Genbi Shinkansen

[korat]

JR East announced two days ago (JST) a new shinkansen/art gallery combination (?), the "Genbi Shinkansen" (現美新幹線), to run on the Jōetsu Shinkansen (Echigo-Yuzawa to Niigata) from spring 2016.

 

 

It's to be based on a 6-car E3 set seating ~105 total, fitted with art exhibition spaces in each car and a cafe in the third car. The exterior will have photographs of Niigata's Nagaoka fireworks festival. Apparently the new train has something to do with the Echigo-Tsumari art festival.

 

I know little of Japanese and less of art, so find more detailed information more directly from sources below:

 

RocketNews24: [1]

JR East press release (Japanese, PDF): [2]

[Sacto1985]

It appears that JR East has found another use for the E3 trainsets displaced from the Akita Shinkansen service between Tokyo and Akita. Of course, unlike the Toreiyu train that runs between Fukushima and Shinjo only (so limited to only 130 km/h maximum speed), the Genbi Shinkansen E3 trainset will run between Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata, which means the train must run at the full rated speed of the Jōetsu Shinkansen line.

[cteno4]

here is the official website for it in english. does not work in all browsers though!

 

http://www.jreast.co.jp/genbi/en/

 

now this is one i really, really want a model of!

 

jeff

Edited October 8, 2015 by cteno4

[westfalen]

JR East continue to make JR Central's look alike fleet of 700's and N700's look even more boring.

[JR 500系]

 

now this is one i really, really want a model of!

 

jeff

 

Indeed! This takes the 2nd spot of 'The Shinkansens we want in N scale model', right after the 1st place winner:

 

 

 

 

 

JR East continue to make JR Central's look alike fleet of 700's and N700's look even more boring.

 

Indeed~ Nothing from JR Tokai so far, even JR West Sanyo Shinkansen made the 500 look nice, with their 500 Kansengars and all~~

[Densha]

5 January 2016 saw a (the first?) test run of the Genbi Shikansen. First scenes recorded at Sendai station.

 

 

 

[cteno4]

It is strange seeing such a dark Shinkansen!

 

Jeff

[JR 500系]

Oh WOW!

 

Just in time with the recent Star Wars craze!

 

It looks really good with the sleek black and graphics and all! I thought it was a E3-2000 but it was an E3-1000 instead.

 

Now I want the model even more!  :)

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

Oh god, it seems that we have another dark-but-beautiful accent on Japanese trains   looks very nice for a remodeled train 

[Robert46]

Wow... Finally the Genbi Shinkansen performed its test run. I really like the nice paint job..

 

Although personally I still prefer the toreiyu tsubasa as my favorite, but this model is now highly wanted too as this genbi will officially run on shinkansen track and as its name suggests, it is a joyful excursion shinkansen.. unlike toreiyu tsubasa.. :)

 

Can't believe this year will see new release of two fantastic models, the 500 Type EVA and the E3 Genbi Shinkansen, I am guessing the 500 Type EVA will be released by Tomix while the Genbi will be released by Kato.. Will need to prepare my ammo.. LoL

 

Btw, I noted something unusual on the video. The two pantographs are active.. why is it? So far I noted for this kind of shinkansen, only one panto will only be activated..

 

It looks really good with the sleek black and graphics and all! I thought it was a E3-2000 but it was an E3-1000 instead.

 

I guess it is neither E3-1000 nor E3-2000 AFAIK... as it was a converted model from E3 R sets, the R19 set and only consists of 6 cars set..

Edited January 7, 2016 by Robert46

[Sacto1985]

Since this train will run on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line between Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata Stations, I how fast will they run this special trainset. My guess: 240 km/h max for now, but once the E4's no longer run on the Jōetsu line by this fall, they'll raise the top speed to 260 km/h.

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

Btw, I noted something unusual on the video. The two pantographs are active.. why is it? So far I noted for this kind of shinkansen, only one panto will only be activated..

This is something normal for E3 series trains - they are normally running with all of the pantographs being raised.

 

 

I guess it is neither E3-1000 nor E3-2000 AFAIK... as it was a converted model from E3 R sets, the R19 set and only consists of 6 cars set..

Yes, even the artist impression itself only shows 6 cars, not 7 cars. Also, E3-1000 and E3-2000 sets are still largely used on Tsubasa services, so it means that Genbi Shinkansen trainset uses an E3-0 series trainset.

[Robert46]

This is something normal for E3 series trains - they are normally running with all of the pantographs being raised.

 

Oh really? I'll have to check more E3 videos then.. so far I noted that from the two panto's for JR East shinkansen E2, E3, E5 & E6 when they run alone, only one panto will be used. Not to mention when they performed coupled trains running at max speed..

[Martijn Meerts]

I prefer the more satin dark purple finish of the artists rendition to be honest ..

[JR 500系]

This is something normal for E3 series trains - they are normally running with all of the pantographs being raised.

 

 

I beg to differ:

 

 

Only at the 1st few parts of the video, But we do see double pantographs raised at the end of the video though..

 

But aside from that, many were using both pantographs...

