New Type : JR East E6 Shinkansen

[scott]

Umm....well.....the interior looks very nice....  :-P

[to2leo]

Yes I do like the First class colour schemes, second class can do better.

[disturbman]

I'm allways stupefied to see how small shinkansen's windows are. I don't understand why Japanese don't take advantage of the fact that trains unlike planes don't need to be pressurized and can therefore offer larger windows.

[clem24]

I'm allways stupefied to see how small shinkansen's windows are. I don't understand why Japanese don't take advantage of the fact that trains unlike planes don't need to be pressurized and can therefore offer larger windows.

 

One thing that I've noticed is that each successive generation of Shinkansen gets smaller and smaller windows, with the N700 having windows that look like airplane windows, which also seems to correlate with maximum speed of a particular train. I have a feeling that this has to do with minimizing interior noise. There's also the issue of micro-pressure waves or something as a train enters a tunnel (I remember there was mention of it in a documentary somewhere) and this causes pressure changes within the cabin. But the Hitachi page says the solution is through different nose designs..

 

http://www.hitachi-rail.com/products/rv/high_speed/index.html

[scott]

Shinkansen, 2032:

[NozomiFan]

Man, these things are just stupid.... I feel like that their trying to copy some sort of 80's concept car.

 

But... that crimson E6 looks great. MUST GET!

[Mudkip Orange]

Shinkansen, 2032:

 

 

 

windows are too big.

[to2leo]

Shinkansen, 2032:

 

 

 

windows are too big.

 

No no no windows are so yesterday!

[disturbman]

JR-East prepares to test Series E6

 

JAPAN: East Japan Railway confirmed in February that it expects to take delivery in July of its first pre-production Series E6 mini-shinkansen trainset, designed for 320 km/h operation on the Tohoku Shinkansen route. The train will undergo an extensive testing and commissioning programme before entering revenue service in March 2013

 

Like the Series E5 trains now being delivered, which are derived from the Fastech 360S experimental trainset, the Series E6 is derived from the small-profile Fastech 360Z. The seven-car trains will be phased in during March 2013, replacing all of the current six-car Series E3 trainsets used on Komachi services between Tokyo and Akita by March 2014.

 

The Series E6 are intended to run in multiple with the Series E5 sets between Tokyo and Morioka, in the same way as the Series E3s now run coupled to the Series E2-1000 sets used on Tohoku Shinkansen services to Hachinohe.

 

The increase from six to seven cars per set will allow the use of a longer nose whilst retaining the same seating capacity. The 22·8 m long end cars will have 13 m long noses compared to the 6 m noses used on Series E3. Each 148 m long trainset will have five motor and two trailer cars, accommodating 315 Standard and 23 Green Class passengers.

 

To enable smoother operation at high speed, the Series E6 sets will have active suspensions incorporating 1·5° of tilt. However, the maximum speed on the mini-shinkansen section between Morioka and Akita will remain at 130 km/h. The trains are expected to start running at 300 km/h in 2013, but the planned increase to 320 km/h from March 2014 will allow Tokyo –Akita journey times to be cut by between 10 and 15 min.

 

According to JR-East, the external styling of the Series E6 was overseen by industrial designer Ken Okuyama, and is intended to evoke images of the Namahage demons and kantō festival lanterns traditional in Akita Prefecture. The livery will be mainly white, with a crimson roof and silver stripes along the bodyside.

 

As with earlier mini-shinkansen trains, 2+2 seating will be provided in both Standard and Green class cars. Seat pitch will be 1 160 mm in Green class and 980 mm in standard class, as with the E3s. The new trains will offer the power outlets at all seats, and interior CCTV security cameras which are being introduced with Series E5.

From the Gazette Railway: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/jr-east-prepares-to-test-series-e6.html

[Guest ___]

Sadly the E6 appears as everybit as ugly IMO as the E5 does. I'd love to see a new pretty E-series train. Still, guess, any new shinkansen is welcomed.

[bikkuri bahn]

East Japan Railway confirmed in February that it expects to take delivery in July of its first pre-production Series E6 mini-shinkansen trainset

 

Goody :happy4:

Perhaps I'll be able to see it on display at the next Sendai Depot Open House this summer, if the stars are aligned right.

[CaptOblivious]

Unlike the E5, I really dig the E6's colors. The two together should be really striking.

[Mudkip Orange]

The E6 would look AWESOME coupled to the E3, but of course that will never happen.

[alpineaustralia]

Extracts from the JR East website

 

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/press/20100201/index.html

 

Comparison with the E3 Komachi that the E6 will be replacing:

 

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/press/20100201/pdf/attachment1and2.pdf

[bikkuri bahn]

As reported previously on the Skyscrapercity Forum, an E6 trainset has begun preliminary testing within the confines of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Hyogo Plant.

 

click on the large red script to see raw video:

 

http://rail-uploader.khz-net.com/index.php?&id=874355

 

these pictures of the front of the trainset appear to be taken within the factory itself:

 

http://9229.teacup.com/stsu8676/bbs/671

[Nozomi]

…what a spicy red!!

 

the perfect transportation for red nose day!

[to2leo]

Not the worst I expected, I think it might grow on me.  Thanks for the updates!

[bikkuri bahn]

Not the worst I expected, I think it might grow on me.  Thanks for the updates!

 

The more compact loading gauge making it narrower and (?) a bit higher (compared to the E5), and most importantly, the paint job helps things, IMO.

[Kabutoni]

I like the placement of the front lights. Gives the train a more 'human' look, rather then just a machine of speed. Yeah, this is much, much better than that flashy E5

[Guest ___]

Ugh, the E6 is as every bit as ugly as the E5. How could a train as cool as the FasTech turn in to this mess!?  ???

[miyakoji]

Ugh, the E6 is as every bit as ugly as the E5. How could a train as cool as the FasTech turn in to this mess!?    ???

Although I agree with Bikkuri above that the livery on this helps a lot, in general, yeah, it's not really an attractive machine.  However, it was written elsewhere that the heinous nose on these is not aesthetic (or the opposite of!) and serves to lessen boom when entering or exiting tunnels.

 

As this model is meant to work on the mini-shinkansen lines, is the loading gauge narrow enough to let it be pulled east on JR's conventional lines?  I believe I saw pics of Keisei's new AE cars on temporary trucks (karidaisha 仮台車) of 3'6" gauge to be pulled to Keisei's property.

[bikkuri bahn]

Yes, I figure since these are built to Mini-shinkansen loading gauge, any ferry moves can take place over the 1067mm network, much like the E3 series were.  If so, railfans will get more eyeball time before official unveiling (and chances to video and post to YT) than say, the E5, which was ferried by boat and then low flatbed trailer to its depot.

 

E3 ferry move on the Yokosuka Line:

 

 

At Omiya Station:

 

 

*notice the bogies: appear to be container flat types (TR223F?)

[bikkuri bahn]

As scooped by member quashlo a couple of days ago on the English language internets, a three car portion of the new Akita Shinkansen E6 trainset was unloaded at Sendai port on the 8th.

 

This blog has numerous views:

http://noriyuki.cocolog-nifty.com/s/2010/06/e617-e621-5b4a.html

 

Video:

http://www.47news.jp/movie/general/post_5253/

[to2leo]

The more I look at it, the more I am liking it.  I wish the next double deck Shinkansen will use a similar design.

[bikkuri bahn]

Nocturnal movement by truck tractor from Sendai Port to depot at Rifu-cho (June 10/11).

Cars 15 & 16:

 

Lead car 17: