In service 26 March 2016 - Number built 40 vehicles (4 sets) Formation 10 cars per trainset | Constructed 2014–2015 Number in service 40 vehicles (4 sets) | |
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Manufacturer Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries | ||
The H5 series (H5系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type owned by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido) for use on Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen services since 26 March 2016. Based on the earlier E5 series trains, a total of four 10-car sets were built by Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries at a cost of approximately 18 billion yen. The first two sets were delivered in October 2014.
Contents
Operations
As of 26 March 2016, H5 series trainsets work in a pool with similar JR East E5 series trainsets, and are used on the following services on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen lines:
The H5 series is the first JR Hokkaido train type to use the "H" prefix, following the method used by JR East (with an "E" prefix).
Design
The H5 series is directly based on the E5 series trains operated by JR East on the Tohoku Shinkansen since 2011, and has an identical maximum operating speed of 320 km/h (200 mph), although this is limited to 260 km/h (160 mph) on the Hokkaido Shinkansen, and to 140 km/h (85 mph) on the dual gauge track extending through the undersea Seikan Tunnel connecting Hokkaido with mainland Honshu. All cars feature active suspension, and tilt by up 1.5 degrees through curves, allowing the maximum speed of 320 km/h to be maintained even on curves with a radius of 4,000 m. The units feature a number of cold-weather improvements, including an upgraded snowplow on the lead units, durable rubber to protect the various connections between cars and a stainless-steel underframe to protect the electronics (upgraded from the usual aluminium underframe protection for added durability).
Exterior
The exterior finish of the trains is similar to the JR East E5 series, with a colour scheme of "Tokiwa" (常盤) green for the upper body and "Hiun" (飛雲) white for the lower body, separated by a "Saika" (彩香) purple stripe intended to evoke images of lilac, lupin, and lavender flowers for which Hokkaido is famous. Bodyside logos are carried on cars 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10.
Interior
The trains have three classes of accommodation: premium Gran Class (car 10), Green class (car 9), and Ordinary class (cars 1 to 8).
Gran Class
Car 10 (at the northern end) is designated "Gran Class", featuring 18 seats arranged in 2+1 abreast configuration with a seat pitch of 1,300 mm (51.2 in). AC power outlets are provided for all seats. The carpet in the Gran Class car is blue with a pattern intended to evoke images of Hokkaido's sea and lakes.
Green car
Car 9 is designated as "Green car" (first class) accommodation with 55 seats arranged in 2+2 abreast configuration and a seat pitch of 1,160 mm (45.7 in). AC power outlets are provided for all seats. The carpet in the Green car is dark grey with a pattern depicting the ocean with fragments of drift ice.
Ordinary class
Ordinary class (cars 1 to 8) accommodation is arranged in 3+2 abreast configuration with a seat pitch of 1,040 mm (40.9 in). AC power outlets are provided for all seats. The interior of the ordinary-class cars is intended to evoke images of snow and the night view of Hakodate.
Formation
The 10-car sets, numbered "H1" onward, are formed with eight motored ("M") cars and two non-powered trailer ("T") cars. Car 1 is at the southern end. Cars 3 and 7 each have one N-PS208 single-arm pantograph.
History
Details of the new trains on order were announced by JR Hokkaido in April 2014. The first set, H1, was shipped from Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe to Hakodate Depot in October 2014. The second set was also delivered in October 2014.
In November 2014, JR Hokkaido officially announced details of the bodyside logos to be applied to the trains, combining an outline of Hokkaido with an image intended to portray the gyrfalcon native to Hokkaido.
Slow-speed test-running on the Hokkaido Shinkansen tracks within Hokkaido commenced from 1 December 2014, with the maximum speed of 260 km/h reached on 26 December. Test-running on the Tohoku Shinkansen south of Shin-Aomori commenced in November 2015.
Fleet history
As of 1 October 2015, the fleet is as follows.