Shinkansen Shinkansen The , meaning "new trunkline," but colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, in order to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. It is operated by five Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen () in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-Shinkansen lines with a maximum
E2 Series Shinkansen moved from Sendai Depot to Sanwa Tekki Corporation in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, in February 2017, where it is to be preserved. E2 Series Shinkansen The is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on the Tohoku and Hokuriku Shinkansen high-speed lines in Japan since 1997. They are formed in 8- and 10-car sets. The 8-car sets are used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and the 10-car sets on Tohoku Shinkansen services. The 10-car sets can be coupled to E3 series sets using couplers hidden behind retracting nose doors. They operate at a maximum speed of