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Fastech 360 is the name given to a pair of former experimental high-speed EMU trainsets developed by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) to test technology for the next-generation Shinkansen rolling stock. The name is a portmanteau of Fast, Technology, and 360 km/h (360 km/h or 225 mph), the target operational speed for production trains based on the new technologies. Speeds of up to 405 km/h (250 mph) were targeted during performance testing.[1] Results of testing using these trains was incorporated into the E5 series and E6 series trains, entering revenue service from 2011, eventually operating at 320 km/h (200 mph).

There were 2 trains:

  • Class E954 Fastech 360S: 8-car set for use on shinkansen tracks only
  • Class E955 Fastech 360Z: 6-car set for use on both shinkansen and Mini-shinkansen lines
Fastech 360

Fastech 360 trains were equipped with emergency air braking plates like that of an aircraft, similar in appearance to the ears of a cat. This trait earned them a nickname of Nekomimi Shinkansen (猫耳新幹線), which literally means "cat-eared Shinkansen". This technology was not incorporated in the subsequent E5 series or E6 series trains.[citation needed]

Class E954 Fastech 360S

This 8-car set (S9) was delivered on 26 June 2005. Cars 1 to 3 were built by Hitachi, and cars 4 to 8 were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[2]

Car E954-1 has a stream-line profile, reminiscent of the 500 series, and E954-8 has an arrow-line profile more reminiscent of the JR East E2 series and E4 series designs.[3]

The train was withdrawn in September 2009 and scrapped.[4]

Formation

  1. E954-1 (T1c)
  2. E954-2 (M1) (with pantograph)
  3. E954-3 (M2) (with toilet)
  4. E954-4 (M2)
  5. E954-5 (M1s)
  6. E954-6 (M2)
  7. E954-7 (M1) (with pantograph)
  8. E954-8 (T2c)

Class E955 Fastech 360Z

This 6-car set (S10) was delivered on 6 April 2006. Cars 1 and 4 to 6 were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and cars 2 and 3 were built by Hitachi[5] The train was withdrawn in December 2008 and scrapped.[2]

Formation

  1. E955-1 (M2c)
  2. E955-2 (M1s)
  3. E955-3 (M1) (with pantograph and toilet)
  4. E955-4 (M1)
  5. E955-5 (M1) (with pantograph)
  6. E955-6 (M2c)

References

  1. ^ "FASTECH 360 High-Speed Shinkansen Test Train to Debut". 9 March 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  2. ^ a b JR電車編成表 2009夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2009]. Japan: JRR. June 2009. p. 13. ISBN 978-4-330-06909-8.
  3. ^ プロトタイプの世界 - Prototype World. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbunsha. December 2005. OCLC 170056962.
  4. ^ JR電車編成表 2010夏 [JR EMU Formations - Summer 2010]. Japan: JRR. May 2010. p. 13. ISBN 978-4-330-14310-1.
  5. ^ JR電車編成表 '07冬号 [JR EMU Formations - Winter 2007]. Japan: JRR. December 2006. p. 12. ISBN 4-88283-046-9.
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