E5 Series Shinkansen


The E5 series is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by East Japan Railway Company on Tōhoku Shinkansen services since 5 March 2011 and on Hokkaido Shinkansen services since 26 March 2016. A total of 59 10-car sets are on order, with three sets in service in time for the start of new Hayabusa services to Shin-Aomori in March 2011.

Design

Technology incorporated in these trains is derived from the experimental Fastech 360S train tested by JR East. The initial maximum speed in service was, but this was raised to between Utsunomiya and Morioka from the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013. The trains feature an electric active suspension.

Operations

, E5 series trainsets work in a pool with similar JR Hokkaido H5 series trainsets, and are used on the following services on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen lines:
E5 series trainsets were first introduced on the new Hayabusa services between Tokyo and from 5 March 2011, initially operating at a maximum speed of 300 km/h. From 19 November 2011, a total of six E5 series trainsets were in operation, with sets also used on some Hayate and Yamabiko services. Hayate services operated coupled with E3 series Komachi services, and were limited to a maximum speed of 275 km/h. From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, E5 series sets were also introduced used on some Nasuno all-stations services.

Exterior

The exterior design of the trains is broadly based on the experimental Fastech 360S train, with a colour scheme of "Tokiwa" green for the upper body and "Hiun" white for the lower body, separated by a "Hayate" pink stripe.

Interior

Gran Class

Car 10 is designated "Gran Class", featuring 18 power-reclining "shell" seats with leather seat covers arranged in 2+1 abreast configuration. Originally given the provisional name "Super Green Car", seat pitch in the Gran Class car is. Seats are wide and recline to a maximum angle of 45 degrees. The pre-series set, S11, did not initially include Gran Class accommodation.

Green car

Car 9 is designated as "Green car" accommodation with 55 seats arranged in 2+2 abreast configuration. Seat pitch is. Seats are wide and recline to an angle of 31 degrees.

Ordinary class

Ordinary-class cars have a seat pitch of, which is larger than on the E2 series trains. Seating is arranged in 3+2 abreast configuration. AC power outlets are provided for window seats and rows of seats at car ends.

Formation

The production sets are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end and car 10 at the Aomori end.
Car No.12345678910
DesignationT1cM2M1M2M1kM2M1M2M1sTsc
NumberingE523E526-100E525E526-200E525-400E526-300E525-100E526-400E515E514
Weight 41.945.946.046.346.146.846.846.045.842.7
Capacity291008510059100851005518
FacilitiesToilet Toilet, cardphone Toilet, AED, cardphone, wheelchair space Toilet Toilet, wheelchair space, conductor's compartment

Cars 3 and 7 each have one single-arm pantograph, although only one is normally raised in service.

History

The pre-series set, S11, was delivered to Sendai Depot in May 2009 ahead of extensive test running on the Tohoku Shinkansen. Cars 1 to 5 were built by Hitachi in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and cars 6 to 10 were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Hyogo Prefecture. Set S11 made its first appearance at Tokyo Station on 9 December 2009.
The first full-production set, U2, was delivered to Sendai Depot in December 2010.
In May 2012, the E5 series was awarded the 2012 Blue Ribbon Award, presented annually by the Japan Railfan Club. A formal presentation ceremony was held at Tokyo Station on 20 November 2012.
The pre-series set, S11, was upgraded to full-production standard in February 2013 and renumbered U1. It retains the flush plug doors for the passenger doors immediately behind the driving cabs, whereas the full-production sets have recessed sliding doors.
From the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013, the maximum speed in service was raised from to between Utsunomiya and Morioka.

Fleet list

, the fleet is as follows.
Set numberManufacturerDate deliveredRemarks
U1Hitachi/Kawasaki HI15 June 2009Pre-series set, originally numbered S11, modified February 2013
U2Kawasaki HI13 December 2010Full-production sets
U3Hitachi31 January 2011Full-production sets
U4Hitachi18 February 2011Full-production sets
U5Hitachi19 August 2011Full-production sets
U6Kawasaki HI27 September 2011Full-production sets
U7Hitachi13 October 2011Full-production sets
U8Kawasaki HI14 November 2011Full-production sets
U9Kawasaki HI5 December 2011Full-production sets
U10Hitachi30 January 2012Full-production sets
U11Kawasaki HI17 February 2012Full-production sets
U12Kawasaki HI2 April 2012Full-production sets
U13Hitachi26 April 2012Full-production sets
U14Kawasaki HI31 May 2012Full-production sets
U15Hitachi11 June 2012Full-production sets
U16Hitachi26 July 2012Full-production sets
U17Kawasaki HI24 August 2012Full-production sets
U18Kawasaki HI14 September 2012Full-production sets
U19Kawasaki HI12 October 2012Full-production sets
U20Hitachi22 November 2012Full-production sets
U21Kawasaki HI25 December 2012Full-production sets
U22Hitachi31 January 2013Full-production sets
U23Kawasaki HI22 February 2013Full-production sets
U24Hitachi28 March 2013Full-production sets
U25Kawasaki HI10 April 2013Full-production sets
U26Hitachi30 May 2013Full-production sets
U27Kawasaki HI7 June 2013Full-production sets
U28Hitachi26 July 2013Full-production sets
U29Kawasaki HI7 December 2015Full-production sets
U30Hitachi15 January 2016Full-production sets
U31Kawasaki HI1 February 2016Full-production sets
U32Hitachi3 February 2017Full-production sets
U33Kawasaki HI16 January 2017Full-production sets
U34Hitachi13 October 2017Full-production sets
U35Kawasaki HI19 July 2017Full-production sets
U36Kawasaki HI25 August 2017Full-production sets
U37Kawasaki HI21 September 2017Full-production sets
U38Kawasaki HI9 February 2018Full-production sets
U39Hitachi24 August 2018Full-production sets
U40Hitachi11 January 2019Full-production sets
U41Kawasaki HI23 March 2018Full-production sets
U42Hitachi4 February 2019Full-production sets
U43Kawasaki HI4 March 2019Full-production sets
U44Full-production sets
U45Full-production sets
U46Full-production sets
U47Full-production sets
U48Full-production sets
U49Full-production sets
U50Full-production sets
U51Full-production sets
U52Full-production sets
U53Full-production sets
U54Full-production sets
U55Full-production sets
U56Full-production sets
U57Full-production sets
U58Full-production sets
U59Full-production sets

Special train services

A special Joetsu Shinkansen 30th Anniversary service ran from Niigata to Tokyo on 17 November 2012 using E5 series set U8, with a special ceremony at Niigata Station before departure. This was the first revenue-earning service operated on the Joetsu Shinkansen by an E5 series trainset.

Derivatives

An order for four 10-car trainsets based on the E5 series design was placed by JR Hokkaido in February 2014 for use on Hokkaido Shinkansen services from March 2016. Classified H5 series, these trains incorporate minor interior design differences compared with the E5 series.

Future developments

The E5 series trains have been chosen for use on the planned US$16.8 billion Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor in India, scheduled to open on 15 August 2023.