0 Series Shinkansen


The 0 series was a Shinkansen high-speed train type introduced by Japanese National Railways in October 1964 for use on the newly opened Tōkaidō Shinkansen line, the first Shinkansen route. They were later used on the San'yō Shinkansen after it opened in 1972 and the Hakataminami Line after it opened in 1990. A total of 3,216 vehicles, arranged into 201 sets, were built between 1963 and 1986 by Hitachi, Kawasaki Sharyo, Kinki Sharyo, Kisha Seizo, Nippon Sharyo, and the Tokyu Car Corporation.
Following JNR's privatization in 1987, the trains were transferred to the Central Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company, and many sets were refurbished during their service lives before being withdrawn in 2008 after 44 years of service.

History

The 0 series trains entered service with the start of Tōkaidō Shinkansen operations in October 1964. These units were white with a blue stripe along the windows and another at the bottom of the car body, including the front pilot.
Unlike previous Japanese trains on the national network, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and all subsequent Shinkansen lines are between the rails. The trains were powered by 25 kV AC electricity at 60 Hz with all axles of all cars powered by traction motors, giving a operation top speed.
The original trains were introduced as 12-car sets, with some sets later lengthened to 16 cars. Later, shorter trains of six and even four cars were assembled for lesser duties. 0 Series production continued from 1963 until 1986.
Shinkansen sets are generally retired after fifteen to twenty years. The final 0 Series sets were six-car trains used on JR West Kodama services on the San'yō Shinkansen between and, and on the Hakataminami Line until final retirement on 30 November 2008.
Following withdrawal from regular service, JR West ran a number of special commemorative Hikari runs in December 2008. Hikari 347, powered by set R61, arrived at Hakata Station at 6:01 pm on 14 December 2008, end their service after 44 years.

Set formations

Original 12-car H/K/N/R/S sets

The initial shinkansen fleet delivered for use on Hikari and Kodama services on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen from 1 October 1964 consisted of 30 12-car sets formed of 1st- and 2nd-batch cars. Six sets, H1 to H6, were built by Hitachi between April and August 1964; six sets, K1 to K6, were built by Kisha between July and September 1964; six sets, N1 to N6, were built by Nippon Sharyo between March and September 1964; six sets, R1 to R6, were built by Kawasaki Sharyo between July and September 1964; and six sets, S1 to S6, were built by Kinki Sharyo between April and August 1964. These sets were allocated to Tokyo and Osaka depots.
A further ten 12-car sets were delivered between April and July 1965, formed of 120 3rd-batch cars; five 4th-batch sets were delivered between June and July 1966, and five 5th-batch sets were delivered between October and November 1966.
The original 12-car sets were formed as follows, with two first-class cars and two buffet cars :
Car No.123456789101112
DesignationMcM'MM'MBM'MSM'SMBM'MM'c
Numbering21262526-2003526-200151635262522

12-car H/K/N/R/S/T ''Kodama'' sets

A further 21 6th- to 9th-batch 12-car sets were delivered between 1967 and 1969 with only one first-class car for use on Kodama services. The "T" sets were built by Tokyu Car Corporation.
These sets were formed as follows:
Car No.123456789101112
DesignationMcM'MM'MBM'MM'SMBM'MM'c
Numbering2126-10025-10026-30035-10026-30025-3001635-10026-10025-10022

16-car H/K/N/R/S ''Hikari'' sets

The original 30 12-car sets were lengthened to 16 cars between December 1969 and February 1970 with the inclusion of new 10th-batch cars for Hikari services to handle the increased number of passengers travelling to and from Expo '70 in Osaka in 1970. From the opening of the San'yō Shinkansen in 1972, these sets were renumbered H1 to H30:
Car No.12345678910111213141516
DesignationMcM'MM'MBM'MM'MSM'SMBM'MM'MM'c
Numbering21262526-2003526-20025-70026-7001516352625-50026-7002522

16-car K ''Kodama'' sets

During 1972 and 1973, the earlier 12-car Kodama sets were lengthened to 16 cars with the inclusion of new 13th- and 15th-batch cars, and were renumbered K1 to K47:
Car No.12345678910111213141516
DesignationMcM'MM'MKM'MM'MM'MM'SMBM'MM'c
Numbering21262526-30025-40026-20025-20026-80025-50026-80025-7001635262522

