End of an era, 200系retires from Tohoku Shinkansen (18.11.2011)

[200系]

Today (actually yesterday, as it's the 19th already in Japan), with Nasuno 269 ariving in Tokyo, came an end to 29+ years of 200系 service on the Tohoku Shinkansen.

 

With the continued delivery of E5 sets, and after almost a year delay due to the horrible Tohoku earthquake of last march, JR East was finaly able to push the elderly 200系 (the youngest car being 26 years old, the oldest 29.5) of the Tohoku Shinkansen. While the 200系 will remain on the Joetsu Shinkansen for the time being, there is no indication as for how long this will last, and concidering the age of the remaining sets I gather this wont last that long anymore either.

 

the 200系 sets that made it to the end where all K sets, modernized between 1999 and 2001 in order to extend their life for another 10 years, it would eventualy turn out to be more..

The K sets themself where formed as 8 car sets from 1990 on, they where to run with the upcomming 400系 so in order to accomplish that, their type 222's (end car, Morika side) where fitted with a retractable nose coupler. Also changed was the rebuilding of a type 237 into a type 225 (remains recognizable due to the shortned passenger section compared to a regular 225). in 1997 due to increased demand, 2 extra cars where added to the formation (type 225 and 226) turning them into the 10 car formations as we know them today. most of the K sets where former F sets (Sub-type 1000 and 1500), but sets K1-K11 also had former E set cars mixed in (only K21 survives of these)

the following sets made it till the end:

 

-K21 (made up from sets: E30,F4 and F18) cars 2-4 and 7-9 are originaly from set E30 (delivered on 30/3/1982) and are therefore the oldest still running 200系 cars, and have the longest service life of any Shinkansen set till now.

-K26 (F7,F9 and F15)

-K41 (F1)

-K42 (F2)

-K43 (F3)

-K44 (F10)

-K46 (F12)

-K47 (F13) "Revival colours"

-K48 (F15)

-K49 (F18)

-K51 (F21)

 

K25 is the only renewalled set that didn't make it till the end, as this Set derailed during an earthquake in 2004 and was damaged beyond economical repair in the process.

If K25 had survived, it would have been the oldest running Shinkansen, as one it's type 225's (a rebuild 237) was from set E28, predating set E30 by about a month.

 

sorry for the long post, but the 200系 means a lot to me, so I thought she deserved this (condensed) history section.

 

press(japanese):

 

http://mainichi.jp/norimai/train/graph/tohoku200kei/

http://yoshihiexp.jugem.jp/?eid=1405

[bikkuri bahn]

Thanks for the write-up.  I'm glad I could catch a ride on the 200 series a couple of times these last few years (Sendai-Tokyo, after going to the open house at the shinkansen depot at Rifu-Cho).  This winter holiday I'm thinking of going to Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen, will definitely select a 200 series for that.

[bikkuri bahn]

Nasuno 269 arrival and departure at Utsunomiya.  Action starts half way through the clip (why don't people edit before posting??).

 

[Mr Frosty]

I still think the older trains look better than the newer ones.

[KenS]

Don't apologize for such an excellent and informative post.

 

While I'm not a big fan of the 200, it's sad to see any train retire that's provided service over such a long period. And I'm glad to be able to learn a little bit about it.

[keitaro]

I like older too! As for all types emu dmu all look better than alot of the more recent modern units.

 

Though i do like the e5 quirky look and some newer models.

 

So glad i got the ma 200 on order.

 

That will make

1 * 200

2 * 100

1 * 0

[The_Ghan]

I like older too! As for all types emu dmu all look better than alot of the more recent modern units.

 

Though i do like the e5 quirky look and some newer models.

 

So glad i got the ma 200 on order.

 

That will make

1 * 200

2 * 100

1 * 0

 

Yup, the original rounded nose is better.  I've got the MA 25th anniversary edition.  Gorgeous.

