TheE4 series (E4系) was a high-speedShinkansenelectric multiple unit train type operated byEast Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. They were the second series of completelybi-level Shinkansen trainsets to be built in Japan (the other being theE1 series). They previously operated on theTōhoku andJōetsu Shinkansen, and occasionally on theNagano Shinkansen. E4 series trains feature double-decker cars to accommodate additional commuter traffic aroundTokyo and other urban areas.^[1] They were often coupled to400 series trains on theTōhoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Fukushima before the latter retired in April 2010 along with theE3 series trains until September 2012. The last trains of the E4 series were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021.

E4 series
E4 series train set P20 on a Joetsu ShinkansenMax Tanigawa service in February 2021
In service	20 December 1997 – 17 October 2021 (23 years, 301 days)
Manufacturer	Hitachi,Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Family name	Max
Constructed	1997–2003
Entered service	December 1997 (Tohoku Shinkansen)May 2001 (Joetsu Shinkansen)
Scrapped	2013–2022
Number built	208 vehicles (26 sets)
Number in service	None
Number preserved	1 vehicle
Number scrapped	207 vehicles (26 sets)
Successor	E7 series
Formation	8 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers	P1–P22, P51–P52, P81–P82
Capacity	817 (54 Green + 763 Standard)
Operators	JR East
Depots	Niigata, Sendai
Lines served	Joetsu Shinkansen,Tōhoku Shinkansen
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium
Car length	End cars: 25,700 mm (84 ft3+13⁄16 in), Intermediate cars:25,000 mm (82 ft1⁄4 in)
Width	3,380 mm (11 ft1+1⁄16 in)
Doors	2 per side
Maximum speed	240 km/h (150 mph)
Weight	428 t
Traction system	IGBT-VVVF (Mitsubishi Co.)
Traction motors	16 x 420 kW (563 hp) AC traction motors
Power output	6.72 MW (9,012 hp)
Acceleration	1.65 km/(h⋅s) (1.03 mph/s)
Deceleration	2.69 km/(h⋅s) (1.67 mph/s) (service) 4.04 km/(h⋅s) (2.51 mph/s) (emergency)
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC, 50 Hzoverhead catenary25kV AC, 50Hz and 60Hz (Sets P81 and 82 only, for use on Hokuriku Shinkansen.)
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Braking system(s)	Pneumatic and Regenerative
Safety system(s)	ATC-2,DS-ATC
Multiple working	400/E3-1000/E3-2000 series
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge

Two eight-car sets can be coupled together for extra capacity: a sixteen-car E4 series formation trainset carries a total of 1,634 seated passengers, the highest-capacity high-speed rail trainset in the world.^[2]

26 units were built between 1997 and 2003. As with the earlier E1 series trains, maximum speed was 240 km/h (150 mph).

E4 series sets were used on the following services.

• Joetsu Shinkansen
  • Max Asahi (May 2001 – November 2002)
  • Max Tanigawa (until 1 October 2021)
  • Max Toki (until 1 October 2021)
• Tohoku Shinkansen
  • Max Nasuno (until 28 September 2012)
  • Max Yamabiko (until 28 September 2012)
• Hokuriku Shinkansen
  • Max Asama (until 15 September 2003)

Cars 4 and 6 were each equipped with a PS201 pantograph.^[3]

Sets P51 and P52, delivered in January and February 2001 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of theNagano Shinkansen for use on services to Karuizawa.^[3]

Sets P81 and P82, delivered in July and November 2003 were designed to cope with the steep gradients of theNagano Shinkansen, and are also capable of operating under 50 Hz and 60 Hz overhead power supplies for use on services to Nagano.^[3]

As with the earlier E1 series, the upper deck saloons of non-reserved cars 1 to 3 were arranged 3+3 with no individual armrests, and did not recline. The lower decks of these cars, and the reserved-seating saloons in cars 4 to 8 had regular 2+3 seating. Thegreen car saloons on the upper decks of cars 7 to 8 had 2+2 seating. The trains had a total seating capacity of 817 passengers.^[4]

•  
  Green class saloon (upper deck), February 2011
•  
  Standard-class reserved car lower deck with 2+3 seating
•  
  Standard-class non-reserved car upper deck with non-reclining 3+3 seating
•  
  Vestibule area and stairway

The first E4 series set, P1, was delivered to Sendai Depot on 8 October 1997, with the first sets entering revenue-earning service on the Tohoku Shinkansen from 20 December 1997.^[3]

All cars were made no-smoking from the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007.^[3]

In March 2011, it was announced that the entire E4 series fleet would be withdrawn by around 2016.^[5]

In September 2012, E4 series were entirely withdrawn from Tohoku Shinkansen services, and all allocated for use on Joetsu Shinkansen services only.^[6] The trains were withdrawn from regular service on 1 October 2021,^[7] and were completely retired on 17 October of the same year.

From 2014, the fleet of 24 sets still in service began to be repainted, receiving a new livery identical to that previously carried by theE1 series trains, with atoki (crested ibis) pink stripe separating the white on the upper body and blue on the lower body. The first reliveried set, P5, was returned to service in early April 2014,^[8] with the entire fleet be treated by the end of fiscal 2015.^[9]

•  
  The new logo, April 2014

Withdrawals started in July 2013, with sets P2 and P3.^[10]

End car E444-1 from set P1 is displayed at the Niigata City Niitsu Railway Museum inNiitsu, Niigata.^[11] It was moved by road from Niigata Depot to the museum in the early hours of 20 June 2017.^[12]

The build details are as shown below.^[3] All units retired from regular service as of 1 October 2021.

• TGV Duplex, French double-deck high speed train
• List of high-speed trains

• E4 SeriesMax Toki/Max Tanigawa(in Japanese) (Archived on July 24, 2017)