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A Couple of Useful Pages

These Are My Favourite Trains

The first Shinkansen (English: New Trunk Line or Bullet Train) line, now the Tokaido San'yo line, was opened for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics after initially being suggested in the mid 1950's and earlier. The approval by the Japanese government came in 1958, meaning it was six years from start to the first train running on the line. It's not about the speed as such, although that is impressive, it is about the whole system.

Series What it looks like Came into service Left service Operating speed
(Max. Speed) Notes

0 0 Series 1^st Oct 1964 14^th Dec 2008 220km/h Used on the Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines.
This was never designated the zero series, that was applied retroactively.
Have I ridden on one? No, and never will.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

100 100 series 1^st Oct 1985 16^th Mar 2012 220km/h - 230km/h Used on the Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines.
Have I ridden on one? No, and never will.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

200 200 series 23^rd Jun 1982 14^th Apr 2013 240km/h - 275km/h Used on the Joetsu, Gala-Yazawa, Tokaido and San'yo lines.
Have I ridden on one? No, and never will.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

300 300 series 1^st Mar 1992 16^st Mar 2012 270km/h Used on the Tokaido and San'yo lines.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

400 400 series 1^st Jul 1992 18^th Apr 2010 240km/h Used on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines.
Have I ridden on one? No, and never will.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

500 500 series 1^st Mar 1997 Still operating 285km/h - 300km/h Used on the San'yo and Hakata-Minami lines.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

700 700 series 13^th Mar 1999 Still operating 270km/h Used on the San'yo and Hakata-Minami lines.
The rail-star was a variation of the 700 series. It had different livery.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

N700 N700 series 1^st Jul 2007 Still operating 260km/h - 300km/h Used on the Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines.
Externally all of the N700 variants look similar.
All N700 sets have been upgraded to an N700A.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

N700A N700A series 8^th Feb 2013 Still operating 260km/h - 300km/h Used on the Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines.
Externally all of the N700 variants look similar.
The 'A' stands for Advanced. They have improved cornering and brakes. If the "A" is the same size as the "N700", it was an advanced version from the start.
If the "A" is bigger than the "N700", it is an upgraded N700.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

N700S N700S series 1^st Jul 2020 Still operating 260km/h - 300km/h
(322km/h) Used on the Nishi Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines
Externally all of the N700 variants look similar.
The 'S' stands for Supreme. It is faster than the N700A.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

800 800 series 13^th Mar 2004 Still operating 260km/h - 300km/h Used on the Kyushu line.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

E1 E1 series 15^th Jul 1994 28^th Sep 2012 240km/h Used on the Tohoku and Joetsu lines.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

E2 E2 series 22^nd Mar 1997 Still operating 260km/h Used on the Tohoku line.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

E3 E3 series 22^nd Mar 1997 Still operating 275km/h Used on the Akita, Tohoku, Yamagata and Joetsu lines.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

E4 E4 series 20^th Dec 1997 17^th Oct 2021 240km/h Used on the Joetsu and Tohoku lines.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

E5 E5 series 2011 Still operating 320km/h Used on the Tohoku line.
The E5 and H5 were jointly developed for JR East and JR Hokkaido.
They will also be used in Mumbai-Ahmeddabad in 2026.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

H5 H5 series 2016 Still operating 320km/h Used on the Hokkaido line.
See E5 above.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

E6 E6 series 16^th Mar 2013 Still operating 320km/h Used on the Tohoku and Akita lines.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

E7 E7 series 15^th Mar 2014 Still operating 275km/h Used on the Hokuriku and Joetsu lines
The E7 and W7 where jointly developed for JR East and JR West.
Have I ridden on one? Yes.
Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.

W7 W7 series 14^th Mar 2015 Still operating 275km/h See E7 above.

