E7 series to be introduced on the Joetsu Shinkansen

[Suica]

The E7 series Shinkansen will gradually replace the E4 series trains from fiscal year 2018. E2 series sets will be replaced afterwards.

Source

 

 

 

 

While I really like the E7 I would've liked to see a new generation of doubledecker Shinkansen. :P

[HantuBlauLOL]

I would've liked to see a new generation of doubledecker Shinkansen. :P

 

i heard they will retire the double deckers soon.. 

[katoftw]

That is what the articles says about retirement.

 

I read the article a day or two ago.

[JR 500系]

The E4s are great especially in terms of looks, but their lower top speed of 240km/h and not-so-comfortable 3x3 seating makes them slightly less desirable... However, riding on an E4 on the top deck allows you to see beyond that parapet wall of the tracks to the beautiful scenery....

[Yavianice]

Oh no! I better make it to Japan again soon! I only managed to ride the E4 while it was dark... so I could not enjoy the scenery too much.

 

I really like the E4, I will miss it/other double decker trains.

[cteno4]

The e4 is one of my favorites. You have to be in a station when one pulls in to really appreciate them, that schnoz keeps growing and growing as it silently pulls in. It's impressive and elegant with respect to the sheer size of the train.

 

They are cramped though, especially for larger people. I'm about 194cm and did not fit well in the seats and had to move around most of the train a bit doubled over! But actually not as bad as trying to get into an economy airline seat now days!

 

The upper seats do give a great view as jr500 noted!

[Densha]

I've never had a ride on an E4 (let alone any Shinkansen; they're way too expensive!), but even so I was able to get some shots of them during my stay in Japan. Trying to at least see some soon to be retired rolling stock was really a good idea.

 

[Sacto1985]

Like I said earlier, once the E4's retire, we could see a speed increase on the Jōetsu Shinkansen line. Imagine 260 km/h maximum from Omiya to Takasaki and Takasaki to Niigata, since trainsets no longer have to accommodate the slower E4 trainsets.

[velotrain]

Is 12.5 MPH (at that sort of base speed) really that noticeable?

[katoftw]

In a time conscious society like Japan, even minute counts.

Edited March 29, 2017 by katoftw

[bikkuri bahn]

Just because a new trainset has a higher top revenue speed does not necessarily lead to a increase in speed on a route. With the Joetsu Shinkansen, cost benefit factors need to be considered- on this route 1. there is little to no competition from other modes, unlike most other Shinkansen routes, 2. there is a speed restriction within the Nakayama Tunnel (160kmh) which would make speed up costly (more braking) on that portion of the route, and 3. JR East may just take the cost savings by keeping speeds the same but taking advantage of superior energy consumption of the E7 compared to older designs. As I have mentioned before, JR East and many other Japanese railways run their services according to the (attributed to German practice?) of "running not as fast as possible, but as fast as necessary".

[Densha]

Even so, improving speed on the Joetsu Shinkansen means that the timetables for all other Shinkansen trains running along the (Takasaki -) Omiya - Tokyo section can also be improved. Or at least that there are more possibilities created for extra services or better connections. It's all one big intertwined system. That said, I don't know whether the Joetsu Shinkansen itself is actually built for speeds higher than 240 km/h. According to Wikipedia it's not. Not to forget that I believe the ridership of the Joetsu Shinkansen isn't that high anway, just like the frequency of trains isn't. That could mean a lot of investments that might not be worth it.

[Robert46]

Are the passenger capacity of 12 car E7 similar with 8 car E4 or less? (Although I also noted sometimes 2 E4 trains are coupled together) If less than E4, then the improved speed could be aimed to add more frequency of operational trains running per day.

 

As I know the E7 had better acceleration on steep gradient which is good for Asama or Hokuriku service, but not sure if this advantage is also useful to Joetsu service.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Robert46

[JR 500系]

Are the passenger capacity of 12 car E7 similar with 8 car E4 or less? (Although I also noted sometimes 2 E4 trains are coupled together) If less than E4, then the improved speed could be aimed to add more frequency of operational trains running per day.

 

As I know the E7 had better acceleration on steep gradient which is good for Asama or Hokuriku service, but not sure if this advantage is also useful to Joetsu service.

 

Extracted from wiki:

 

The E4 seats a total of 817 for a 8-car consist:

 

while the E7 seats a total of 934 for a 12-car consist:

 

So I guess a 12 car E7 does carry more people than a 8-car E4.

 

Though E4s are sometimes coupled together, that would make 1634 passengers, which is the highest number of passengers for a high speed train in the world (according to wiki).... I do understand usually the E4s are coupled like Max Tanigawa and Max Toki which goes only as far as Gala Yuzawa and Niigata, with the Max Tanigawa splitting off at Echigo-Yuzawa station to head towards Gala Yuzawa and the Max Toki to head towards Niigata... I am interested though to know what arrangements would be made for this in the future when they retire the E4s...

Edited March 30, 2017 by JR 500系

[Suica]

Mhhhhm... 16 car E7 sets... :happy8: 

[Sacto1985]

I still think between Omiya and Takasaki, they could bump up the top speed to 260 km/h rather easily (no sharp curves except south of Takasaki Station and no tunnels, either). And that could result in faster transit times for both the limited-stop Toki service on the Jōetsu line and the limited stop Kagayaki service on the Hokuriku line.

[Das Steinkopf]

Sadly today heralds the end of E2 Asama services on the Joetsu Shinkansen which the Japan Times article failed to mention, we will be heading to Kanazawa in about a week and a halfs time and will be using a W7 so I won't get to see any of them in action, hopefully though I will get to see an E4 in action between Tokyo to Nagano.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Das Steinkopf

[Suica]

Sadly today heralds the end of E2 Asama services on the Joetsu Shinkansen which the Japan Times article failed to mention, we will be heading to Kanazawa in about a week and a halfs time and will be using a W7 so I won't get to see any of them in action, hopefully though I will get to see an E4 in action between Tokyo to Nagano.

The Asama is a Hokuriku Shinkansen train and therefore not mentioned in this article.

[trainsforever8]

I love the livery of the current E7 as well as the inside, but I hope that on another line they will look a bit different! 

[Sacto1985]

I'm not surprised the E2 Series trainsets are retiring. They're probably the oldest E2's built (built circa1996-1997 just before the start of what was then called the Nagano Shinkansen service) and the unusual gearing of those trains makes them not useful for other lines. I wonder will they be replaced by more Hakutaka service with E7 trainsets....