0-Series Tokaido-Shinkansen Electric Multiple Units

On October 1, 1964, the Tokaido-Shinkansen, the world’s first high-speed railway, started operating between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. In Japan, the track gauge has been 1,067 mm ever since the opening of railway in 1872. However, the Tokaido-Shinkansen was constructed by using a different line, where a standard track gauge of 1,435 mm was adopted to increase transport capacity. This realized stable high-speed travel and a maximum speed of 210 km/h were attained. In addition, conventional railway technologies changed completely, including the development of new signaling systems and the elimination of railroad crossings. This attracted people’s attention to such an extent that the Japanese term ‘Shinkansen’ is used worldwide. The bullet train led the way to increasing the speed of railways in the world.

The four electric units of the O-Series Tokaido-Shinkansen which are preserved and exhibited in the Kyoto Railway Museum are the memorial first units of four models and they traveled approximately 6 million kilometers until their retirement in March 1978.