Capacity shaped the structure
E1 used a steel double-deck body throughout its twelve-car formation. Its published mean mass belongs to this historical comparison, not an individual car weighing record.
Shinkansen
E1 · Jōetsu
Look closer
Where can I see the two decks?
二階建て
Two decks behind the high cab; original blue-grey scheme.
Compare · E4 · Tōhoku · Jōetsu
railway-museum.jpTwo decks behind the high cab; original blue-grey scheme.
Technical profile
Original E1 · 1994–1997 published specification
The two-level body was designed around commuter capacity. These launch-era figures sit alongside the historical seating description; later interior revisions need their own dates.
| Formation · cars / M / T | 12 cars 1 |
|---|---|
| Electrical supply | AC 25 kV · 50 Hz 1 |
| Speed | 240 km/h |
| Traction control | VVVF inverter |
| Braking | Regenerative + electrically commanded air |
M = powered car; T = unpowered car. Figures describe one set.
Evidence · 2026-11-07
- 新型高速新幹線電車 · 日立製作所 · 日立評論 · 1997-02 · Table 1, printed pp.154–155
- 全車2階建て新幹線電車 · 日本機械学会 · JR東日本提供 · 1994-03 · Article “全車2階建て新幹線電車”
Inside the engineering
Original E1 structure · 1997 published comparison
| Structural material | Steel · every car double-deck |
|---|---|
| Published mean car mass | 64 t · historical comparison value |
Technical sources and page references
- 新型高速新幹線電車
日立評論 · 1997-02 · pp.153–156; Tables 1–2; Figures 3–4
Seating
In its March 1994 account of the original E1, JR East describes six seats across on the upper deck in unreserved accommodation. The entrances also had folding seats. Upper-deck seating elsewhere in the train followed different layouts.
| Upper deck | 3 + 3 |
|---|
Seat plans and sources · 日本機械学会 · 交通・物流部門ニュースレター No.7（1994年3月）「全車2階建て新幹線電車」
Sources and updates
Checked 2026-11-07