200 Series Shinkansen

The 200 series was a Shinkansen high-speed train type that Japanese National Railways introduced in June 1982 for the newly opened Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines, the first Shinkansen routes built east of Tokyo. Its styling followed the original 0 series, but the trains were lighter and more powerful to cope with the steeper gradients and mountainous terrain of those lines, and they carried small snowplows and protection of equipment against snow for winter operation. A total of 700 vehicles, arranged into 66 sets, were built between 1980 and 1991 by Hitachi, Kawasaki, Kinki Sharyo, Nippon Sharyo and the Tokyu Car Corporation. The first units ran at 210 km/h, later ones at 240 km/h, and four were converted for 275 km/h. After privatization in 1987 the trains passed to JR East, and the type was withdrawn from service in 2013.