Tsubasa (train)
| Tsubasa | |
 |
|
|---|---|
| E3-2000 series Tsubasa, May 2009 | |
| Service type | Shinkansen |
| Operator | JR East |
| Line used | Tōhoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen |
| Maximum speed | 240 km/h (150 mph) |
| Started | 1992 |
| Rolling stock | E3 series |
The Tsubasa (つばさ) is a trains service operated on the Yamagata Shinkansen by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) since 1992. The services were originally operated by 7-car 400 series trains, later replaced by 7-car E3 series trains. They couple with E4 series trains for their journey from Tokyo to Fukushima and travel at 240 km/h. Tsubasa trains are limited to 130 km/h on the Yamagata Shinkansen from Fukushima to Shinjō since there are many sharp curves and level crossings, as the line is essentially a regauged narrow-gauge line.
The Japanese word "tsubasa" means "wing".
A new build of twelve 7-car E3-2000 series trains was phased in from December 2008, finally replacing the older 400 series trains from April 2010.
[edit] History
- 1 July 1992: Service starts using 6-car 400 series trains coupled to a 200 series on Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks between Tokyo and Fukushima.
- 1 December 1995: Trains are extended to 7 cars.
- 4 December 1999: Service is extended to Shinjō Station. Two new E3-1000 series sets (L51 and L52) enter service.
- 21 September 2001: Double-decker E4 series replace the 200 series trains on the Tōhoku Shinkansen.
- 2005: A third E3-1000 series trainset (L53) enters service.
- 18 March 2007: All cars are made non-smoking.
- 20 December 2008: New E3-2000 series trains enter service, replacing 400 series trainsets.[1]
- 18 April 2010: The last 400 series set (L3) in service is withdrawn.
From the start of the revised timetable on 17 March 2012, some Tsubasa services will run coupled with Yamabiko services formed of E2 series trains, instead of E4 series sets, allowing the maximum speed to be raised from 240 km/h to 275 km/h on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks, and shaving up to 6 minutes off journey times between Tokyo and Shinjō.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ "山形新幹線に新型車両" (New Trains for Yamagata Shinkansen). (20 December 2008). Retrieved on 20 December 2008. (Japanese)
- ^ "２０１２年３月ダイヤ改正について [March 2012 Timetable Revision]" (in Japanese) (pdf). Japan: East Japan Railway Company. 16 December 2011. http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2011/20111211.pdf. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
[edit] External links
Media related to Tsubasa at Wikimedia Commons
- JR East E3 series Tsubasa (Japanese)
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