100 Series Shinkansen

100 series
6-car 100 series Kodama trainset, October 2008
In service	1985–March 2012
Manufacturer	Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo, Tokyu Car Corporation
Constructed	1984–1991
Refurbishment	2000–2004
Number built	1,056 vehicles (66 sets)
Number in service	54 vehicles (9 sets)
Number preserved	4 vehicles
Formation	6 cars per trainset (4, 12, 16 cars in past)
Capacity	6-car K sets 394 Past: 12-car G sets 1,031 (68 Green + 963 Standard) 16-car X sets 1,277 (124 Green + 1,153 Standard) 16-car V sets 1,285 (126 Green + 1,159 Standard) 16-car G sets 1,321 (168 Green + 1,153 Standard) 4-car P sets 250
Operator	JNR (1985–1987) JR Central (1987–2003) JR West (1987–Present)
Depot(s)	Hakata
Line(s) served	Sanyō Shinkansen, Hakata-Minami Line
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	25,000 mm (82 ft 0 in) (intermediate cars) 26,050 mm (85 ft 6 in) (end cars)
Width	3,383 mm (11 ft 1.2 in)
Height	4,000 mm (13 ft 1 in) 4,488 mm (14 ft 8.7 in) (Bilevel car)
Doors	Two per side
Maximum speed	220 km/h (137 mph) (230 km/h (143 mph) for the former V sets)
Acceleration	1.6 km/h/s (1.5 ft/s2) (1.4 km/h/s (1.3 ft/s2) for the former V sets)
Deceleration	2.6 km/h/s (2.4 ft/s2)
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead catenary
Current collection method	Pantograph
Safety system(s)	ATC-1
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)

The 100 series (100系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built between 1984 and 1991 for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen high-speed lines. The earliest units have now been withdrawn from service, and the series was retired from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen line in September 2003. They were introduced after the 200 series trains, but their numbering is such because in the days of JNR, Shinkansen types running east of Tokyo were given even numbers and those west of Tokyo odd numbers, hence they were given the next odd number in line after 0, 100. The last remaining examples of the type are scheduled to be withdrawn from service in March 2012.

Design

They differ visibly from the earlier 0 series in that the nose profile is more pointed. Another not so visible difference for the 16-car sets was that not all cars were powered; the driving cars on each end were unpowered, as were the two bilevel center cars. Some later production sets had powered driving cars and four unpowered bilevel trailers in the middle instead. The bilevel trailer cars contained a combination of restaurant cars, and first class compartments, or open-plan first class seating and first class compartments, or open-plan first class seating and refreshment cars.

External livery was white (White No. 3) and blue (Blue No. 20).

Following their removal from front-line service, 100 series sets were later reformed into smaller 4 and 6 car sets for the slower Kodama services on the Sanyō Shinkansen line. These 4- and 6-car trains do not have bilevel cars.

Variants

Pre-production unit

Originally numbered X0, the pre-production set X1 was delivered in 1985, and entered service for passenger evaluation trials in September of that year. It was withdrawn in March 2000. This unit differed externally from later production units in having small windows aligned with each seating bay, and also had a slanting headlight arrangement.

• 

  Pre-production unit X1 on a Kodama service, October 1998

16-car X sets

Set X3, 1987

Following passenger evaluation trials with the pre-production set X1, a total of seven X sets were built for use on Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen Hikari services. The first four production units entered service in June 1986 as 12-car sets without bilevel trailer cars, numbered G1 to G4, and were used on Tōkaidō Kodama services until October in the same year. These units were then renumbered as 16-car sets X2 to X5 with the inclusion of bilevel trailer cars, and were introduced on Hikari services from November 1986.

The noticeable difference over previous (0 series and 200 series) shinkansen designs was the inclusion of two bilevel trailer cars in the centre of the formation. The type 168 car had a restaurant area on the upper deck with kitchen facilities and a small buffet counter on the lower deck. The adjacent type 149 car provided private compartments for Green class passengers on the lower deck, with open-plan green car accommodation on the upper deck.

From 1998, the X sets were redeployed to Tōkaidō Kodama services. The restaurant cars were no longer used, and fittings were subsequently removed. The fleet of X sets contained the oldest members of the 100 series fleet, and the first withdrawals started in August 1999. From the new timetable change of 2 October 1999, X sets were no longer assigned to regular workings, with the remaining examples subsequently limited to holiday period extra trains. The last remaining units were withdrawn in October 2000.

Formation

The 16-car X sets were formed as follows.

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Designation	Tc	M'	M	M'	M	M'	M5	TDD	TsD	Ms'	M7	M'	M	M'	M	T'c
Numbering	123	126	125	126	125	126	125-500	168	149	116	125-700	126	125	126	125	124
Seating capacity	65	100	90	100	90	100	80	-	56	68	73	100	90	100	90	75

Cars 2, 6, and 12 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.

16-car G sets

JR West set G1 on a Kodama service, May 2003

The G sets were officially classified as "100' series", and 50 units were built from 1988. They differed from the initial X sets in having a type 148 bilevel trailer car in place of the type 168 restaurant car. This had open-plan Green car accommodation on the upper deck, and a self-service cafeteria area on the lower deck. While originally used exclusively on Hikari services, in later years, these units were more commonly seen on Tōkaidō Kodama services. The last remaining sets owned by JR Central and JR West were withdrawn in September 2003 before the start of the new Tōkaidō Shinkansen timetable the following October.