 

K, I thought you had more shinkansen than that!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[jappomania]

I hope only that one renewed head car will be preserved, all the shark nose 200-200 and 200-2000 and all the DD cars was withdrawn and cut up like the Fastech prototype, we loose a piece of history...

After 2012 only long and duck nose on duty, in only 4 years a complete revolution, too much "sayonara run" (Zero, 400, and soon 100, 200 and 300  )

 

ciao

Massimo

[keitaro]

I like older too! As for all types emu dmu all look better than alot of the more recent modern units.

 

Though i do like the e5 quirky look and some newer models.

 

So glad i got the ma 200 on order.

 

That will make

1 * 200

2 * 100

1 * 0

 

Yup, the original rounded nose is better.  I've got the MA 25th anniversary edition.  Gorgeous.

 

K, I thought you had more shinkansen than that!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

i do just mentioning the old greats

[Guest ___]

I hate to see the 200's go since that was the only series I had ever been on before. I agree with the other sentiments about how craptacular the newer shinkansens look. The 200's were the last to actually look like a, "bullet" whereas the newer units look more like a cross between a shoe and a dusk's head. I get the reasoning behind the newer designs, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. Sometimes, I think the inspiration for the new units came from a drunken night out consisting of JR management, and industrial engineers who got trashed off of mixing Listerine with shochu, and end up spending the night watching the original BBC mini-series of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

[miyakoji]

a drunken night out consisting of JR management, and industrial engineers who got trashed off of mixing Listerine with shochu, and end up spending the night watching the original BBC mini-series of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

:laugh:

[miyakoji]

Ah, if I ever manage to get some guys from JR Central and Nippon Sharyo to an izakaya or karaoke bar, I'll definitely try the part with the shochu and listerine!!!

[The_Ghan]

The 400 series still look alright.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[The_Ghan]

Keitaro,

 

Ahh ... oldies but goodies ... here's my line-up then:

 

0-2000 Kato 10-453/4 16-car set - Tokaido/Sanyo

0-7000 Tomix 92752 6-car set - JR-West Sanyo Fresh Green - I love this colour scheme

100 Kato 10-354/5/6 16-car set - Grand Hikari

100 Tomix 92755 6-car set - Sanyou Built Fresh Green

200-1500  MicroAce A1596/7 10-car set - the Renewal 25^th anniversary limited edition

200-2000  Tomix 92625+2824, 2825, 2826, 2830 - 16-car set

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[jappomania]

The 400 series still look alright.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

but was already withdrawn and cut up  (one L3 head car was preserved but I'm not sure if survive..)

 

ciao

Massimo

[200系]

Thanks everyone for the possitive reactions, glad to read my write up was appreciated!

 

Thanks for the write-up.  I'm glad I could catch a ride on the 200 series a couple of times these last few years (Sendai-Tokyo' date=' after going to the open house at the shinkansen depot at Rifu-Cho).  This winter holiday I'm thinking of going to Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen, will definitely select a 200 series for that.[/quote']

 

I can imagine that! One of the reassons I took a short (first) trip to Japan this may, instead of a longer one in a few years, was their imminent retirement. I'm glad I still got to see them up close, and get a evening Yamabiko ride on Set K21 from Utsunomya to Tokyo, I would say the best train ride in my life (bittersweet though, knowing it would be my first and only ride on the 200系).

Thanks for correcting me though, it was indeed a Nasuno service, and not a Yamabiko as I previously stated.

