300X

Class 955 "300X"
Preserved car 955-6 at Hamamatsu Works, July 2010
In service	1994–2002
Manufacturer	Hitachi,Kawasaki Heavy Industries,Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,Nippon Sharyo
Constructed	1994
Scrapped	2002
Number built	6 vehicles
Number in service	None
Number preserved	2 vehicles
Number scrapped	4 vehicles
Formation	6 cars
Fleet numbers	A0
Operators	JR Central
Depots	Tokyo
Lines served	Tōkaidō Shinkansen
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium alloy
Car length	27.15 m (89 ft 1 in) (end cars) 25 m (82 ft 0 in) (intermediate cars)
Width	3,100 mm (10 ft 2 in)
Height	3,300 mm (10 ft 10 in)
Maximum speed	443 km/h (275 mph) (nominal)
Traction system	500 kW (671 hp) motors (4 per car)
Power output	12 MW (16,092 hp)
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC,60HzOverhead catenary
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
Track gauge	1,435 mm(4 ft8+1⁄2in)standard gauge

"300X"was the name given to theClass 955(955 hình)6-car experimentalShinkansentrain developed in 1994 by theCentral Japan Railway Company(JR Central) in Japan to test technology to be incorporated in future shinkansen trains operating at speeds of 300 km/h (186 mph) or higher.

Design

Manufacture of the train was shared among four different manufacturers, with a number of different body construction methods used. The two ends cars employed differing nose designs, and a number of pantograph shroud designs were tested over the lifetime of the trainset.

Formation

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6
Designation	Mc	M				Mc
Numbering	955-1	955-2	955-3	955-4	955-5	955-6
Weight (t)	36

Cars 2 and 5 were fitted withpantographs.

Closeup view of rubber diaphragm between cars, September 2000

955-1

End car with "cusp" nose design, built byMitsubishi Heavy Industries.The body was constructed of rivettedDuralumin.This car had no passenger seats.

955-2

The body was constructed byNippon Sharyousing large hollow aluminium extrusions. This was the only car in the trainset to be fitted with passenger seats.

955-3

This vehicle was constructed byKawasaki Heavy Industriesusing spot-welded large aluminium extrusions and was fitted with active tilting.

955-4

This vehicle was constructed by Nippon Sharyo using large hollow aluminium extrusions, similar to car 2, and was equipped with large side doors for installing and removing test equipment.

955-5

This vehicle was constructed byHitachiusing aluminium honeycomb panels. This car had no seats.

955-6

Hitachi-built end car with "wedge" nose design. The body was constructed of brazed aluminium honeycomb panels.

History

"300X" trainset on a daytime test run at Maibara Station, July 1999

443.0 km/h speed record sticker on car 955-6

The train was unveiled on 22 December 1994.

Test-running on theTōkaidō Shinkansenwas delayed by track damage caused by theGreat Hanshin earthquakein January 1995, but full-scale test-running commenced on 25 May 1995, betweenMaibaraandKyoto.

On 21 September 1995, the Class 955 train recorded a maximum speed of 354.1 km/h (220.0 mph) on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Maibara and Kyoto.

On 11 July 1996, the train recorded a maximum speed of 426.6 km/h (265.1 mph), exceeding the previous national speed record of 425.0 km/h (264.1 mph) set in December 1993 byJR East'sClass 952/953 "STAR21"experimental train.

On 26 July 1996, the train recorded a Japanese national speed record of 443.0 km/h (275.3 mph) on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Maibara and Kyoto.This record still stands.

The Class 955 trainset was officially withdrawn on 1 February 2002.

Preservation

End car 955-1 is preserved outdoors at the RTRI large-scale wind tunnel test facility inMaibara, Shiga.End car 955-6 was initially preserved inside JR Central's Hamamatsu Works, and was moved to the newSCMaglev and Railway Parkin 2010.

• 
  Car 955-1 preserved at Maibara, July 2006
• 
  Car 955-6 preserved at Hamamatsu Works, July 2006
• 
  Car 955-6 preserved at the SCMaglev and Railway Park in Nagoya, June 2011