East Japan Railway (JR East) has announced plans to build a 360km/h test train by spring 2019 as the basis for a new fleet of E956 10-car trains to be introduced in time for the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Sapporo in 2030.
The test train is called AlphaX. AlphaX will be tested up to a maximum speed of 400km/h. To improve safety and stability, systems such as special dampers will be installed to prevent derailments during earthquakes.
JR East plans to install shaking prevention controls and examine sound-absorbing properties to produce a smooth and quiet ride. Tests will be conducted on the body to make it more difficult for snow to accumulate on the train as Hokkaido is affected by very high snowfall during the winter. Systems will be installed to monitor the condition of components in order to predict failures. AlphaX will have two different nose designs to test this as well as the aerodynamics of the different shapes. JR East will also examine ways to conserve energy at high speed.
JR East currently operates E5 trains with a maximum speed of 320km/h on the Tohoku Line, but it requires a higher top speed in order to achieve a commercially-acceptable journey time between Tokyo and Sapporo.
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