (202 sets)
Dimensions	1077 in (27,350 mm) (end cars) × 132 in (3,360 mm) × 138 in (3,500 mm) (end cars)
Gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)
Power supply	Pantograph
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC (60 Hz)
Traction system	Variable frequency (IGBT)
Service information
In service	1 July 2007 – Present
Formation	8 or 16 cars per set
Number in service	2,624 cars (179 sets)
Fleet numbers	X0 – X80, G1 – G25, F1 – F24, K1 – K16, S1 – S19, R1 – R11
Preservation information
Preserved	3 cars
Number scrapped	365 cars

The N700 Series Shinkansen is a Japanese high-speed electric multiple unit operated by the Central and West Japan Railway Companies since July 2007 and the Kyushu Railway Company since March 2011.

History

The N700 was developed as a successor train type to the 0, 300 and 500 Series Shinkansen models. Based on the 700 Series Shinkansen, the N700 was designed to achieve higher speeds and better environmental performance. At the start of development, the train was given the name "700N" with "N700" being a common nickname given to this sets, with "N" standing for either "New" or "Next"; "N700" would later be adopted as the official designation for the sets.

Jointly developed by JR West and Central, the first set, Z0 (now X0), was completed in 2005. Operation of the sets began on 1 July 2007 on the Nozomi service, with an aim to replace the 300 and 500 Series sets on these services due to aging equipment; the end goal was to have all Nozomi services exclusively operated by N700 Series Shinkansen sets. The sets began operating on the Kodama and Hikari services with the 15 March 2008 timetable revision. Production of the N700 continued until 2020.

All trains on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen were operated by N700 Series sets from 13 March 2020 until 1 July 2020, when the N700S Series Shinkansen, a more advanced derivative of the N700, entered service; replacements of the N700 Series sets with N700S Series sets is underway. Four N700 Series Shinkansen sets are expected to be rebuilt into eight-car sets to replace four 500 Series sets by end 2026.

Variants

Z sets (2005-2015)

The first set, or prototype set, numbered Z0 was delivered in March 2005 for testing. It has never entered passenger services. The first production N700 set was Z1 that was delivered in April 2007 and entered passenger duties on the 1st of July 2007. These are 16-car sets; all Z sets were converted to X sets by 2015.

N sets (2007-2015)

The first of these 16-car sets (N1) was delivered in June 2007, and entered service on the first of the next month. All N sets were converted to K sets by 2015.

S sets (2011-present)

These N700-7000 series are 8-car sets. These sets do not feature a tilting suspension system.

R sets (2011-present)

These 8-car sets are numbered N700-8000 series. They run the Sakura and Mizuho services on the Kyushu and San'yō Shinkansen.

G sets (2013-present)

The first sets to be introduced with the "N700A" moniker, these sets were introduced from 8 February 2013. At 16 cars in length, the sets feature modified brake discs, bogie vibration detection and ATC improvements among other technological advancements.

X sets (2013-present)

Very similar to the G sets, the X sets were converted from all 80 former Z sets to incorporate some of the design features of the N700A Series. The X sets are also known as the N700A series. Prototype set X0 (ex-Z0) was retired in February 2019; withdrawals of full-series sets began in July 2020 with the introduction of the N700S Series sets, starting with X12.

K sets (2013-present)

Very similar to the X sets, the K sets were converted from all 16 former N sets to incorporate some of the design features of the N700A Series. The K sets are also known as the N700A series, just like the X sets.

N700S

Main article: N700S Series Shinkansen

This is the newest variant of the N700 Series Shinkansen which has even more refinements to various systems around the train. The N700S Series Shinkansen was announced by JR Central to evaluate new technologies to be used on the San'yō and Tōkaidō Shinkansen. The pre-production set, J0, was delivered in March 2018 from Nippon Sharyo for test-running and evaluation beginning on 20 March; full-production sets will enter service from Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The first full-production set, J1, was delivered on Tuesday, February 25, 2020.

An N700S Series set can be differentiated from a normal N700 Series set by the golden logo, different headlight shape, LED headlights and a slightly different blue stripe design on the sides.

