400 Series Shinkansen

Infobox EMU
name = 400 Series Shinkansen

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imagesize = 240px
caption = 400 Series Tsubasa Shinkansen at Yonezawa Station, March 2005
InService = 1992 - Present
Manufacturer = Kawasaki HI
Family =
Built = 84 vehicles (12 sets)
Refurbishment = 1999 - 2001
Formation = 7 cars per trainset
Operator = JR East
Depots = Yamagata
LinesServed = Tōhoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen
CarBody = Steel
CarLength = convert|20.5|m|abbr=on (intermediate cars), convert|22.825|m|0|abbr=on (end cars)
CarWidth = convert|2947|mm|0|abbr=on
CarHeight =
MaxSpeed = convert|240|km/h|abbr=on (Tōhoku Shinkansen), convert|130|km/h|abbr=on (Yamagata Shinkansen)
Weight =
Capacity = 399 (20 Green + 379 Standard)
"Before addition of 7th car:"
335 (20 Green + 315 Standard)
Acceleration = 1.6 km/h/s
Deceleration = 2.6 km/h/s
Traction = 24 x 210 kW
Power = 5.04 MW
Gauge = RailGauge|sg standard gauge
Voltage = 20/25 kV AC, 50 Hz overhead
Brakes =
SafetySystem = The 400 Series Shinkansen trainsets were introduced in 1992 for Japan's newest Shinkansen high-speed rail line at the time, the Yamagata Shinkansen branch from the main Tōhoku Shinkansen. They are collectively called the 'mini Shinkansen', since they feature large portions that were not newly purpose built Shinkansen lines but rather existing lines regauged to standard gauge and upgraded, to provide a cheaper solution than a massively expensive dedicated Shinkansen line built from scratch.

Clearances are much reduced compared to previous Shinkansen lines, and thus the 400 series units are much narrower than previous Shinkansen trains. At shinkansen stations (i.e. high-speed line stations), steps will extend from beneath the doors to bridge the otherwise wide gap between the trains and platforms. Seat pitch is also reduced in the non-reserved cars.

Styling wise, the 400 series is another to have an aircraft-style nose with a pointed nosecone. Originally they were painted a medium silver grey with a darker roof and area around the cab windows and underframe, but they were refurbished and repainted between 1999 and 2001, with a higher area of dark bluish-grey on the underside, coming up almost to the side windows, and separated from the silver grey with a green stripe. The dark grey on the roof and around the cab windows is gone.

They were originally six car sets, but a seventh car was added in 1995 to each to reflect increased popularity of these services.

The fleet of twelve 400 series trains will be withdrawn between December 2008 and summer 2009 to be replaced by a new build of E3 series derivatives. [cite press release| url=http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2007_1/20070705.pdf| format=PDF| title=山形新幹線「つばさ」用車両の新造について| language=Japanese| publisher=JR East| date=2007-07-03| accessdate=2008-08-01| ]

References

External links

* [http://www.jreast.co.jp/train/shinkan/400.html 400 Series "Tsubasa/Nasuno"] ja icon