E8 E8 series 16^th Mar 2024 Still operating 130km/h - 300km/h Used on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines.
Will slowly replace the E3.
130 km/h on the Yamagata mini shinkansen line.
300 km/h on the Tohoku shinkansen line.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

L0 L0 series Planned for 2027 for Nagoya, 2045 for Shinosaka. N/A 505km/h Will be used on the Chuo line.
Have I ridden on one? No.
Have I seen one in the wild? No.

Series	Came into service	Left service	Operating speed (Max. Speed)	Notes
0	1^st Oct 1964	14^th Dec 2008	220km/h	Used on the Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines. This was never designated the zero series, that was applied retroactively. Have I ridden on one? No, and never will. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
100	1^st Oct 1985	16^th Mar 2012	220km/h - 230km/h	Used on the Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines. Have I ridden on one? No, and never will. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
200	23^rd Jun 1982	14^th Apr 2013	240km/h - 275km/h	Used on the Joetsu, Gala-Yazawa, Tokaido and San'yo lines. Have I ridden on one? No, and never will. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
300	1^st Mar 1992	16^st Mar 2012	270km/h	Used on the Tokaido and San'yo lines. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
400	1^st Jul 1992	18^th Apr 2010	240km/h	Used on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines. Have I ridden on one? No, and never will. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
500	1^st Mar 1997	Still operating	285km/h - 300km/h	Used on the San'yo and Hakata-Minami lines. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
700	13^th Mar 1999	Still operating	270km/h	Used on the San'yo and Hakata-Minami lines. The rail-star was a variation of the 700 series. It had different livery. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
N700	1^st Jul 2007	Still operating	260km/h - 300km/h	Used on the Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines. Externally all of the N700 variants look similar. All N700 sets have been upgraded to an N700A. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
N700A	8^th Feb 2013	Still operating	260km/h - 300km/h	Used on the Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines. Externally all of the N700 variants look similar. The 'A' stands for Advanced. They have improved cornering and brakes. If the "A" is the same size as the "N700", it was an advanced version from the start. If the "A" is bigger than the "N700", it is an upgraded N700. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
N700S	1^st Jul 2020	Still operating	260km/h - 300km/h (322km/h)	Used on the Nishi Kyushu, Hakata-Minami, Tokaido and San'yo lines Externally all of the N700 variants look similar. The 'S' stands for Supreme. It is faster than the N700A. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
800	13^th Mar 2004	Still operating	260km/h - 300km/h	Used on the Kyushu line. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
E1	15^th Jul 1994	28^th Sep 2012	240km/h	Used on the Tohoku and Joetsu lines. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
E2	22^nd Mar 1997	Still operating	260km/h	Used on the Tohoku line. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
E3	22^nd Mar 1997	Still operating	275km/h	Used on the Akita, Tohoku, Yamagata and Joetsu lines. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
E4	20^th Dec 1997	17^th Oct 2021	240km/h	Used on the Joetsu and Tohoku lines. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
E5	2011	Still operating	320km/h	Used on the Tohoku line. The E5 and H5 were jointly developed for JR East and JR Hokkaido. They will also be used in Mumbai-Ahmeddabad in 2026. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
H5	2016	Still operating	320km/h	Used on the Hokkaido line. See E5 above. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
E6	16^th Mar 2013	Still operating	320km/h	Used on the Tohoku and Akita lines. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
E7	15^th Mar 2014	Still operating	275km/h	Used on the Hokuriku and Joetsu lines The E7 and W7 where jointly developed for JR East and JR West. Have I ridden on one? Yes. Have I seen one in the wild? Yes.
W7	14^th Mar 2015	Still operating	275km/h	See E7 above.
E8	16^th Mar 2024	Still operating	130km/h - 300km/h	Used on the Tohoku and Yamagata lines. Will slowly replace the E3. 130 km/h on the Yamagata mini shinkansen line. 300 km/h on the Tohoku shinkansen line. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? No.
L0	Planned for 2027 for Nagoya, 2045 for Shinosaka.	N/A	505km/h	Will be used on the Chuo line. Have I ridden on one? No. Have I seen one in the wild? No.

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