16-car H ''Hikari'' restaurant car sets

With the opening of the Sanyo Shinkansen extension to Hakata, the fleet of 16-car H Hikari sets was reformed and increased during 1973 and 1974 with the inclusion of new 16th- and 17th-batch cars, including new restaurant cars in addition to the buffet car. The fleet, as of 10 March 1975, consisted of 64 sets, numbered H1 to H64:
Car No.12345678910111213141516
DesignationMcM'MM'MM'MM'DMBM'MSM'SMM'MM'c
Numbering21262526-20025-70026-70027363526-200151625-500262522

16-car NH ''Hikari'' sets

Between 1977 and 1980, 35 new 16-car NH sets were formed of −1000 subseries cars for Hikari services on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and San'yō Shinkansen lines. The introduction of 100 series and later 300 series trains reduced the number of 0 series trains used on Hikari services, with 0 series Hikari services operated by JR Central ending in 1995. A small fleet was subsequently maintained by JR West for use on additional holiday period Hikari services, with the last remaining unit, NH32, being disbanded in December 1999.
The NH sets had two Green cars and a restaurant car in addition to a buffet car, although use of the restaurant cars was discontinued from the mid-1990s.
Car No.12345678910111213141516
DesignationMcM'MM'MM'MAM'DMBM'MSM'SMM'MM'c
Numbering21-100026-100025-100026-120025-70026-700273635-100026-120015-100016-100025-50026-100025-100022-1000

16-car YK sets

The 16-car YK sets were operated by JR Central on the all-stations Kodama services. These sets had upgraded reserved seat cars with 2+2 seating employing 100 series style seats, but only one Green car per 16-car set. Standard seating was 3+2 in standard class and 2+2 in Green cars.
The fleet was operated by JR Central on the Tokaido Shinkansen until the last units were withdrawn on 18 September 1999. In the last two months of service, they ran with "Arigatō 0 Series" stickers on the front ends.
Car No.12345678910111213141516
DesignationMcM'MM'MBM'MM'SMM'MM'MM'MM'c
Numbering21262526372625162526252625262522

12-car SK sets

These 12-car SK sets based at Hakata Depot were operated by JR West on Sanyo Shinkansen West Hikari services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. Sets were formed of upgraded 5000 and 7000 subseries vehicles with improved seating and buffet cars were refurbished with a special seating area. All standard class cars had upgraded 2+2 seating. The sets were recognisable externally by the addition of an extra thin blue line below the windows and by the large "West" decals near the doors. Some sets originally included specially converted cinema cars, but these were withdrawn in 1996. Following the end of the West Hikari services on 21 April 2000, the remaining SK units were reformed into new 6-car R60 sets to replace unrefurbished sets on Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama services.
Car No.123456789101112
DesignationMcM'MM'MBM'MM'SMM'MM'c
Numbering212625263726251625262522

4-car Q sets

4-car Q sets were formed from March 1997 for use on Kodama shuttle services running between Hakata and /, and on the Hakata-Minami Line. These sets had no Green car and are not newly built; instead, they are reformed from original sets. These sets were quickly reaching the end of useful lives, so the 100 series 4-car P sets replaced them from 2000 onwards. The last remaining unit was withdrawn in September 2001. Set Q3 remained as a static training set at Shin-Shimonoseki Station until 2009, when it was replaced by 100 Series set P2.
Car No.1234
DesignationMcM'MM'c
Numbering21262522

