New E10 Shinkansen Announced!

[cplchanb]

https://soranews24.com/2025/03/04/new-shinkansen-design-unveiled-bullet-train-exterior-includes-cherry-blossom-easter-egg/

 

https://railway-news.com/east-japan-railway-company-introduces-e10-shinkansen-train/

New E10 Shinkansen for JR East! 2027 first set and 2030 ET entry to service. 

Edited March 4 by cplchanb

[Lessigen]

Love the colours, but feels a bit too dark for the general look of Shinkansen trains. Feels like it needs some white or a lighter colour.

Also love some of the similarities to the ALFA-X and E5 both in terms of design and colour scheme: https://cdn-ak.f.st-hatena.com/images/fotolife/g/gyykgkw/20240820/20240820185928_original.jpg

Edited March 4 by Lessigen

[brill27mcb]

Looks like an AI-generated image to me, especially the sleepers and rails.

 

Rich K.

[Steve]

There is a saying about Cargo-Only Cars for that new JR East Trains.

[kuro68000]

11 hours ago, brill27mcb said:

Looks like an AI-generated image to me, especially the sleepers and rails.

 

Rich K.

 

The one in the second article is definitely AI generated. The track isn't grade separated. No official image would show it like that!

[Lessigen]

6 hours ago, kuro68000 said:

 

The one in the second article is definitely AI generated. The track isn't grade separated. No official image would show it like that!

 

Unfortunately, they use that exact image on the UK firm's press release 😱

There's also a video animation in there that uses the same set as the image

https://tangerine.net/thoughts/east-japan-railway-company-unveils-e10-shinkansen-train-designed-by-uk-consultancy-tangerine

[RS18U]

14 hours ago, Steve said:

There is a saying about Cargo-Only Cars for that new JR East Trains.

Seems like the cargo only trains will be retired E-3's, and the service will start this fall.  See at the end of this NHK article:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250305_B04/

[Bigdog]

On 3/6/2025 at 8:40 AM, RS18U said:

Seems like the cargo only trains will be retired E-3's, and the service will start this fall.  See at the end of this NHK article:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250305_B04/

I’m quite surprised the top operating speed will still be 320km/h. I thought after the Alpha X and even the previous Fastech 360 trials they were going for 360km/h and aiming for a sub 4 hour Sapporo timing. 

[Wolf]

Pretty sure its what the track is allowed with passengers, not what the train can do. Afaik the E5 went into service with a max 300, and got allowed to 320 later when the track was cleared for that speed. I would not be surprised to see same here.

[Ander88]

In Spain several tests where carried out to increase from 300 to 320 and 350 km/h. One of the first problems found was that above 320 km/h ballast stones started to fly off when trains went over them. They tested changing the ballast type, lowering the ballast level, etc. which had quite good results. Japanese are much more inventive and persevering so I believe if this was the problem they will sure find a solution.

 

However I remember reading that one of the conclusions was that the additional power consumption needed for 350km/h did not really have a high benefit in travel times since very little parts of the journey could be done at 350 and by the time the train reached that speed it needed to start stopping in the next station. Those of you who better now the line and services can better know if this may be a factor.

[Wolf]

Wikipedia EN sais the track is aimed to be certified by 2027 for 360km/h. At least the part thats 320 certified I assume.

[351Kaisoku]

Apologies if I'm late on this, only just heard the news.

 

Does anyone know why it isn't called the E9 Series?

I've done some searching and I haven't found anything in English about why JR East have broken the pattern like this.

[katoftw]

The E956 is a test mule.  So E10 was next.

[Lessigen]

Further to what katoftw said, I don't believe there was an officially stated reason for why JR East decided on E10 instead of E9. That said, JR East operates the E926 Series (East-i) and the E956 Series (ALFA-X) as a diagnostics and test bed train respectively. My conjecture is that they didn't want to confuse the train numbering of car numbers within a supposed E9 series; for example the E8 Series has cars numbered E811 and E821 (the head-ends) so that might make it confusing.