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E3 Series Shinkansen
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E3 Series Shinkansen
The E3 series (Japanese: E3系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built for Komachi services introduced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with the opening of the new Akita Shinkansen, a so-called "mini-Shinkansen" line formed by regauging the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge. Later variants of the E3 series were introduced for Tsubasa services on the Yamagata Shinkansen. Both mini-Shinkansen routes connect with the Tōhoku Shinkansen, providing through services to and from Tokyo.
The design of the E3 series was overseen by industrial designer Kenji Ekuan.
Like the earlier 400 series, the E3 series was built to a smaller loading gauge than standard Shinkansen trains. Although the track gauge on the mini-Shinkansen routes was converted to standard gauge, platform positions were not altered, resulting in tighter clearances that restrict the width and length of each car. To compensate for the narrower car bodies, the trains are fitted with retractable gap fillers that flip up at standard Shinkansen stations to bridge the gap between the train and the platform.
Before the S8 set was converted to the R1 set, the bogies were bolsterless DT207 (motor car) and TR7005 (trailer car), and the basic structure was the same as that of the 400 series. The wheel diameter was 860 mm, the wheelbase was 2,250 mm, and the axle box support was a support plate type. From the mass-produced cars 2nd generation and onwards, the suffixes are DT207A (motor bogie) and TR7005A (trailer bogie). However, the motor bogies of the 0 (R sets) and 1000 series 5th to 7th series and the 2000 series are DT207B, and the trailer bogies of the 0 and 1000 series 5th to 7th series are TR7005B. The gear ratio is 3.04.
From spring 2014 to mid 2016 the remaining fleet of 15 E3-1000 and E3-2000 series sets used on Tsubasa services were gradually repainted into a new livery designed by industrial designer and Yamagata native Ken Okuyama, intended to reflect the landscape and cultural identity of Yamagata Prefecture. The body is finished in white, symbolising the snow of Mount Zaō; deep purple, inspired by the Mandarin duck, the prefectural bird of Yamagata; and accents of red and yellow derived from the safflower, the prefectural flower. This same livery was applied to the later E8 series which is slated to replace the E3. On 11 February 2023, as the E3 series neared retirement, one set was repainted as a heritage unit in the original silver and green livery.
A pre-series 5-car set, numbered S8, was delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries to Sendai Depot in March 1995 for extensive testing. It was modified to full-production specifications in March 1997 ahead of the start of Akita Shinkansen services.
Until it was augmented to six cars in 1998, the pre-series was formed as follows, with scissors-type pantographs on cars 12, 13, and 14. Set R1 was withdrawn following its final revenue run on 20 July 2013.
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. A total of 26 Akita Shinkansen sets were in service by the end of 2005. Sets R1 to R16 were leased by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) from the owning company, Akita Shinkansen Sharyō Hoyū (秋田新幹線車両保有(株); lit. 'Akita Shinkansen Rolling Stock Co., Ltd.'), a third-sector company jointly owned by JR East and Akita Prefecture. This lease ended on 21 March 2010 with the dissolution of Akita Shinkansen Sharyō Hoyū.
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E3 Series Shinkansen AI simulator
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E3 Series Shinkansen
The E3 series (Japanese: E3系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built for Komachi services introduced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with the opening of the new Akita Shinkansen, a so-called "mini-Shinkansen" line formed by regauging the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge. Later variants of the E3 series were introduced for Tsubasa services on the Yamagata Shinkansen. Both mini-Shinkansen routes connect with the Tōhoku Shinkansen, providing through services to and from Tokyo.
The design of the E3 series was overseen by industrial designer Kenji Ekuan.
Like the earlier 400 series, the E3 series was built to a smaller loading gauge than standard Shinkansen trains. Although the track gauge on the mini-Shinkansen routes was converted to standard gauge, platform positions were not altered, resulting in tighter clearances that restrict the width and length of each car. To compensate for the narrower car bodies, the trains are fitted with retractable gap fillers that flip up at standard Shinkansen stations to bridge the gap between the train and the platform.
Before the S8 set was converted to the R1 set, the bogies were bolsterless DT207 (motor car) and TR7005 (trailer car), and the basic structure was the same as that of the 400 series. The wheel diameter was 860 mm, the wheelbase was 2,250 mm, and the axle box support was a support plate type. From the mass-produced cars 2nd generation and onwards, the suffixes are DT207A (motor bogie) and TR7005A (trailer bogie). However, the motor bogies of the 0 (R sets) and 1000 series 5th to 7th series and the 2000 series are DT207B, and the trailer bogies of the 0 and 1000 series 5th to 7th series are TR7005B. The gear ratio is 3.04.
From spring 2014 to mid 2016 the remaining fleet of 15 E3-1000 and E3-2000 series sets used on Tsubasa services were gradually repainted into a new livery designed by industrial designer and Yamagata native Ken Okuyama, intended to reflect the landscape and cultural identity of Yamagata Prefecture. The body is finished in white, symbolising the snow of Mount Zaō; deep purple, inspired by the Mandarin duck, the prefectural bird of Yamagata; and accents of red and yellow derived from the safflower, the prefectural flower. This same livery was applied to the later E8 series which is slated to replace the E3. On 11 February 2023, as the E3 series neared retirement, one set was repainted as a heritage unit in the original silver and green livery.
A pre-series 5-car set, numbered S8, was delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries to Sendai Depot in March 1995 for extensive testing. It was modified to full-production specifications in March 1997 ahead of the start of Akita Shinkansen services.
Until it was augmented to six cars in 1998, the pre-series was formed as follows, with scissors-type pantographs on cars 12, 13, and 14. Set R1 was withdrawn following its final revenue run on 20 July 2013.
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. A total of 26 Akita Shinkansen sets were in service by the end of 2005. Sets R1 to R16 were leased by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) from the owning company, Akita Shinkansen Sharyō Hoyū (秋田新幹線車両保有(株); lit. 'Akita Shinkansen Rolling Stock Co., Ltd.'), a third-sector company jointly owned by JR East and Akita Prefecture. This lease ended on 21 March 2010 with the dissolution of Akita Shinkansen Sharyō Hoyū.
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