Formation

The 16-car G sets were formed as follows.

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Designation	Tc	M'	M	M'	M	M'	M5	TsD	TsD	Ms'	M7	M'	M	M'	M	T'c
Numbering	123	126	125	126	125	126	125-500	148	149	116	125-700	126	125	126	125	124
Seating capacity	65	100	90	100	90	100	80	42	58	68	73	100	90	100	90	75

Cars 2, 6, and 12 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.

• 

  Bilevel cars 8 and 9 of set G49, April 2003

16-car V sets (100-3000 series)

Set V5 Grand Hikari

The nine V sets (also referred to as "100N") operated by JR West included four bilevel trailer cars, which provided 2+2 standard class reserved seating accommodation on the lower decks, and restaurant and Green class accommodation on the upper decks. These sets originally ran under the marketing name Grand Hikari, but from May 2002 onwards were limited to use on the Sanyō Shinkansen only. The restaurant cars in these units were decommissioned from March 2000. Two V sets (V1, V6) were reformed as new 4-car P sets in 2000 to replace life-expired 0 series R sets on Sanyō Shinkansen Kodama services, and the remaining sets were subsequently used to donate cars as they were withdrawn. The last operational set, V2 (with four bilevel trailer cars from set V9), was withdrawn after being used on special "Sayonara Grand Hikari" runs in November 2002.

Formation

The 16-car V sets were formed as follows.

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Designation	Mc	M'	M	M'	M8	M'	TsD	TDD	TsD	T'sD	M7	M'	M	M'	M	M'c
Numbering	121-3000	126-3000	125-3000	126-3000	125-3000	126-3000	179-3100	168-3000	179-3700	178-3000	125-3700	126-3000	125-3000	126-3000	125-3000	122-3000
Seating capacity	65	100	90	100	90	100	80	42	58	68	73	100	90	100	90	75

Cars 4, 6, 12, and 14 were equipped with cross-arm pantographs.

• 

  Interior view of restaurant car, July 1999

4-car P sets

Set P11 in JR West "Kodama" livery, August 2009

JR West training set P2 at Shimonoseki, August 2009

The first of two reformed 4-car P sets was introduced on Sanyō Shinkansen Kodama services from October 2000. P1 was reformed from set V1, with the traction motors in the two end cars (renumbered in -5000 series) replaced by those from surplus JR West G set cars. P2 was reformed from unit V6 in October 2000. Subsequent sets P3 and P4 were formed in 2001 by transplanting the cab sections of surplus non-powered G set cars onto powered intermediate cars renumbered into the 121-5050 and 122-5050 series. Set P1 was the first to be repainted into the new JR West "fresh green" Kodama livery, in August 2002, and the entire fleet of twelve sets (P1–P12) had been similarly treated by March 2005.

Formation

Car No.	1	2	3	4
Designation	Mc	M'	M7
Numbering	121-5000	126-3000	125-3700	122-5000
Seating capacity	52	80	58	60

Cars 2 and 4 are equipped with cross-arm pantographs.

Interior

The first three sets (P1 to P3) were refurbished in February and March 2002 with 2+2 abreast seating using former West Hikari seats. Sets from P4 onward (formed in August 2001) had 2+2 seating from the outset.

• 

  Interior of set P5, showing 2+2 seating, May 2002

Set P2 was withdrawn on 9 February 2009, and moved to the JR West training centre at Shimonoseki, where it replaced the former 0 series set Q3 as a static training set.

The last P sets were withdrawn by 11 March 2011.

6-car K sets

Set K53 in original white/blue livery, July 2003

Set K57 in JR West "Kodama" livery, July 2003

The first 6-car K set (K51) was formed in January 2002 for use on Sanyō Shinkansen Kodama services from February 2002. These sets feature 2+2 abreast seating throughout, utilizing former Green class seats from withdrawn 100 series cars. Sets started appearing in the new JR West Kodama livery from August 2002, with all ten sets (K51–K60) similarly treated by August 2004.

Three K sets were returned to the original white/blue livery from July 2010. The first set treated, K53, was returned to traffic on 14 July 2010.

These sets are scheduled to be withdrawn from service on 16 March 2012.

Formation

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6
Designation	Mc	M'	M7	M'	M7	M'c
Numbering	121-5000	126-3000	125-3700	126-3200	125-3000	122-5000
Seating capacity	52	80	58	72	72	60

Cars 2 and 6 are equipped with cross-arm pantographs.

Interior

• 

  Interior of K set, showing 2+2 seating, December 2008

Preserved examples

• 123-1 (set X2) and 168-9001 (set X1) at the SCMaglev and Railway Park since March 2011.
• 168-3009 and 179-3009 (both from set V9) at Hakata General Depot, Fukuoka Prefecture

• 

  Preserved car 123-1 at Hamamatsu Works, August 2001

• 

  Preserved bilevel restaurant car 168-9001 at Hamamatsu Works, July 2007

• 

  Interior of bilevel restaurant car 168-9001 at SCMaglev and Railway Park, April 2011

See also

• List of high speed trains

Media related to 100 series Shinkansen at Wikimedia Commons

Further reading

• Semmens, Peter (1997). High Speed in Japan: Shinkansen - The World's Busiest High-speed Railway. Sheffield, UK: Platform 5 Publishing. ISBN 1-872524-88-5.