0 Series Shinkansen No. R68

R68 was a 6-car 0 Series Shinkansen set operated by the West Japan Railway Company from February 2002 to December 2008.
==Description==
R68 was one of eight R-class sets formed in the early 2000s from surplus cars used to pull West Hikari services on the San'yō Shinkansen; it was the last of eight R-class sets and the last 0 Series Shinkansen set to be formed as a whole. R68 began operation on 6 February 2002 and operated until 30 November 2008 in regular service; by that time the 0 Series Shinkansen cars were relegated to Kodama services, and only three sets remained in service, those being R61, R67 and R68.
R68 was the second last 0 Series Shinkansen set in operation; R68 pulled the final regular revenue service run for an 0 Series Shinkansen set on 30 November 2008, the Kodama 659. R68's last revenue service run was a Kodama 340 run on 14 December 2008, the 0 Series's last day in service; the service was bound for Shin-Osaka, leaving Hakata at 8:06 am and arriving at Shin-Osaka at 12:05 pm. Following this R68 was stored at Hakata Shinkansen General Depot and was struck from the JR West register on 23 January 2009; R68 was the last 0 Series Shinkansen set to remain on the JR West register.
One car from the set is preserved at the Kento Library in Osaka.
==Formation==
R61 was formed as follows:
Car No. 	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6
Designation	Mc 	M' 	MB 	M' 	M 	M'c
Numbering 	21-7007	26-7213	25-7903	26-7012	25-7012	22-7007
==Individual car histories==
===21-7007===
21-7007 was originally built on 25 March 1985 as 21-2022 by Nippon Sharyo as part of the 36th batch of 0 Series cars. 21-2022 entered service with set SK17 in 1985; 21-2022 was moved to NH58 in 1988, with NH58 renumbered NH88 in 1990. In 1998 the car was refurbished with better facilities and entered service with R15 on 17 June 1998 on the Kodama service, now renumbered 21-7036. 21-7036 was moved to R7 in 2000, before being refurbished again with 2+2 seating in 2002, renumbered 21-7007 and entering service with R68 on 6 February 2002.
===26-7213===
26-7213 was originally built on 15 March 1984 as 26-2237 by Nippon Sharyo as part of the 34th batch of 0 Series cars. 26-2237 entered service with set H73 in 1984; initially used on Hikari services, 26-2237 was moved to NH88 in 1992. 26-2237 was renumbered to 26-7241 on 2 May 1996 before it was refurbished with better facilities and entered service with R15 on 17 June 1998 on the Kodama service. 26-7241 was converted to 2+2 seating for use on West Hikari services and then moved into R68, now numbered 26-7213 and entered service with R68 on 6 February 2002. 26-7213 was the last 0 Series car to be refurbished with simple reclining seats.
===25-7903===
25-7903 was originally built on 26 February 1985 as 37-2540 by Tokyu Car Corporation as part of the 36th batch of 0 Series cars. 37-2540 entered service with set SK97 in 1985; initially used on Kodama services on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, 37-2540 was later moved to R12 in 1986. 37-2540 was refurbished on 25 October 1986 and transferred to the San'yō Shinkansen and renumbered 25-2906. An increase in the need for Kodama shuttle services required 4-car Q sets to be built, with 25-2901 moved to be used on Q2 in 1998; with the withdrawal of the Q series sets 25-2906 was moved into R68; now renumbered 25-7903, it entered service on 17 July 2002.
===26-7012===
26-7012 was originally built on 1 February 1984 as 26-2032 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries as part of the 34th batch of 0 Series cars. 26-2032 entered service with set K88 in 1984; initially on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, 26-2032 was moved to SK97 in 1985 followed by R12 in 1986 and from then on was used exclusively on the San'yō Shinkansen. 26-2032, while still in R12, was renumbered to 26-7037 on 10 July 1998. 26-7037 was later converted to 2+2 seating and then moved into R68, now numbered 26-7012 and entered service with R68 on 6 February 2002. 26-7012 was used on Kodama services for virtually all its life.
===25-7012===
25-7012 was originally built on 29 May 1984 as 25-2036 by Nippon Sharyo as part of the 35th batch of 0 Series cars. 25-2036 entered service with set NH21 for use on Hikari services; the car was renumbered 25-7012 on 14 March 1990 and inserted into SK46, remaining with SK46 until it was moved into R68 in 2002, entering service on 6 February 2002.
===22-7007===
22-7007 was originally built on 25 March 1985 as 22-2022 by Nippon Sharyo as part of the 36th batch of 0 Series cars. 21-2022 entered service with set SK17 in 1985; 22-2022 was moved to NH58 in 1988, with NH58 renumbered NH88 in 1990. In 1998 the car was refurbished with better facilities and entered service with R15 on 17 June 1998 on the Kodama service, now renumbered 22-7036. 22-7036 was moved to R7 in 2000, before being refurbished again with 2+2 seating in 2002, renumbered 22-7007 and entering service with R68 on 6 February 2002.
22-7007 is the only car which has been preserved.
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Tokyu Car locomotives
Category:Standard gauge locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:4 foot 8 1⁄2 inch gauge
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japan
Category:High speed rail