Emperor 0 Shinkansen.

[Sascha]

A friend in the German forum posted this picture of the Emperors 0 Shinkansen. I dind't knew it exists like this. Is it in a Museum, or did they scrapped it?Is there a model out?

Edited July 28, 2016 by Sascha

[kvp]

I found this page: http://shinkansen50.jp/trivia/trivia_41.html

 

The upper one is an early generation series 0 with a white V band on the front, the 2nd one is a later series 0 with the black band around the lights.

 

The first photo has the H2 set on it, which has some preserved cars, at least according to wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_Series_Shinkansen

(namely these: 35-1, 21-2, 22-2, which seem to be the two driving motors and a dining car)

A model of this set in the original configuration was made by Tomix: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10262119

 

I have less information about the 2nd variant, but there are people here who have way more knowledge than me.

[200系]

Sasha,

 

Though I'm more interested in the regular 0 series operations, and am therefore somewhat less informed on the special one off. Nonetheless, let me try and answer your question.

 

There wasn't a specific emperor version of the 0 series shinkansen, unlike the current emperor car used with the E655 series, or the previous KuRo157-1 car. Instead as the green cars (type 15 and type 16 cars) where already equipped with bulletproof glass for possible VIP usage, regular 0 series cars could be used. As such, though the emperor has used the 0 series on a number of occasions between 1965 and 1984, there wasn't one specific formation or car that was reserved for Imperial use.

 

Generally, when the emperor would use the shinkansen, J.N.R. would designate one of their ordinary formations (after the 1972 re-organization they would normally provide a hikari formation (H/Nh or N formations), which formation depended entirely on the formations available at that specific date) for imperial use, before 1966 this formation would then be reduced form the standard 12 cars down to 8 cars (, the remaining cars where temporarily withdrawn from use, until the imperial family completed their trip and the formation was returned to regular service afterwards). During 1966 the format was changed to a 12 car formation, though the 8 car configuration has been used at least once post 1971.

 

The first use of the shinkansen by the emperor happened on may 7 1965 when the emperor traveled to Shimane prefecture for a tree planting ceremony. Because, unlike regular 1067mm stock, the 0 series didn't have the ability to attach any form of head mark, the end cars remained unmarked. The second time the imperial family used the shinkansen in 1966 (this was when formation H2 was used as mentioned by kvp) a white V mark was painted on the front skirt of the type 21 and type 22 end cars. The V mark would be painted (and removed once the formation returned to regular service afterwards) every time the imperial family would use the shinkansen.

 

In August of 1971 the V mark was phased out in favor of a dark blue band around the headlights, from that point onward every 0 series formation would use the new symbol when used by the imperial family.

One other change happening in 1971, was the allowance of regular fare paying passengers in the cars not in use by the imperial family during the duration of the trip. As such, from that period onward full length regular (hikari) formations where used whenever the imperial family needed to travel by shinkansen (with the blue mark applied of course).

The final time a 0 series shinkansen was used for imperial transport was In May 1984, the next time they used the shinkansen (in 1986) they used a 100 series shinkansen (one of the, then brand new, X formations), though the head mark had been abolished at that point in time.

 

So in short, there was no specific 0 series formation used for imperial service, rather J.N.R. provided a regular formation (with head mark) for imperial use when the emperor/imperial family needed to use the shinkansen which was then returned to regular service after the imperial trip had been completed. As such a selection of 0 series formations where used for this purpose between 1965 and 1984.

 

 

 

Is it in a Museum, or did they scrapped it?Is there a model out?

 

Considering there where a number of different formations used for imperial service, it depends entirely on the formation. Unfortunately, I don't have a list at hand with all the specific formations used by the imperial family, nor have I been able to procure one. From the pictures I could find (and the ones kvp linked to) I have been able to identify at least H2 (1966), H76 (1977), Nh16 (shortened to 8 car formation, couldn't find the date but it has to be after June of 1977 as the ten 0 series 1000 sub-type cars used to replace the ageing 0 sub-type cars of formation H 16 where delivered during this period) and another unidentified H formation.

