The E4 series (E4系) was a high-speed Shinkansenelectric multiple unit train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. They were the second series of completely bi-level Shinkansen trainsets to be built in Japan (the other being the E1 series). They previously operated on the Tōhoku and Jōetsu Shinkansen, and occasionally on the Nagano Shinkansen. E4 series trains feature double-decker cars to accommodate additional commuter traffic around Tokyo and other urban areas.[1] They were often coupled to 400 series trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Fukushima before the latter retired in April 2010 along with the E3 series trains until September 2012. The last trains of the E4 series were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021.
Two eight-car sets can be coupled together for extra capacity: a sixteen-car E4 series formation trainset carries a total of 1,634 seated passengers, the highest-capacity high-speed rail trainset in the world.[2]
26 units were built between 1997 and 2003. As with the earlier E1 series trains, maximum speed was 240 km/h (150 mph).
Formation
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Designation
T1c
M1
M2
T
Tk
Mp
Ms
Tpsc
Numbering
E453-100
E455-100
E456-100
E458
E459-200
E455
E446
E444
Seating capacity
75
133
119
124
110
122
91
43
Cars 4 and 6 were each equipped with a PS201 pantograph.[3]
Variants
Sets P51 and P52, delivered in January and February 2001 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of the Nagano Shinkansen for use on services to Karuizawa.[3]
Sets P81 and P82, delivered in July and November 2003 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of the Nagano Shinkansen, and are also capable of operating under 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies for use on services to Nagano.[3]
Outside and inside an E4 Series Shinkansen shortly before it was retired.
Interior
As with the earlier E1 series, the upper deck saloons of non-reserved cars 1 to 3 were arranged 3+3 with no individual armrests, and did not recline. The lower decks of these cars, and the reserved-seating saloons in cars 4 to 8 had regular 2+3 seating. The green car saloons on the upper decks of cars 7 to 8 had 2+2 seating. The trains had a total seating capacity of 817 passengers.[4]
Green class saloon (upper deck), February 2011
Standard-class reserved car lower deck with 2+3 seating
Standard-class non-reserved car upper deck with non-reclining 3+3 seating
Vestibule area and stairway
History
Set P5 in original yellow-stripe livery in March 2011. Visible at the rear of the train is a connected E3 Series Shinkansen, which is running in tandem with the E4.
The first E4 series set, P1, was delivered to Sendai Depot on 8 October 1997, with the first sets entering revenue-earning service on the Tohoku Shinkansen from 20 December 1997.[3]
All cars were made no-smoking from the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007.[3]
In March 2011, it was announced that the entire E4 series fleet would be withdrawn by around 2016.[5]
In September 2012, E4 series were entirely withdrawn from Tohoku Shinkansen services, and all allocated for use on Joetsu Shinkansen services only.[6] The trains were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021,[7] and were completely retired on 17 October of the same year.
Livery change
The first set to be reliveried, P5, in April 2014
From 2014, the fleet of 24 sets still in service began to be repainted, receiving a new livery identical to that previously carried by the E1 series trains, with a toki (crested ibis) pink stripe separating the white on the upper body and blue on the lower body. The first reliveried set, P5, was returned to service in early April 2014,[8] with the entire fleet be treated by the end of fiscal 2015.[9]
The new logo, April 2014
Withdrawals
Withdrawals started in July 2013, with sets P2 and P3.[10]
Preserved examples
Preserved car E444-1 in July 2017E4 coupling, family name "Multi Amenity eXpress"Max, Tokyo station in August 2008
End car E444-1 from set P1 is displayed at the Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum in Niitsu, Niigata.[11] It was moved by road from Niigata Depot to the museum in the early hours of 20 June 2017.[12]
Fleet list
The build details are as shown below.[3] All units retired from regular service as of 1 October 2021.
^ abcdef JR電車編成表 2010夏 [JR EMU Formations – Summer 2010]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. May 2010. p. 9. ISBN978-4-330-14310-1.
^ 新幹線NAVI [Shinkansen Navi]. Japan: Ikaros Publishing. July 2004. ISBN4-87149-562-0.
^Saito, Masatoshi (9 March 2011). JR東：2階建て新幹線「Max」5年後全廃 老朽化進み [JR East to withdraw all "Max" double-decker trains within 5 years]. Mainichi jp (in Japanese). Japan: The Mainichi Newspapers. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
^ JR電車編成表 2018冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2018] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 15 November 2017. p. 13. ISBN978-4-330-84117-5.
^E4系P編成が塗装変更を実施 [E4 series P sets repainted]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
^"上越新幹線(E4系)のエクステリアデザインが生まれ変わります!" [Exterior design of Joetsu Shinkansen E4 series to be updated] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company – Niigata Division. 26 March 2014. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
^ abc JR電車編成表 2014冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2014]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 1 December 2013. p. 356. ISBN978-4-330-42413-2.
^新津鉄道資料館 新規実物車輌展示 [New rolling stock exhibits at Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 7 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
^深夜の住宅街、新幹線ゆっくり陸送 新潟 [Shinkansen transported slowly by road late at night through residential area in Niigata]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Japan. 21 June 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
^ JR車両のうごき [JR rolling stock changes]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45, no. 389. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. September 2016. pp. 81, 357.
^ ab JR車両のうごき [JR rolling stock changes]. Tetsudo Daiya Joho Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 47, no. 407. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. March 2018. p. 103.
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