 

I hope only that one renewed head car will be preserved' date=' all the shark nose 200-200 and 200-2000 and all the DD cars was withdrawn and cut up like the Fastech prototype, we loose a piece of history...[/quote']

 

I hope so too. I can however understand the reassoning for not presserving the 2000番台 and 200番台, they where after all just a verry small subfleet within the (at that moment) verry large 200系 fleet (6 H-sets and a couple of F-sets with 200番台 221/222's, right?) and had a short service life compared to the "standard" nose (less then 20 years) 0番台, 1000番台 and 1500番台 fleets, not to mention appart from the 100系 style Shark nose, they where iddentical to the standard 200系 vehicles (appart from the type 248/249, which where nearly iddentical to the 100系 DD cars, as far as I know). However, it should be possible (in theory) to reconstruct a 200番台 should there be a desire to do so, as the 200番台 was simply a surplus 0番台 type 225 reconstructed into a type 221/222 by adding a Shark nose. so in theory, by using a K set type 225 and adding a donor 100系 nose (minus the pilot) you could still create a 200番台 (the same way JR West created the 100系5000番台 by adding a nose from a non-powered 121/122 onto a powered coach). wouldn't happen offcourse, but it's nice to dream from time to time. What I can't understand though, is that they didn't preserve the 200系 prototype, class 962, later known as class 925 or Docter Yellow (east).

 

Another type that unfortunatly hasn't been preserved is a 0系1000番台, at least not as a complete car. Taiwan has a rebuild 1000番台: 21-5035, but it's in terrible condition.

 

The 200's were the last to actually look like a' date=' "bullet"..[/quote']

 

Not trying to single you out (as I agree with the rest of your post ) but I asume you consider the 100系 as a bullet as well?

If so, I'd say the 100系 is actually the last evolution of the 0系 styling, why? verry simple because the 200系 was actually build before the 100系.

The 200系 was build from 1980 (prototype was build in 1979, excluding the test sets 951 and 952 which helped define the 200系 nose design) till 1986, while the 100系 was build between 1985 and 1992 (with the majority of sets being build in the period between 1988 and 1992 after the JNR dissolvement). I've always thought this was common knowledge around here, but i've decided to place it here anyway, just in case .

 

Speaking about the 100系, the last of the 4 Car P sets retired earlier this month too, it's now down to the 6 car K sets (9 left AFAIK).

 

 

to go back to the 200系:

 

Set K48 was retired on the 19th as it was comming up for it's yearly inspection, which marks the first (non-accident) withdrawel of a renewalled set. The 10 remaining K sets will all be used for the Joetsu Shinkansen. In the comming year sets will probably be retired on a set by set basis, whenever one comes up for it's annual inspection, this however is not certain as Set K42 went trough it's inspection yesterday!

 

source(japanese): http://www.kitanet.ne.jp/~joyfact/series200_news.html

[keitaro]

The 400 series still look alright.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

 

I dissagree It looks terrible I absoloutely hate the front makes me puke worst nose ever

 

Shame on you Ghan :p

 

it's almost as bad as this thing ....

 

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Shinkansen_500-900

 

so glad the 500 worked out the way it did

[The_Ghan]

You do a lot of puking sometimes keitaro!

 

I prefer the 400 to the E2 or E3 ... but it may be something to do with the colour schemes.  I prefer the pointy nose of the 400 to the E3's wedgie too !!!  But I wasn't raving over the 400, just saying it looks "alright". 

 

Reputation remains intact ... 

 

Ah ... the WIN350 ... I always thought they got the idea for the cockpit off Thunderbirds!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

fair enough i shall let it slip this time 

 

the win350 kinda to me looks deflated but yeah i agree on the thunderbirds 

[bikkuri bahn]

The 10 remaining K sets will all be used for the Joetsu Shinkansen.

 

Yep, took a 200 series Toki service Niigata-Tokyo last month, few service diagrams with that type, you have a long wait for another 200 series service if you miss one, what with E4 dominance on the Joetsu Line.

[linkey]

The 10 remaining K sets will all be used for the Joetsu Shinkansen.

 

Yep, took a 200 series Toki service Niigata-Tokyo last month, few service diagrams with that type, you have a long wait for another 200 series service if you miss one, what with E4 dominance on the Joetsu Line.

 

But isn't there word that the E4's are not far away to be retired as well?