W7 Series Shinkansen

W7 Series Shinkansen
Set W24 in September 2023
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo
Designer(s)	Ken Okuyama
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	2014 – 2015, 2021 – Present
Number built	216 cars (20 sets)
Dimensions	1024 in (26,000 mm) (end cars) × 133 in (3,380 mm) × 144 in (3,650 mm)
Gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)
Power supply	Pantograph
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC (60 Hz)
Traction system	Variable frequency (3-phase IGBT)
Service information
In service	14 March 2015 – Present
Formation	12 cars per set
Number in service	192 cars (18 sets)
Fleet numbers	W1 – W14, W17 – W22, W24
Preservation information
Preserved	0
Number scrapped	24 cars (2 sets; flood damage)

The W7 Series Shinkansen is a Japanese high-speed electric multiple unit operated by the West Japan Railway Company since March 2015.

History

The first details of the W7 Series were revealed by the head of JR West's Kanazawa Division in January 2012, in that new trains to be used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line (then known as the Nagano Shinkansen) were to be developed jointly with JR East, and that the trains would be test run on the line a year before its opening to see if the trains were able to cope with the snowy conditions as expected of the region; details of the new trains were jointly announced by JR East and West on 4 September 2012.

The first set was delivered to Hakusan Depot in April 2014 and was shown off to the press on the 28th of the same month; from there, test-running would commence in August the same year. The first train entered service on 14 March 2015, with the remaining nine sets put into service progressively; an additional tenth set would be ordered later to replace the remaining E2 Series Shinkansen sets on the line used on regularly scheduled Asama services.

Sets W2 and W7 were withdrawn in 2019 due to flood damage sustained from Typhoon Hagibis while they were stored at Nagano Depot and subsequently scrapped. Sets W12 and W13 were constructed and delivered in fiscal 2021 to replace them. When not in use the trains are stabled at Hakusan Rolling Stock Depot; inactive trains can be viewed in the depot via the Train Park Hakusan facility for a fee.

Identification

Externally, the W7 Series Shinkansen are practically identical to the E7 Series Shinkansen in terms of livery and overall shape, but there are two surefire ways to differentiate a W7 Series from a E7 Series.

The most surefire way to differentiate an W7 Series from a E7 Series is looking at the front windshield where the set number is displayed; W7 Series sets have numbers beginning with "W" while E7 Series sets have numbers beginning with "F". Another way to differentiate them is looking at the bodyside logo of car 12; if the text below the logo says "West Japan Railway Company", it is a W7 Series set, while an E7 Series set will say "East Japan Railway Company" instead.

Specifications

The bodies of the sets are constructed of an aluminum alloy. The trains' traction motors are three-phase insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives manufactured by Hitachi. The cars are 133 in (3,380 mm) wide and 144 in (3,650 mm) high. The end cars are 1,024 in (26,000 mm) in length, and the intermediate cars are slightly shorter at 984.3 in (25,000 mm). A single set can seat up to 934 people. The pantograph carries 25 kV, AC power at 60 Hz. Top speed is 160 mph (260 km/h), but the trains are designed to be capable of going up to 170 mph (275 km/h).

Gallery

Set W11 in June 2022

References

• Wikipedia.org