Class 1000 Shinkansen

The Class 1000 was the pair of prototype Japanese Shinkansen sets built for high-speed testing before the Tokaido Shinkansen opened in 1964. Six cars were built in two sets by different makers. Hitachi built cars 1003 and 1004 of Set B, alongside cars from Kawasaki Sharyo and Kinki Sharyo, while Set A came from Kisha Seizo and Nippon Sharyo. The first car, 1001, was delivered on 16 April 1962. Set B reached 256 km/h on 30 March 1963, well above the earlier 175 km/h record. After the line opened, set A was reclassified as a Class 941 emergency relief train and set B as a Class 922 track and overhead wire inspection train. All six cars were cut up at Hamamatsu Works in 1975 and 1976. Hitachi lists these prototypes among its early electric multiple unit work.