Active suspension fitted to "Hayate" Shinkansen

• Mr Toru Yukawa -- Developer of "Hayate" (in Japanese), Mainichi Interactive 28/11/02.
  (http://www.mainichi.co.jp/eye/hito/200211/28-1.html)

The "Hayate" superexpress, which link between Tokyo and Hachinohe over the stretch of Tohoku Shinkansen inaugurated on 1 December, uses Series E2-1000 emu fleet. The leading coaches and first class coaches of this Series E2-1000 are fitted with "active suspension" mechanism, while all the others have semi-active suspension. This active suspension is the first to be used for railcars in the world, and Mr Yukawa was interviewed on Mainichi Shimbun.

On the contrary, Series 700 for "Nozomi" run by JR Central and JR West have got semi-actives on leading and first class coaches but nothing on the other vehicles, and I have frequently heard passengers' complaints that Nozomis shake too much. Some even feel scared! JR East's decision of fitting this mechanism before any speed increase takes place is surely worth a kudo.

It is a pity that the maximum speed on the Tohoku Shinkansen has not reached 300km/h, but JR East is said to be doing the research and development of 360km/h operation, in the view that Tohoku Shinkansen will be extended further north. For a person like me who know what JR East was some years ago, this is a move that rather surprises me; anyway I am expecting the outcome of their development in the near future...