The was a Shinkansen high-speed train type operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) 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 (an acronym for Multi-Amenity eXpress). 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 All were refurbished between 2003 and 2006, and the type was withdrawn from regular service on 28 September 2012.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 (15 July 1994 – November 2002)
- Max Tanigawa (15 July 1994 – September 2012)
- Max Toki (15 July 1994 – 28 September 2012)
- Tohoku Shinkansen
- Max Aoba (15 July 1994 – 1 October 1997)
- Max Nasuno (15 July 1994 – December 1999)
- Max Yamabiko (15 July 1994 – December 1999)
thumb|An E1 series train at Takasaki Station on a Joetsu Shinkansen Max Toki service in 2008
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.
Pre-refurbishment
<gallery>
File:E1 green upper Gala-Yuzawa 20020101.JPG|Green car upper deck in January 2002
File:E1 std upper reserved Gala-Yuzawa 20020101.JPG|Standard class reserved car upper deck in January 2002
File:E1 std upper non-reserved Gala-Yuzawa 20020101.JPG|Standard class non-reserved car upper deck with non-reclining 3+3 seating in January 2002
File:E1 std lower reserved Gala-Yuzawa 20020101.JPG|Standard class reserved car lower deck in January 2002
File:E1 std lower non-reserved Gala-Yuzawa 20020101.JPG|Standard class non-reserved car lower deck in January 2002
</gallery>
Post-refurbishment
<gallery>
File:JR East E1series E146-3 Green reserve seat.jpg|Car 11 Green car upper deck in October 2011
File:JR East E1series E146-3 reserve seat.jpg|Car 11 standard class reserved car lower deck in October 2011
</gallery>
Formation
The fleet of 12-car sets, numbered M1 to M6, were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Car No.
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
|-
! Designation
| T1c
| M1
| M2
| T1
| T2
| M1
| M2
| Tpk
| Tps
| M1s
| M2s
| T2c
|-
! Numbering
| E153-100
| E155-100
| E156-100
| E158-100
| E159
| E155
| E156
| E158-200
| E148
| E145
| E146
| E154
|-
! Seating capacity
| 86
| colspan="2" | 121
| 135
| 124
| colspan="2" | 110
| 91
| 75
| colspan="2" | 91
| 80
|-
! Weight (t)
| 56.2
| 59.2
| 61.2
| 53.7
| 53.6
| 59.2
| 61.7
| 55.2
| 54.6
| 59.2
| 62.0
| 56.5
|}
Cars 6 and 10 were each equipped with a PS201 scissors-type pantograph.
|}
History
thumb|E1 series set M6 in original livery in November 2004
The first E1 series set, M1, was delivered to Sendai Depot on 3 March 1994, carrying "DDS E1" logos (DDS standing for double-deck Shinkansen). 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. 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.
<gallery>
File:E1 Max logo M1 Omiya 20031202.JPG|Original "Max" logo in December 2003 prior to refurbishment
File:E1 Max logo Omiya 20020314.jpg|"Alpen Snow Express" promotional logo in March 2002
File:Shinkansen E1 Max Toki logo.jpg|"Max" logo on a refurbished set in April 2010
File:Shinkansen E1 Max Toki logo added.jpg|Modified "Max" logo in August 2012
</gallery>
Preserved examples
250px|thumb|E1 Series Shinkansen static display at Railway Museum in Saitama.
One E1 series car is preserved: car E153-104 of set M4. This was moved to the Railway Museum in Saitama in December 2017, and is on display since spring 2018.
See also
- TGV Duplex, French double-deck high speed train
- List of high speed trains