Class E926 Shinkansen

Class E926 "East i"
East i series inspection train
Manufacturer	Tokyu Car Corporation
Constructed	2001
Entered service	2001
Scrapped	2015
Number built	7 vehicles
Number in service	6 vehicles (1 set)
Number scrapped	1 vehicle
Formation	6 cars per trainset
Operators	JR East, JR Hokkaido
Lines served	Hokuriku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Tōhoku Shinkansen, Hokkaido Shinkansen
Specifications
Train length	125.6 m (412 ft)
Car length	20 m (66 ft) or 22.8 m (75 ft)
Width	2.94 m (9.6 ft)
Height	4.29 m (14.1 ft)
Maximum speed	275 km/h (171 mph) (Tōhoku Shinkansen, Jōetsu Shinkansen, Hokuriku Shinkansen, Hokkaido Shinkansen) 130 km/h (80 mph) (Yamagata Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen)
Traction motors	Mitsubishi Electric three-phase induction AC motor MT-205
Acceleration	1.6 km/h/s
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50/60 Hz AC, 20 kV 50 Hz AC overhead catenary
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
Braking system(s)	Regenerative braking combined with electric command type air braking
Track gauge	1,435mm

The Class E926 (E926形) is an inspection train, also known as the East-i.

Overview

The E926 series train is a Japanese non-revenue earning train designed to replace the aging 925 series inspection train. The 925 series inspection train was in desperate need of a replacement because of its lower top speed and incorrect loading gauge. The 925 series inspection train was beginning to become obsolete because it was unable to keep up with the E3 Series Shinkansen, which was new at that time. It was also beginning to become obsolete because it had an incorrect loading gauge. This was because the mini shinkansen had a narrower loading gauge then the standard shinkansen gauge. Because of this, the mini shinkansens inspection relied on the KuMoYa 743 series inspection railcars. But these railcars were also becoming obsolete. So JR East needed to come up with a solution, and that solution needed to have the same loading gauge as the mini shinkansen. The train that they came up with was the East i series high-speed inspection train. At its time, it was the fastest rail inspection train in the world, reaching speeds of up to 275 km/h. The i in East i stands for intelligent, integrated, and inspection.

Since the routes and times of operation of the East i train are not publicly disclosed, it is considered lucky when you see it.

Formation

There are 7 East i series inspection train cars that were built. Cars 2 and 4 are equipped with a single arm pantograph. When the 6-car train is being maintained, a spare carriage is inserted into an E2 Series Shinkansen train.

Car No.	1	2	3 (13)	4	5	6
Uses	Communication, signal, and catenary testing car	Communication and power supply testing car	Track inspection car	Catenary inspection car	Power supply and signal detection car	Communication, signal, and catenary testing car

• 
  S51 (Car 1)
• 
  S51 (Car 2)
• 
  S51 (Car 3)
• 
  S51 (Car 4)
• 
  S51 (Car 5)
• 
  S51 (Car 6)
• 
  N21 (The spare carriage that is inserted into an E2 service when the 6-car set is being maintained) (Scrapped in 2015)
• 
  (The E2 service with car N21 visible in the background)