 

 

 

It might seem that the E3-0 uses double pantographs raised though..

 

Edited January 7, 2016 by JR 500系

[200系]

Hmm... I've always liked the corporate look JR East had for their shinkansen, but to me their livery designs for the past few years have been nothing but disappointments, to me, this one is no exception.

Shame really, as I like the concept of the Genbi shinkansen it's self.

 

 

 

Btw, I noted something unusual on the video. The two pantographs are active.. why is it? So far I noted for this kind of shinkansen, only one panto will only be activated..

 so far I noted that from the two panto's for JR East shinkansen E2, E3, E5 & E6 when they run alone, only one panto will be used.

I beg to differ:

 

 

You are both correct, but wrong at the same time.

 

All JR East Shinkansen, with exception of the  E5系 and E6系 will use both pantographs when on the shinkansen (i.e. on the Tōhoku, Jōetsu or Hokuriku shinkansen), no matter if it's the high speed sections, or the 110km/h limited Ueno-Ōmiya section of the Tōhoku shinkansen.

The only differences are the 200系, E5系 and E6系.

 

The 200系 was different because they where originally delivered with a pantograph for every two cars, which meant the original 12 car formations (E1~E36 and F1~F21) had 6 pantographs per formations. For the 200系0番台 formations (E formations, E1~E36) this meant all 6 pantographs where always raised, as they lacked the 25Kv roof cable which means a 12 car formation was essentially comprised of 6 two car units (same as the 0系, and later the 100系 in her original form). This was the main reason for their lower top speed of 210km/h With the introduction of the 200系1000番台 cars in 1983 (Formations F1~F3) the 25kv roof cable became standard, allowing for the reduction of in service pantographs from 6 to 3 for a 12 car formation, which in turn meant a reduction in noise, and improved traction behavior (as a pantograph passes a section of wire this will create an oscillating motion which means the second pantograph, or more precisely the contact strip of the pantograph, may lose contact for a short while.), which allowed for a increase in service speed to 240km/h. The same principal was also used for the later 200系1500番台/1000番台 formations (F4~F21) introduced in 1984, as well as the modified 0番台 E formations (reclassified into the F51~F58 and F30~F39 sub formation groups). While all six pantographs remained, from the 1000番台 onward only three where raised when in service (the other three served as reserve). This remained unchanged until the mid 1990's. when JR East began to add pantograph covers to the 200系 fleet starting in 1993, they also removed the centre pantographs, reducing the number of pantographs further to four (with the exception of the 16 car H formations which retained six pantographs, though 4 where always in use, leaving the outer two as reserve) . As all F and K formations had roof cables, the number of in service pantographs was further reduced to two, with the outer two pantographs functioning as reserve (always lowered).

 

The E5系 and E6系 are the first JR East Shinkansen (and shinkansen in general) to use only one pantograph, even on the shinkansen it's self, the second pantograph functioning as reserve (lowered). While the E7系, by virtue of it's E2系 lineage, uses both pantographs.

 

Now the sections the E3系 (all sub-types) uses only one pantograph are the mini-shinkansen themselves, the Yamagate and Akita-shinkansen. As they are not shinkansen in the traditional sense, and as they are electrified with a different system (20Kv 50Hz (same as the original line that was converted), while the Tōhoku shinkansen uses 25Kv 50hz) and because of the lower speed and power supply, only a single pantograph is needed. hence why all 400系 and E3系0番台/1000番台/2000番台 formations would lower the second pantograph at Fukushima/Morioka when on a down service (from Tōkyō), while the second pantograph was once again raised at the same stations on a up service (to Tōkyō).

 

To illustrate, this video was taken between 2006~2010 when the 400系 was near the end of it's service life (the final run is included), note the second pantograph being raised at 3:01 as she arrives at Fukushima. 

 

Edited January 8, 2016 by 200系

[JR 500系]

Thank you once again Sander san! I knew I could count on you for that valuable information!  :P

[katoftw]

Makes sense.  If it isn't needed, then drop it.  Saves on wear and tear and maintenance.  And if for some reason one did fail, then the other can be aired up again.

[Robert46]

I am happy the enlightenment has come... :D now I got more complete information about it... story about 200 and 400 series is also very interesting. Thanks so much 200系 - san

[Ekiben]

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201604130013.html

 

East Japan Railways Co. will launch the Genbi shinkansen on April 29. This should afford prototype modellers with new heights of creative potential.

 

Images from Japan Trends.

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

I'm counting on a Tomix Limited Edition .... ;)

Edited April 16, 2016 by Ochanomizu

[Yavianice]

The Genbi shinkansen will retire end of this year. 
 

https://tetsudo-shimbun.com/headline/entry-2823.html

[gmat]

Curtain closing on contemporary art-themed bullet train in Niigata        From Asahi Evening News

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13730943

Grant

[Madsing]

One last (super high resolution) photo?

https://railfile.jp/east/formation/2020/10/e3-700_r19.html

[Yavianice]

Genbi Shinkansen has been scrapped. A sad end. (link through JNS Discord by @Socimi)

 

Some parts have been preserved displayed as trophies. 

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by Yavianice