6-car R sets

The 6-car R units with no Green car were first formed in June 1985 and were used on JR West Kodama services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata. They were also used to operate Kodama shuttle services on the short Hakata-Minami Line from Hakata station.
The no. 3 cars of sets R2 and R24 were rebuilt as "Children's Saloons" with the former buffet counter area converted into a children's soft play area. These sets ran branded as "Family Hikari" during holiday periods. From March 1997 a refurbishment programme was commenced on the R sets, with new internal trim, rotating seats and new toilets/washing facilities. The refurbished units were recognisable externally by an extra thin blue line below the windows and new "W" decals near the doors.
From April 2000, 6-car "WR" sets were created from former SK unit cars and renumbered in the R60 series. These retained the larger buffet area and 2+2 seating of the former West Hikari trains, and gradually replaced the remaining unrefurbished R sets. These units initially retained their "West Hikari" branding, but were gradually repainted into the new JR West "Kodama" livery from May 2002. Initially scheduled to be withdrawn in 2006, the last three remaining sets remained in service until 30 November 2008. By June 2008, they had been repainted into their original ivory and blue livery with silver roofs.
Since the R sets were only six cars long, there were cases where the emergency coupler in the leading car was used in commercial operation. Set R51 of the "West Hikari" was not converted to 12 cars, but was instead left as a six-car train, and was only operated once a day. During peak times, in order to increase capacity, the leading car 22-3901 on the Tokyo side was coupled to set R23 on the Hakata side, which had a strengthened coupler. When operated as a 12-car train, set R23 had unreserved seats and set R51 had reserved seats. The organization chart in the large timetables of the time indicated that "6-car Kodama-type trains may be coupled on some days."
Car No.123456
DesignationMcM'MBM'MM'c
Numbering212637262522

Preserved examples

Owing to its extensive usage and long service life, 25 vehicles have been preserved:
  • 23 former vehicles are preserved or stored in museums and various other locations around Japan.
  • The leading vehicle from car 4 of set Q2 is preserved at the National Railway Museum, in York, England. It was donated to the museum by JR West in 2001, and is the first Shinkansen unit to be preserved at a museum outside Japan.
  • The leading vehicle from car 4 of set R1 is preserved at Tainan HSR station in Tainan, Taiwan. It was formerly used as a structure gauging car from 2004, during construction of the Taiwan High Speed Rail, and was formally donated to Taiwan in 2012. Restoration work was completed from 2018 to 2019, before the car was put on display on 22 December 2023.
Vehicle numberDate builtDate withdrawnLocationRemarks
16-1March 1964March 1977Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum, which opened in April 2016. Cars from pre-production "C" set H1.
21-1March 1964March 1977Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum, which opened in April 2016. Cars from pre-production "C" set H1.
22-1March 1964March 1977Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum, which opened in April 2016. Cars from pre-production "C" set H1.
35-1August 1964March 1977Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum, which opened in April 2016. Cars from first production set H2.
21-2July 1964March 1977The Railway Museum, SaitamaFrom original set H2. Moved from Osaka in August 2008. Exhibited from October 2009.
22-2July 1964March 1977JR West Staff Training Centre, Suita, OsakaFrom original set H2.
21-25April 1964March 1978The Railway Museum, SaitamaCab section only.
Originally displayed outside Tokyo Transport Museum.
21-59March 1968February 1982Shintorimachi Park, Fuji, Shizuoka
21-73July 1969October 1984Shinkansen Park, Settsu, Osaka
22-75August 1969March 1985Ome Railway Park, Ome, TokyoRepainted for short period into Tohoku ivory/green livery in late 1980s.
22-77September 1969March 1990Satsuki Kindergarten, FukuokaUsed as a staff room and library.
36-841975 SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya
21-86December 1971November 1991SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya
21-100September 1973October 1991Akishima City Library, Akishima, TokyoUsed as library reading room.
21-141June 1976October 2000The Railway History Park in Saijo, Ehime PrefectureFormer set H94, later R52. Front half only.
22-141June 1976October 2000National Railway Museum, York, EnglandA gift from JR West that was presented to the NRM in 2001.
22-1003November 1976November 1994Namikawa Railway Heritage Park, Kameoka, KyotoCab section only.
21-2023January 1985June 1998J-TREC factory, YokohamaCab section only. Preserved at Sakuma Rail Park until November 2009. Moved to Tokyu Car from July 2010.
22-2029March 1986September 1999Nippon Sharyo Factory, Toyokawa, Aichi
16-20341986 SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya
37-25231983 SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya
21-5035 June 197810 March 2004Tainan HSR station, Tainan, TaiwanCab from former set R1. Used as structure gauging car during the construction of the Taiwan High Speed Rail until 2008. On display at Tainan HSR station from June 2021.
22-7007–December 2008Suita Yard, Osaka PrefectureCab from former set R68. On display inside Suita City Kento Library since 11 November 2020.
21-7008 1983December 2008Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory, Hyogo PrefectureCar of last operational set, R61
21-7038––Kawasaki Good Times World, within Kobe Maritime MuseumWest Hikari livery. Front third section.