 

Of the formations mentioned, only a few cars from formation H2 where preserved:

 

- 21-2 can be found in the Ōmiya railway museum since 2009 (together with the nose section of 21-25, though this is unrelated to the question at hand) it was originally used at the JR West employee training center after retirement in late 1977, together with her sister, 22-2. She was transfered to the Railway museum in 2008 and as such is the only 0 series car ever owned by JR East (just a bit of trivia)

- 35-1 can be found in the newly opened Kyōtō railway museum together with 21-1, 22-1 and 16-1 all originally part of formation H1. All four cars where originally located at the Ōsaka museum of modern transportation since their retirement in late 1977 (they where part of the first wave of 0 series cars retirements starting in 1977 (batch 1~3 cars, built between 1964~1966 where the first to go), these cars where replaced by new build 0 series 1000 sub-type cars arriving from late 1976 onward) All four cars are the first 0 series cars of their type, and where therefore the first 0 series cars to be preserved, interestingly they where preserved eight years before the final 0 series car left the factory (1986). They where stored in 2014 in preparation for their move to the new Kyōtō railway museum, and are now a central part of the museum.

- 22-2, the fate of 22-2 is unknown at this time, reportedly she is still a part of the JR West training center and was last used as a training car for inspection and repair work. The latest reports suggests she is in a dismantled state.

 

Non of those cars actually transported the emperor though (they where part of one of the formations used though).

 

In terms of models, Tomix released a type 21 and type 22 end car with the V mark at the 50th anniversary of the Tōkaidō shinkansen in October of 2014, these cars could only be obtained if you bought three of their 50th anniversary shinkansen sets (I'm still upset at myself that I didn't take the effort to obtain these cars, I had the three required codes...)

While MicroAce released a 16 car N (N4 after 1972 she became H4) formation with V mark in 2007:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10051390

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10051391

 

I don't believe any of the manufacturers ever produced a model with the post 1971 head mark.

 

 

The first photo has the H2 set on it, which has some preserved cars, at least according to wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia....ries_Shinkansen

(namely these: 35-1, 21-2, 22-2, which seem to be the two driving motors and a dining car)

 

 

Which is correct, though to be pedantic, the type 35 was actually a buffet car, dinner cars where the type 36's which where introduced in 1974 as part of the second reorganization of the 0 series hikari formations (as such they where only to be found in H/Nh and N formations, only late type 0 series 0 sub-type (36-1~36-96 H and Nh formations) and 0 series 1000 sub-type variants (36-1001~36-1003 N97~N99 formations) where built between 1974 and late 1976). The type 35 was replaced in production by the type 37 buffet cars (with a small section with ordinary seats, which the type 35's lacked) with the introduction of the 0 series 1000 sub-type in late 1976, they would slowly replace the remaining type 35 cars until the last of the batch 1~9 type 35 car was scrapped in 1984 (the last of the 5 type 35 cars ordered as part of batch 14 in 1973 was retired in 1992, though those 5 cars where built some time after the last of the original type 35 cars where delivered in 1969).

 

Just a bit of extra trivia, just to make my post a bit longer then I intended :).

 

Extra:

 

http://blogimg.goo.ne.jp/user_image/53/8b/d01e4eb5c88200046d57546a04e674d3.jpg

(shortened) Formation Nh16 with post 1971 head mark.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/ak7193907/e/677751f86ff97257f8e17e52a5f8f3ed

Same formation...

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/ak7193907/e/8fa689ac3c9ec05b8800cc0f33d003a0

Another H formation, including a shot of the interior of a type 15/16-1000 as used for the emperor.

 

 

I hope this answers your question.

 

Cheers!

Edited July 28, 2016 by 200系

[cteno4]

Bravo! 200 you constantly amaze me with your depth of knoledge and willingness to assemble it into a super informative post! While my brain can never retain all this kind of detail I really enjoy reading it and learning a lot!

 

Thanks!

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

Thanks so much 200系 for explaining further about 0 series shinkansen being used for imperial service.. Hmmm.. if I knew that the V Mark 0 series was used for royal family, I would struggle to get the MicroAce model 16 car set.. but too bad I have got the 0series 12 cars with light blue nose..

[Sascha]

Thank you so much Kvp and 200系 . That sure is a interessting read. Now I really hope that they will re-release it.

[Sacto1985]

Which does remind me: how does the Emperor travel on the Shinkansen nowadays? Do they have special cars for the N700A, E5  and E7/W7 Shinkansen trainsets, cars that are equipped with bulletproof glass and other means of protection against attack?

[railsquid]

Apparently yes:
 

 

2015年（平成27年）現在JRに在籍している車両のうち、新幹線や特急用のグリーン車には防弾ガラスなどを備えているVIP対応車があり、お召し列車として運行する場合に多く使われる。代表的なのは「サロンカーなにわ」やJR東日本新潟車両センターに在籍していたサロ489-1051・1052^[4] だが、対テロの観点から当該の車両番号は公表されていない場合も多く、見かけは普通のグリーン車用の車両であるため、判別はつきにくい。

 

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%8A%E5%8F%AC%E3%81%97%E5%88%97%E8%BB%8A