N700-I Bullet

This was a proposed export version of the N700 Series Shinkansen that was announced by JR Central's chairman Yoshiyuki Kasai on Monday, 16 November 2009 at an international high-speed rail symposium held in Nagoya. Nominally an 8-car set, the sets can be altered from six to sixteen cars in length with a nominal top speed of 330 km/h (205.1 mph). No N700-I Bullet cars were built, with countries considering the use of the Bullet pivoting to purchasing the N700S Series Shinkansen instead, also designed for export.

Specifications

• Built: 2005–2020
• Builder: Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo
• Number built: 171 sets
• Formation: 8 or 16 cars per trainset
• Capacity (people): N/Z sets: 1,323 (1,123 Standard + 200 Green class), R/S sets: 546 (522 Standard + 24 Green class)
• Car body construction: Aluminum
• Car length: 82 ft (25,000 mm) (middle cars), 89 ft 9 in (27,350 mm) (head/tail cars)
• Width: 11 ft (3,360 mm)
• Height: 11 ft 10 in (3,600 mm) (middle cars), 11 ft 6 in (3,500 mm) (head/tail cars)
• Maximum speed: 177 mph (285 km/h) (Tokaido line), 186 mph (300 km/h) (Sanyo line), 162 mph (260 km/h) (Kyushu line)
• Weight (16-car): 715 t
• Electrical system: 25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead wires
• Collection method: Pantograph
• Gauge: 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)

Incidents

An arson attack occurred on N700A Series set X59 on 30 June 2015, with a 71-year old man, Haruo Hayashizaki, dousing himself in gasoline and setting himself on fire onboard car 1, 783-2059. This incident caused 28 injuries and two deaths, those being that of the perpetrator who burned to death and a 52-year old woman who died of asphyxiation due to burned airways, she being unable to escape in time; the motive of the attack is officially undetermined although various acquaintances and family members of the suspect believe it was a suicide attempt. This was the first arson attack on the system since its opening. The train was on a Nozomi 225 service at the time.

783-2059, the car in question, was originally built by Nippon Sharyo in July 2010 for use on set Z59. Z59 was converted to X59 in December 2014 and operated for about half a year prior to this arson incident. Deemed irreparable, 783-2059 was ultimately scrapped, with a replacement car bearing the same number constructed by Nippon Sharyo in 2016.

Cracked bogies were discovered on the N700 Series sets on 11 December 2017. An unusual burning smell was detected coming from car 785-5505 of set K5 and the train taken out of service at Nagoya Station; the smell had been detected at Kokura but was told to carry on to Nagoya. JR West would later admit this was a "big danger", and had the train continued on it would have derailed. An inspection revealed the car's outer frame had cracked and its underfloor carriage was leaking oil; further investigations revealed that over 100 out of 303 Kawasaki-manufactured bogies, used by the sets, were substandard due to improper welding preparations, with JR West replacing the bogies manufactured by Kawasaki. This was the first incident involving the Shinkansen which was classified as a "serious incident" by the JR Group.

R11 was the target of an attempted arson attack on 8 November 2021. While on a Sakura 401 service, 69-year old Kiyoshi Miyake attempted to set car 786-8011 on fire by sprinkling gasoline onto the floor and setting it alight; the fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. The only damage reported was a number of burned seats within the car. Emergency alarms sounded in the car, with the set making an emergency stop at Shin-Yatsushiro Station, whereupon Miyake was arrested following eyewitness accounts provided by suspects to the police. Miyake, who was unemployed at the time, stated that he wanted to emulate a similar attack performed on a Keio train about a week prior; he was ultimately trialed and sentenced to two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years with probation.

Preservation

The following N700 Series Shinkansen cars have been preserved:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location	Notes
783-9001	Hitachi	May 2005	February 2019	Z0, X0	SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya, Japan	Ex-pre-production set X0, used as resting spaces; replaces various 117 series cars from set S1
775-9001	Nippon Sharyo
786-9201

Aluminum reuse

Aluminum from set X23, withdrawn in March 2021, was recycled and used to manufacture a set of commemorative spoons sold by JR Central. These spoons feature logos indicating they are made of aluminum reused from X23.

Gallery

This is N700-Series set N1 (now numbered K1).

References

• Wikipedia.org