- STAR21
-
Class 952/953 "STAR21" 
Preserved cars 953-5 and 953-1 at Sendai Shinkansen Depot, July 2009In service 1992–1998 Manufacturer Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Nippon Sharyo Constructed 1992 Scrapped 1998 Number built 9 vehicles Number in service None Number preserved 3 vehicles Number scrapped 6 vehicles Formation 9 cars Fleet numbers S5 Operator JR East Line(s) served Tohoku Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen Specifications Car body construction Aluminium alloy Width 3,100 mm (10 ft 2 in) Maximum speed 350 km/h (217 mph) (nominal) Electric system(s) 25 kV AC, 50 Hz Current collection method Overhead catenary Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) "STAR21" was the name given to the Class 952/953 (952・953形) 9-car experimental Shinkansen train developed in 1992 by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan to test technology to be incorporated in next-generation shinkansen trains operating at speeds of 350 km/h (217 mph) or higher.[1] The name was an acronym for "Superior Train for the Advanced Railway toward the 21st Century".[2]
Contents
Design
The train consisted of nine cars arranged in two distinct "halves", with the Class 952 half-set consisting of four separate vehicles, and the Class 953 half-set consisting of five articulated vehicles using shared bogies.[3][2]
Three different construction methods were used for the vehicle bodies. Cars 1 to 3 used welded hollow aluminium extrusions, cars 4 to 5 used brazed aluminium honeycomb panels, and cars 6 to 9 used an aircraft-style Duralumin fuselage construction.[1]
The front-end design of the two driving vehicles (952-1 and 953-5) were slightly different, although both used a wedge-shaped profile with little lateral taper.[3]
The external livery was light green for the Class 952 cars (including half of car 953-1), "snow" grey for cars 953-1 to 953-3, and beige for cars 953-3 to 953-5, with a light blue window band throughout the length of the train.[2]
Internally, cars were fitted with passengers seats, arranged 2+2 abreast for standard class cars, and 2+1 abreast for the Green car (952-4).[2] Five different types of lightweight seating design were tested.[3]
Formation
Car 953-1 preserved at Sendai Shinkansen Depot, August 2002
The set, designated S5, was initially formed as follows with some cars unpowered.[4][5]
Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Designation Tc M M' Ts T M M' M M'c Numbering 952-1 952-2 952-3 952-4 953-1 953-2 953-3 953-4 953-5 Seating capacity 56 63 72 34 56 48 48 48 46 Weight (t) 30.0 29.9 33.2 25.5 19.4 20.7 21.4 20.4 27.0 Vehicle length (mm) 26,250 25,000 25,000 25,000 22,250 18,500 18,500 18,500 25,500 Cars 1 to 3 were built by Nippon Sharyo, cars 4 to 5 were built by Hitachi, and cars 6 to 8 were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[4]
Cars 3 and 7 were fitted with pantographs.[1]
History
Sticker on the side of 953-5 commemorating the national speed record of 425.0 km/hThe train was delivered in March 1992[3], and unveiled to the press on 2 April.[6]
On 30 October 1992, the train recorded a Japanese national speed record of 353.0 km/h (219.3 mph) on the Jōetsu Shinkansen between Urasa and Niigata, surpassing the record previously set by JR West's "WIN350" experimental train in August of the same year. On 1 November 1992, the record was raised to 358.0 km/h (222.5 mph) between Tsubame-Sanjō and Niigata.[6]
In 1993, the train was modified with the addition of motors to all axles, increasing its overall rating to 4,620 kW (6,200 hp).[3]
On 13 December 1993, the train reached 400 km/h (248.5 mph), and on 21 December recorded a Japanese national speed record of 425.0 km/h (264.1 mph) on the Jōetsu Shinkansen between Tsubame-Sanjō and Niigata. This record stood until it was broken by JR Central's "300X" experimental train in July 1996.[6]
The STAR21 trainset was officially withdrawn on 17 February 1998.[1][4]
Preservation
Car 952-1 preserved at Maibara, July 2006End car 952-1 is preserved outdoors at the RTRI large-scale wind tunnel test facility in Maibara, Shiga, first displayed to the public on 10 October 1998.[6] Cars 953-1 and 953-5 are preserved at Sendai Shinkansen Depot.[7]
See also
Media related to Class 952/953 "STAR21" at Wikimedia Commons
References
- ^ a b c d プロトタイプの世界 - Prototype World. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbunsha. December 2005. p. 52–55. ISBN 4910065141258.
- ^ a b c d 日本と世界の鉄道カタログ [Japan and World Railway Catalogue]. Japan: Seibido Publishing. July 1992. p. 36–39. ISBN 4-415-03262-1.
- ^ a b c d e Semmens, Peter (1997). High Speed in Japan: Shinkansen - The World's Busiest High-speed Railway. Sheffield, UK: Platform 5 Publishing. ISBN 1-872524-88-5.
- ^ a b c 新幹線電車データブック2011 [Shinkansen Databook 2011]. Japan: JRR. March 2011. p. 95. ISBN 978-4-330-19811-8.
- ^ JR全車輛ハンドブック'93 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 1993]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 1993.
- ^ a b c d Yamanouchi, Shūichirō (2002). "東北・上越新幹線" [Tōhoku & Jōetsu Shinkansen]. Tokyo, Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 4-533-04513-8.
- ^ 鉄道のテクノロジーVol1：新幹線 [Railway Technology Vol.1: Shinkansen]. Japan: Sanei Mook. April 2009. p. 122. ISBN 978-4-7796-0534-5.
Further reading
- Nakamura, Tatsuji (June 1992). "952・953形新幹線電車 [Class 952/953 Shinkansen EMU]". Japan Railfan Magazine (Japan: Kōyūsha) 32 (374): p.11–17.
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earning trainsetsClass 1000 • Class 951 • Class 961 • Class 962 • Doctor Yellow • WIN350 • STAR21 • 300X • Fastech 360 • Gauge Change Train • MLX-01Operators Experimental and Prototype High-speed trains France France & Germany EurotrainGermany Japan JR–Maglev · Class 1000 Shinkansen · Class 951 Shinkansen · Class 961 Shinkansen · Class 962 Shinkansen · WIN350 · STAR21 · 300X · Fastech 360Korea HEMU-400X · HSR-350xRussia / USSR United Kingdom USA / Canada See also Category:Experimental and prototype high-speed trains , High-speed rail , List of high speed trainsCategories:- Experimental and prototype high-speed trains
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