E3 Series Shinkansen

E3 series
Reliveried E3-1000 series set L53 on a Tsubasa service, June 2022
In service22 March 1997 (1997-03-22) – present
ManufacturerKawasaki Heavy Industries, Tokyu Car Corporation
Family nameMini-shinkansen
Replaced400 series
Constructed19952009
Scrapped2013
Number built261 vehicles (41 sets)
Number in service84 vehicles (12 sets) (as of March 2024)
Number scrapped163 vehicles
SuccessorE6 series, E8 series
Formation
  • 7 cars per trainset
  • 6 cars per trainset (until 2022)
  • 5 cars per trainset (Akita Shinkansen only, until 1998)
Fleet numbersR1R26, L51L55, L61L72
Capacity
  • 6-car R sets: 338 (23 Green + 315 Standard)
  • 7-car L50 sets (E3-1000): 402 (23 Green + 379 Standard)
  • 7-car L60 sets (E3-2000): 394 (23 Green + 371 Standard)
OperatorsJR East
DepotsAkita, Yamagata
Lines servedTohoku Shinkansen, Yamagata Shinkansen
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Car length20.05 to 23.07 m (65 ft 9 in to 75 ft 8 in)
Width2,945 mm (9 ft 8 in)
Height
  • 4,080 mm (13 ft 5 in) (roof height)
  • 4,280 mm (14 ft 1 in) (pantograph cover height)
Floor height1,300 mm (4 ft 3 in)
Doors1 per side
Maximum speed
  • Tohoku Shinkansen:
    275 km/h (171 mph)
  • Yamagata Shinkansen:
    130 km/h (81 mph)
  • Design speed:
    315 km/h (196 mph)
Traction systemGTO or IGBT-VVVF (6-car sets: 16 x 300 kW,
7-car sets: 20 x 300 kW)
Power output
  • 6-car sets: 4.8 MW (6,437 hp)
  • 7-car sets: 6 MW (8,046 hp)
Gear ratio28:85 (3.04)
Acceleration
  • Tohoku Shinkansen:
    1.6 km/(h⋅s) (0.99 mph/s)
  • Yamagata Shinkansen:
    2 km/(h⋅s) (1.2 mph/s)
Deceleration5.2 km/(h⋅s) (3.2 mph/s)
Electric system(s)20/25 kV AC, 50 Hz overhead catenary
Current collector(s)Pantograph
Bogies
  • DT207 (1st generation motor car)
  • DT207A (2nd to 4th generation motor car)
  • DT207B (5th to 7th generation, 2000 series motor car)
  • TR7005 (1st generation trailer car)
  • TR7005A (2nd to 4th generation, 2000 series trailer car)
  • TR7005B (5th to 7th generation trailer car)
Braking system(s)Regenerative brake combined with electrically controlled air brake and retarder brake (conventional line section)
Safety system(s)ATC-2, DS-ATC, ATS-P
Multiple working200 series, E2 series, E4 series, E5 series
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge

The E3 series (E3系) is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed train type built for Komachi services which commenced on 3 June 1997, coinciding with the opening of the new Akita Shinkansen "mini-shinkansen" line, a regular 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow-gauge line between Morioka and Akita re-gauged to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge. Later versions of the E3 series were also introduced for use on Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa services. Both "mini-shinkansen" lines join the Tohoku Shinkansen, providing services to and from Tokyo.