700 Series Shinkansen

The 700 Series Shinkansen is a high-speed electric multiple unit operated by the Central and West Japan Railway Companies since March 1999.
==Design==
Its shape is designed to reduce certain effects on the train when going through tunnels at high speed. These trainsets use semi-active suspension to make sure the train has a smooth ride at high speed and yaw dampers to stop sideways rolling/rocking. They were designed to out-do the 300 Series in comfort and cost less than the the 500 Series. The JR Central sets were withdrawn from the Tōkaidō Shinkansen on 1 March 2020, with JR West continuing to operate the remaining sets on the San'yō Shinkansen until 9 August 2020 when they too were retired. The sets were initially planned to be retired with a special event on 8 March 2020, but this was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
==Variants==
The pre-production trainset (C0) was delivered in October 1997. After testing and endurance running, C0 was turned into a production set in September 1999, being renumbered C1.
===C sets (1999-2020)===
These 16-car sets were ordered by JR Central to replace the 300 Series Shinkansen sets that were running the Nozomi service. The 700s had three Green class (luxury) cars; their gangways were 30 mm wider, and the ceilings 65 mm higher than the 300's. This made the gangways 600 mm wide, and the ceilings 2,200 mm high. The refreshment counters of previous Shinkansen sets were not installed. Instead there were vending machines that sold drinks in cars 3, 7, 11 and 15. The first batch was operating the daily return Nozomi services from March 1999, and by July the 700 Series sets were operating five services a day. 700s were introduced on the Hikari services from late 2000 on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen. Cars 5 and 12 have the pantographs. Retirements and the subsequent scrapping began in 2011 with set C4; the trains were withdrawn from regular service on 1 December 2019. These were supposed to be withdrawn on 8 March 2020 with a special event, but due to the COVID-19 situation in Japan and the restrictions placed the events were therefore not carried out and the trains were retired on 1 March 2020, one week ahead of schedule, without any fanfare held.
===B sets (2001-2020)===
These 16-car sets replaced the JR West operated 100 Series sets on the Hikari services. 15 were delivered from June 2001 to 2005. Some of the differences between them and the C sets are that they use the same bogies as the JR West 500 Series Shinkansen sets, have LED destination indicator panels and white pantograph side fences. Cars 5 and 12 are pantograph carriers. These too were withdrawn from regular service on 13 March 2020 and completely retired by 9 August 2020.
===E sets (2000-present)===
These 8-car sets were delivered from December 1999 to JR West for use on the limited-stop Hikari Rail Star services. 16 were built and have a special livery to go with their special job. Cars 2 and 7 are the pantograph cars. These are currently the only 700 series sets in passenger service.
==Specifications==
Construction is of aluminium, and a single set can cater for 1,323 (1,123 + 200 Green class) passengers. The trains' traction motors are 3-level IGBT variable frequency drives with PWM converters manufactured by Toshiba, which gives them a rather melodic whine when they accelerate from idle. The end cars are 27.4 meters long and the intermediate cars are 25 meters long. Top speed is 270 km/h (168 mph) for the Tōkaidō line, and 285 km/h (171 mph) for the Sanyo line. It runs off 25 kV AC, 60 Hz power.
==Preservation==
The following 700 Series Shinkansen cars have been preserved:
Car number	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location 	Notes
723-9001 	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	September 1997 	January 2013	C0, C1 	SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya, Japan	Ex-pre-production set C1, formerly stored at Hamamatsu Works; replaced 300 Series car 323-20 from January 2014
The following 700 Series Shinkansen cars were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Last location 	Notes
723-9 	Hitachi 	August 1999 	April 2014 	C10 	JR Nagoya Takashimaya, Nagoya, Japan	Cab only, cut in half lengthwise, displayed at JR Nagoya Takashimaya for an event from July to August 2014; removed after event conclusion and presumably scrapped
===Aluminum reuse===
JR Central has obtained a patent with regards to the recycling of aluminum used in car bodies for the removal of impurities. These products are sold in the form of interior decorations and building materials through JR Tokai Corporation, a subsidiary of JR Central. Some aluminum from 700 Series sets are reused for awnings for the Tokyo Gift Palette store and a The Body Shop store at JR Nagoya Takashimaya, along with interior fittings for the N700S Series Shinkansen.
==Gallery==
File:700 723-9001 2023.jpg
File:700 Series Shinkansen B5 Nozomi Tōkaidō Shinkansen 2012.jpg|700 Series Shinkansen set B5 on a Nozomi service on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in March 2012.
File:JRW-TEC700.jpg|This is a great look at the profile of the 700 Series.
File:700 Series E15 2022.jpg|Set E15 in November 2022
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives