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New Type : JR East E6 Shinkansen


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Very cool video.  The caption for it seems to refer to the "SL Tsubasa" (Steam Locomotive Tsubasa). Was that loco used for the Tsubasa limited express before the 485 was adopted c. 1961? Japanese wikipedia seems to indicate the named train existed since the 20's, so that seems likely, but they don't list any steam motive power.

 

Anyway, it's really cool to see a Shinkansen and a steam locomotive running parallel to each other.

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No that's the name of the steam locomotive special in the video.  The ltd. express Tsubasa was never hauled behind steam- the service under that name began with the autumn 1961 timetable revision, as a ltd. express on the Akita-Ueno route via the Ou Mainline.  The rolling stock was kiha 80 dmus, then in 1970 kiha 181 dmus, and 485 series emus from 1975. Actually before the 1960's there were very few ltd. express services outside of the Tokaido corridor- the general populace just didn't have the wherewithal to afford such "luxury" travel then.

 

Ou Mainline circa 1978:

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Hhhmmm interesting...

 

Since there is so much hype over the recent E6 Super Komachi, Here's a tribute video to the former E3 Komachi:

 

 

Komachi!

What really interest me is; the Komachi in a 5-car set run? I thought E3 Komachi is 6-car set?  ???

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You know, some times wikipedia can hold answers too: "The full-production trainsets built from 1996 for the Akita Shinkansen were 5-car sets, but sixth cars were added by the end of 1998." ;)

 

Where does that video come from? JR East?

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Actually before the 1960's there were very few ltd. express services outside of the Tokaido corridor- the general populace just didn't have the wherewithal to afford such "luxury" travel then.

 

If I remember correctly, the only places that had "limited express" services up until the 1960's were the Tokaido Main Line, San'yo Main Line and Tohoku Main Line--mostly because they connected all the major cities on Honshu, so there was enough ridership to justify the higher cost of a limited express ticket.

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Hhhmmm interesting...

 

Since there is so much hype over the recent E6 Super Komachi, Here's a tribute video to the former E3 Komachi:

 

 

Komachi!

What really interest me is; the Komachi in a 5-car set run? I thought E3 Komachi is 6-car set?  ???

You know, some times wikipedia can hold answers too: "The full-production trainsets built from 1996 for the Akita Shinkansen were 5-car sets, but sixth cars were added by the end of 1998." ;)

I never knew that, very interesting to see a 5-car Shinkansen.

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...the only places that had "limited express" services up until the 1960's were the Tokaido Main Line, San'yo Main Line and Tohoku Main Line...

 

Indeed, in autumn of 1958 the Sanyo Main Line and Tohoku Main Line each hosted one daily daytime limited express R/T service- the Kamome from Kyoto to Hakata, and the Hatsukari from Ueno to Aomori.  The speed-up of JNR services really began in earnest with the introduction of more limited express services in the Oct. 1961 timetable revision- the famous san-roku-to (Showa 36.10) timetable.  Of course, even then the public could choose from a slew of slower (but more affordable) express services.

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The speed-up of JNR services really began in earnest with the introduction of more limited express services in the Oct. 1961 timetable revision- the famous san-roku-to (Showa 36.10) timetable.  Of course, even then the public could choose from a slew of slower (but more affordable) express services.

 

Was this because of the wider availability of the 151 Series EMU trainsets, a treinset model that were originally assigned to run between Tokyo and Osaka on the original Kodama limited express train?

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Yes, that was partly a reason, in addition the introduction of kiha 81/82 ltd. express dmus sped services up on non-electrified routes. Regular and express services were sped up as well, with the gradual replacement of emus with axle hung motors with flexible cardan shaft motors.  Apparently with the timetable revision, the number of passenger trains by 1962 doubled on the Tokaido Main Line, and passenger loading was running at 94% capacity. Overall 18 limited express services were expanded to 58 nationwide, laying a basis for a national network of ltd. express services.

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The first image (moving or static) I've seen of multiple E6's at work:

 

 

I had no idea that there were already full-productions units delivered, but wikipedia states so: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6_Series_Shinkansen#Fleet_list

I'm wondering why the change from Kawasaki to Hitachi after the Z3?

 

I've also been wondering why there's one car that has about 1/3 of the car without windows...

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I had no idea that there were already full-productions units delivered, but wikipedia states so: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E6_Series_Shinkansen#Fleet_list

I'm wondering why the change from Kawasaki to Hitachi after the Z3?

 

I've also been wondering why there's one car that has about 1/3 of the car without windows...

I think as that list fills in you'll see it alternates between manufacturers. As for the car missing some windows, it's probably a bathroom and a conductor's room.

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Correct.  E5 + E6

 

E6 replace E3.

E5 replace E2.

 

I notice great noise when E6 is braking at station, particularly at 9:20 time on video.  Let's hope it is temporary.

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Correct.  E5 + E6

 

E6 replace E3.

E5 replace E2.

 

I notice great noise when E6 is braking at station, particularly at 9:20 time on video.  Let's hope it is temporary.

 

The squealing is typical of new brake pads they should bed in after a while and should not make such noise once bedded in.

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www.hyperdia .com shows that the Super Komachi comes into service today.

Edited by Eisenbahn
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YouTube member raraemondayo777 just posted a full-length video of riding the Super Komachi on the new E6 Series trainset from Tokyo to Akita:

 

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