JR Freight Class EH800
The Class EH800 (EH800形) is a Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ wheel arrangement multi-voltage AC two-unit electric locomotive type operated by Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) in Japan hauling freight trains on the Kaikyō Line through the Seikan Tunnel separating mainland Honshu with the northern island of Hokkaido. A prototype locomotive was delivered in January 2013 for evaluation and testing, with full-production locomotives delivered from June 2014, entering service from July 2014.
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EH800-2 in service in July 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background
In order to allow Hokkaido Shinkansen services to operate through the dual-gauge Seikan Tunnel (which commenced on 26 March 2016), the overhead line system voltage was raised from the narrow gauge standard of 20 kV AC to the standard shinkansen power supply of 25 kV AC. A fleet of approximately 20 new dual-voltage locomotives capable of operating under either 20 kV or 25 kV was therefore required to replace the Class ED79 and Class EH500 locomotives previously used to haul freight and overnight sleeping car services through the tunnel.[3] These locomotives are also compatible with the digital ATC and feature digital train wireless communications.[3] The total cost of manufacturing the fleet of locomotives together with construction of new maintenance depot facilities was approximately 19 billion yen.[4]
Design
The Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′ wheel arrangement locomotives are painted in an all-over red livery with a white bodyside line and silver wavy line.[5]
Operations
The locomotives operate between Higashi-Aomori Freight Terminal and Goryōkaku Freight Terminal via the Kaikyō Line and Seikan Tunnel.[4]
- EH800-3 hauling a Cassiopeia cruise train in July 2016
History
Design of the prototype locomotive, EH800-901, began in fiscal 2010,[4] and the completed locomotive was unveiled to the press at the Toshiba factory in Fuchū, Tokyo, on 27 November 2012.[6] It was delivered to JR Freight in Sendai in January 2013.[7] Following delivery, the prototype locomotive was tested within the confines of Higashi-Fukushima Station before being moved to Goryōkaku Depot in Hokkaido for testing in winter conditions.[8]
The first full-production locomotive was delivered in June 2014.[9] This entered revenue service on 16 July 2014.[10]
Fleet list
As of 1 March 2017, 20 Class EH800 locomotives are in service.[11]
Number | Manufacturer | Date delivered | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
EH800-901 | Toshiba | January 2013 | Prototype |
EH800-1 | Toshiba | June 2014 | Full-production locomotives |
EH800-2 | Toshiba | July 2014 | |
EH800-3 | Toshiba | August 2014 | |
EH800-4 | Toshiba | September 2014 | |
EH800-5 | Toshiba | October 2014 | |
EH800-6 | Toshiba | December 2014 | |
EH800-7 | Toshiba | February 2015[12] | |
EH800-8 | Toshiba | February 2015[13] | |
EH800-9 | Toshiba | April 2015[14] | |
EH800-10 | Toshiba | May 2015 | |
EH800-11 | Toshiba | June 2015[15] | |
EH800-12 | Toshiba | July 2015[16] | |
EH800-13 | Toshiba | September 2015[17] | |
EH800-14 | Toshiba | November 2015[18] | |
EH800-15 | Toshiba | January 2016[19] | |
EH800-16 | Toshiba | February 2016[20] | |
EH800-17 | Toshiba | September 2016[21] | |
EH800-18 | Toshiba | October 2016[22] | |
EH800-19 | Toshiba | December 2016[23] |
Classification
The EH800 classification for this locomotive type is explained below. As with previous locomotive designs, the prototype is numbered EH800-901, with subsequent production locomotives numbered from EH800-1 onward.
- E: Electric locomotive
- H: Eight driving axles
- 800: AC locomotive with AC motors
See also
- Train on Train, a piggy-back concept for transporting freight through the Seikan Tunnel at higher speeds
References
- EH800形900番台 [Class EH800-900]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 53 no. 622. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. February 2013. pp. 62–64.
- Sato, Yoshihiko (16 February 2016). "Hokkaido Shinkansen prepares for launch". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
- JR貨物 新幹線との供用走行専用の新型機関車を導入 [JR Freight to introduce new locomotives for inter-running with shinkansen]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 41 no. 337. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. May 2012. p. 70.
- 整備新幹線小委員会ヒアリング資料 [Seibi-shinkansen Sub-committee Meeting Reference Material] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan: Japan Freight Railway Company. 27 February 2012. pp. 5–6. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- JR貨物 EF210形300番代とEH800形900番代を新作 [JR Freight to build new EF210-300 and EH800-900]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 41 no. 341. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. September 2012. p. 70.
- 東芝とJR貨物、青函トンネル新幹線共用走行機関車のプロトタイプ車両を公開 [Toshiba and JR Freight unveil prototype locomotive for Seikan Tunnel]. Zaikei Shimbun (in Japanese). Japan: Zaikei Shimbun Company. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- EH800-901が甲種輸送される [EH800-901 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- "JR貨物 EH800形900番代が完成" [JR Freight EH800-900 completed]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 42 no. 345. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. January 2013. p. 70.
- EH800-1が甲種輸送される [EH800-1 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- EH800-1営業運転開始 [EH800-1 enters revenue service]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- Kisumi, Kenzo (April 2017). 世代交代が進むJR貨物の機関車 [Advances in handover between generations for JR Freight locomotives]. Tetsudo Club (in Japanese). Vol. 2. Japan: Cosmic Publishing. p. 98. ISBN 978-4-7747-8338-3.
- EH800-7が甲種輸送される [EH800-7 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
- EH800-8が甲種輸送される [EH800-8 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- EH800-9が甲種輸送される [EH800-9 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44 no. 375. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. July 2015. p. 125.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44 no. 376. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. August 2015. p. 12128.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 44 no. 378. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. October 2015. p. 125.
- EH800-14が甲種輸送される [EH800-14 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- EH800-15が甲種輸送される [EH800-15 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45 no. 383. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. March 2016. p. 125.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45 no. 389. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. September 2016. p. 125.
- JR貨EH800-18 甲種輸送始まる [JR Freight EH800-18 delivery run starts]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- 甲種鉄道車両輸送計画表 [Rolling stock delivery schedule]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 46 no. 393. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. January 2017. p. 123.
Further reading
- Sugiyama, Yoshikazu (April 2014). "EH800交流電気機関車" [Class EH800 AC electric locomotive]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 54 no. 636. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 72–75.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to JR Freight EH800. |
- Toshiba press release (27 November 2012) (in Japanese)