Yamabiko

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)Electrification25 kV AC, 50 HzOperating speed275 km/h (170 mph)

The Yamabiko (やまびこ) is a high-speed Shinkansen train service operated on the Tōhoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Morioka by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan.^[1]

Name

The word yamabiko is usually translated as 'echo', particularly one which is heard in the mountains.^[2]

Rolling stock

• E2 series (since March 1997)
• E3 series
• E5 series (since November 2011)
• E6 series (since 16 March 2013)^[3]
• H5 series (since 26 March 2016)^[4]

• 
  E2 series
• 
  E3 series
• 
  E5 series
• 
  E6 series
• 
  H5 series

Former rolling stock

• 200 series (June 1982 – November 2011)
• E1 series (Max Yamabiko) (July 1994 – December 1999)
• E4 series (Max Yamabiko) (until 28 September 2012)

• 
  200 series
• 
  E1 series
• 
  E4 series

History

1959–1963: Semi express

On 1 February 1959, the name Yamabiko was introduced on a semi-express (準急, junkyū) service between Fukushima and Morioka on the Tōhoku Main Line. This service operated until 30 September 1963.^[5]

1965–1982: Limited express

From 1 October 1965, the name was reintroduced for limited express services operating between Ueno in Tokyo and Morioka. These services continued until 22 June 1982, the day before the Tōhoku Shinkansen opened.^[5]

1982–Present: Shinkansen

From the start of services on the newly opened Tōhoku Shinkansen on 23 June 1982, Yamabiko became the name used for the limited-stop shinkansen services operating initially between Ōmiya and Morioka, later between Ueno and Morioka, and eventually between Tokyo and Morioka.^[5]

Since 1 July 1992, some Yamabiko services have run coupled with Tsubasa services (as of 2011 formed of E3 series sets) between Tokyo and Fukushima.^[1]

From 19 November 2011, E5 series trainsets were introduced on some Yamabiko services, replacing the remaining 200 series-operated services.^[6][7]

Special event train services

Sayonara 200 series Yamabiko

On 30 March 2013, a special Sayonara 200 series Yamabiko (さよなら２００系やまびこ号) train operated from Morioka to Tokyo, as a farewell run for the 200 series on Yamabiko services.^[8]

See also

• List of named passenger trains of Japan

References

External links

Lines

SCMaglev lines (505 km/h)	Chuo (2027)
Main lines (300-320 km/h)	Sanyō   Tohoku
Main lines (260-285 km/h)	Tōkaidō   Joetsu   Hokuriku   Kyushu   Nishi Kyushu   Hokkaido
Mini-shinkansen (130 km/h)	Yamagata   Akita
Conventional lines	Hakata-Minami   Gala-Yuzawa
Lines under construction	Chuo (2027) Hokkaido Sapporo Extension (2031)
Planned lines	Chuo Osaka Extension (2037) Nishi Kyushu Extension (date unknown) Hokuriku Osaka Extension (date unknown)
Cancelled lines	Narita
Narrow-gauge line (200+ km/h)	Super Tokkyū

Service names

Fast	Nozomi Hayabusa Mizuho Kagayaki
Limited-stop	Hikari Hikari Rail Star Sakura Hakutaka Toki Yamabiko
Stopping	Kodama Hayate Nasuno Tsubame Tanigawa Asama Tsurugi Kamome
Mini-shinkansen	Tsubasa Komachi
Discontinued	Aoba Asahi Genbi Shinkansen Toreiyu

Train types

In service	500 700 N700/ N700A N700S 800 E2 E3 E5/H5 E6 E7/W7 E8
On order	L0
Retired	0 100 200 300 400 E1 E4
Export	THSR 700T N700S CRH CRH2A CRH2B Texas Central N700S NHSRCL E5
Non-revenue	Class 1000 Class 951 Class 961 Class 962 Doctor Yellow East i WIN350 STAR21 300X Fastech 360 Gauge Change Train MLX-01 ALFA-X

Operators

Current	JR Hokkaido JR East JR Central JR West JR Kyushu
Former	Japanese National Railways (1964–87)

Builders and owners

Current	Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT) JR East JR Central JR West
Former	Japanese National Railways Japan Railway Construction Public Corporation (JRCC)

People