Komachi (train)
| Komachi | |
|---|---|
 E3 series train |
|
| Overview | |
| Service type | Shinkansen |
| Locale | Tōhoku Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen |
| First service | 22 March 1997 |
| Current operator(s) | JR East |
| Route | |
| Start | Tokyo |
| End | Akita |
| Distance travelled | 670.2 km (416.4 mi) |
| Service frequency | Hourly |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Standard + Green |
| Catering facilities | Trolley service |
| Technical | |
| Rolling stock | E3 series |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25/20 kV AC overhead |
| Operating speed | 275 km/h (170 mph)[1] |
The Komachi (こまち) is a high-speed shinkansen service between Tokyo and Akita in Japan, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) since March 1997. It is the only shinkansen service that runs on the Akita Shinkansen, and uses E3 series trains. Between Tokyo Station and Morioka, it couples with Tōhoku Shinkansen E2 series or E5 series Hayate trainsets. After Morioka, the Komachi service continues along standard gauge tracks that were converted from narrow gauge. Because it then runs on tracks that have grade crossings, its maximum speed from Morioka to Akita is 130 km/h (80 mph), compared to 275 km/h (170 mph) on the Tōhoku Shinkansen.
The Komachi service was named after a famous poet from the area, Ono no Komachi, whose name (小町) is also synonymous with "belle" or "beauty" in Japanese.
Contents |
[edit] Station stops
Komachi services stop at the following stations on the Akita Shinkansen between Morioka and Akita. For details of station stops between Tokyo and Morioka, see the Hayate article.[2]
(*) Not served by all trains.
[edit] Train formations
Komachi services are operated by 6-car E3 series trainsets, which operate coupled to E2 series or E5 series Hayate trainsets between Tokyo and Morioka. Car 11, the "Green" (first class) car, is at the Tokyo end. All seats are reserved and no-smoking.[2]
| Car No. | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Green | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Facilities | Wheelchair space | Wheelchair space | Cardphone | Cardphone |
[edit] Accommodation
-
E3 series Green car interior with 2+2 seating
-
E3 series standard class car interior with 2+2 seating
[edit] History
Komachi services began on the newly opened Akita Shinkansen line from the start of the revised timetable on 22 March 1997 using a fleet of 16 new 5-car E3 series trains. The name Komachi was officially announced in July 1996.[3]
Services initially consisted of 13 return workings daily between Tokyo and Akita, and one return working between Sendai and Akita. Most trains ran coupled with 200 series Yamabiko trainsets between Tokyo and Morioka, but three return workings ran coupled with newly introduced E2 series sets, running at a maximum speed of 275 km/h between Utsunomiya and Morioka, and giving a fastest journey time of 3 hours 49 minutes between Tokyo and Akita (an average speed of 163.4 km/h).[3]
The train services proved popular, and from the December 1998 timetable revision, an addition return working was added, and the E3 series trains were lengthened to six cars each.[3]
From the December 1999 timetable, all Komachi services ran together with E2 series Yamabiko trains, allowing overall journey times to be reduced, with a typical journey time of 4 hours 4 minutes.[3]
[edit] Future
New E6 series trains are due to be introduced on Komachi services from March 2013, ultimately replacing all the existing E3 series on these services. From March 2014, the maximum speed will be raised to 320 km/h on the Tōhoku Shinkansen, with the speed remaining at 130 km/h on the Akita Shinkansen, allowing journey times between Tokyo and Akita to be reduced by between 10 and 15 minutes.[4]
[edit] See also
- Akita Relay, a temporary limited express service that operated to Akita while the Akita Shinkansen was being constructed
[edit] References
- ^ JR新幹線＆特急列車ファイル [JR Shinkansen & Limited Express Train File]. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. 2008. p. 16. ISBN 978-4-330-00608-6.
- ^ a b JR Timetable, August 2011 issue
- ^ a b c d Teramoto, Mitsuteru (July 2001). 国鉄・ＪＲ列車名大辞典 [JNR & JR Train Name Encyclopedia]. Tokyo, Japan: Chuoshoin Publishing Co., Ltd.. p. 239. ISBN 4-88732-093-0.
- ^ Yomiuri Shimbun: "ＪＲ東日本の新幹線 １３年３月メドに「Ｅ６系」導入" (18 June 2009). Retrieved on 19 June 2009. (Japanese)
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Komachi |
- JR East E3 series Komachi (Japanese)
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