A double-decker’s aerodynamic problem
The development account links the revised nose and roof ventilation to exterior noise and tunnel pressure-wave control. The large body required attention to airflow beyond the cab alone.
新干线
Two decks meet a much longer, lower nose than E1.
E4 · one eight-car set · 1999/2013 specifications
Two eight-car sets could form a sixteen-car train. The electrical equipment uses IGBT switching; the aluminium body helped reduce the mass of an all-double-deck train.
| 编组·辆数 / M / T | 8 · 4M4T |
|---|---|
| 编组长度 | 201 m |
| 车体宽度 | 3,380 mm |
| 单台电动机功率 | 420 kW · continuous |
| 供电制式 | AC 25 kV · 50 Hz |
| 列车防护系统 | DS-ATC |
| 牵引控制 | IGBT · three-level PWM 2 |
M为动车,T为拖车。数值以一组列车为单位。
E4 development features · Hitachi 1999 introduction
| Roof air-conditioning | Revised air intake and discharge arrangement |
|---|---|
| Acoustic design | Reduced transformer and traction-motor noise |
| Structure | Aluminium construction for a lighter double-deck train |
The development account links the revised nose and roof ventilation to exterior noise and tunnel pressure-wave control. The large body required attention to airflow beyond the cab alone.
Hood connects the E4’s capacity with growing commuter use around Tokyo. Two decks and the ability to couple trains addressed concentrated demand. His historical photographs also show why a lower-deck window could face a sound barrier rather than an open landscape.
In an old interior photo, look for the aisle and the nearest automatic door. On the upper deck of cars 1–3, the rows narrowed from six seats to four near that door. The second car numbers apply to a coupled set.
| 上层 | Car 1–3 / 9–11 | 3 + 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 上层靠近车门处 | Car 1–3 / 9–11 | 2 + 2 |
| 上层 | Car 4–6 / 12–14 | 2 + 3 |
Seat plans and sources · JR東日本 · E4系MAX大解剖
核查日期 2026-11-07