E1 Series Shinkansen
The E1 series was a Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by the East Japan Railway Company in Japan from July 1994 until September 2012. It was the first double-deck train type built for the Shinkansen network and, together with the later E4 series, was marketed under the name Max. A total of six 12-car trainsets were built by Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries between 1994 and 1995. All were refurbished between 2003 and 2006, and the type was withdrawn from regular service on 28 September 2012.
Originally planned to be classified as 600 series, the E1 series was introduced to relieve overcrowding on services on the Tōhoku and Jōetsu Shinkansen lines. The double-deck design was adopted to increase seating capacity for peak commuter demand. Seating capacity was further increased by using 3+3 seating, giving a total capacity of 1,235 passengers per trainset. The trainsets had a maximum operating speed of.
The E1 series had steel carbodies, reflecting structural requirements associated with its double-deck design, whereas later Shinkansen types increasingly adopted lightweight aluminium alloy construction. Double-deck trainsets subsequently fell out of use as lighter single-deck designs supported higher operating speeds—up to on newer types—shortening travel times and allowing increased service frequency.
Operations
E1 series sets were used on the following services.- Joetsu Shinkansen
- * Max Asahi
- * Max Tanigawa
- * Max Toki
- Tohoku Shinkansen
- * Max Aoba
- * Max Nasuno
- * ''Max Yamabiko''
Interior
The E1 series was the first revenue-earning Shinkansen to feature 3+3-abreast seating in class to increase capacity. The upper decks of non-reserved cars 1 to 4 were arranged 3+3, with fixed seats that did not recline and no individual armrests. The lower decks of these cars, and the reserved-seat areas in cars 5 to 12, had conventional 2+3 seating. The Green car areas on the upper decks of cars 9 to 11 had 2+2 seating. In total, the trains accommodated 1,235 passengers.Formation
The fleet of 12-car sets, numbered M1 to M6, were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.Cars 6 and 10 were each equipped with a PS201 scissors-type pantograph.
History
The first E1 series set, M1, was delivered to Sendai Depot on 3 March 1994, carrying "DDS E1" logos. The first two sets entered revenue service on the Tōhoku Shinkansen on 15 July 1994, by which time the original "DDS" logos had been replaced with "Max" logos. The original livery comprised "sky grey" on the upper body and "silver grey" on the lower body, separated by a "peacock green" stripe.From 4 December 1999, all six trainsets were transferred from Sendai Depot to Niigata Depot, with operations thereafter limited to Jōetsu Shinkansen services, including Max Asahi and Max Tanigawa. The fleet was also used at various times on Max Yamabiko, Max Asahi, Max Toki, and Max Aoba services.
Refurbishment
From late 2003, the fleet underwent refurbishment, including the installation of new seating and repainting into a new livery of "stratus white" on the upper body and "aster blue" on the lower body, separated by an "ibis pink" stripe.All cars became no-smoking from the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007.
Withdrawal
The first two sets were withdrawn in April 2012: M1 on 2 April and M2 on 14 April. The remaining sets were withdrawn from service with the start of the revised timetable on 29 September 2012.A special "Thank you Max Asahi" service operated from Niigata to Tokyo on 27 October 2012, followed by a final run from Tokyo to Niigata on 28 October 2012 using set M4.
Bodyside logos
Between 1 December 2001 and 31 March 2002, the E1 series fleet carried "Alpen Super Express" logos as part of JR East's "JR + Snow" promotional campaign.From mid-August 2012 until final withdrawal on 28 September, the remaining three sets had a second toki crested ibis added to their bodyside logos to mark the hatching of ibis chicks in the wild.