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| 0 Series Shinkansen | |
 0 Series at Himeji Station, September 2007 |
|
| In service | 1 October 1964 - 14 December 2008 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nippon Sharyo, Kawasaki Sharyo, Kinki Sharyo, Kisha, Hitachi |
| Constructed | 1963 - 1986 |
| Number built | 3,216 vehicles |
| Formation | 4, 6, 12 or 16 cars per trainset |
| Capacity | 368-1,323 |
| Operator | Japanese National Railways, 1964-1987 Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), 1987-1999 West Japan Railway Company (JR West), 1987-2008 |
| Depot(s) | Tokyo, Mishima, Osaka, Hakata |
| Line(s) served | Tōkaidō Shinkansen, Sanyō Shinkansen, Hakata-Minami Line |
| Specifications | |
| Car body | Steel 1 |
| Car length | 25,000 mm |
| Width | 3,383 mm |
| Height | 4,490 mm |
| Maximum speed | 220 km/h |
| Acceleration | 1.2 km/h/s |
| Deceleration | 2.84 km/h/s |
| Voltage | 25 kV AC, 60 Hz overhead |
| Safety systems | Automatic Train Control (ATC) |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm |
The 0 Series Shinkansen were the first trainsets built to run on Japan's new high speed rail network, and are therefore still the image of the Shinkansen in the minds of most non-Japanese because of all the publicity they received when the first Shinkansen line began operation in 1964. 2
The 0 series (which were not originally so classed; there was no need to distinguish classes of trainset until later) entered service with the start of Tōkaidō Shinkansen operations in 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.
All of the remaining six Series 0 bullet train sets were withdrawn from Kodama service after their runs on November 30, 2008. Their Kodama services were replaced with modified 8-car 500 Series trains.
West Japan Railway Company (JR West) retired the 0 Series train with special Hikari runs during the month of December.3. Hikari 347, powered by set R614, arrived at Hakata station at 6:01 PM on December 14, 2008 to bring the 0-series' 44 years of service to a close.
History
Unlike previous Japanese trains, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and all subsequent Shinkansen were standard gauge (1,435 mm, 4'8½" between the rails). The trains are all powered by 25 kV AC electricity at 60 Hz. On the 0 series, all axles of all cars are powered by 185 kW traction motors; this is sufficient for a 220 km/h (136 mph) top speed. 1
The original trains were 12-car sets; some subsequent sets were 16 cars. Later, shorter trains of 6 cars and even 4 cars were assembled for lesser duties. Production of 0 series units continued from 1963 until 1986. 5
Shinkansen sets are generally retired after fifteen years. All 0 series cars are now past fifteen years of service; therefore, few are left6. The final remaining 0 series sets were 6 car sets, which were used until the retirement of the train on JR West Kodama services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata, and on the Hakata-Minami Line, which is technically not a Shinkansen line. Outside Japan, the leading vehicle from a 0 series set can be found at the British National Railway Museum in York. It was donated to the museum by the JR West company in 2001. 7
Gallery
 0 Series on display at the National Railway Museum in York |
 Crowds gather to see the final 0 Series service on the 14th December 2008 |
References
 |
Wikinews has related news: People bid farewell to elderly Shinkansen super-express in Japan |
- ^ a b http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~dajf/byunbyun/tech/0.htm 0 series technical specifications
- ^ http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/shinkansen_history.htm History of Shinkansen railroad. Also includes the 0 series
- ^ "Thank you Shinkansen Series 0- Special Website" (in Japanese). Retrieved on 2008-10-18.
- ^ http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/ann/news/web/soci_news14.html?now=20081215211232_300k "初代の「0系新幹線」が44年間の歴史に終止符" (news video confirming that the train used was set R61), accessed 15 December 2008
- ^ http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~dajf/byunbyun/types/0.htm Types in the 0 series
- ^ http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=34248 First-generation Japanese bullet trains retiring
- ^ http://www.nrm.org.uk/pressoffice/presspack/bullet.asp National Railway Museum based article on the acquisition of the donated 0 series
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- This page was last modified on 6 January 2009, at 06:34.
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