Editing Shinkansen (section)

=== Trains ===
[[File:Rolling-Stock-Gauge-in-Japan.svg|thumb|left|Japanese loading gauge legend.
Green: Shinkansen loading gauge <br /> Grey: Conventional loading gauge <br /> Blue: Rural loading gauge <br /> Figures in brackets are former limits.]]

Shinkansen trains are [[electric multiple unit]]s (EMUs), offering fast acceleration, deceleration and reduced damage to the track because of the use of lighter vehicles compared to locomotives or power cars. The coaches are air-sealed to ensure stable air pressure when entering tunnels at high speed.

Shinkansen trains (excluding mini-Shinkansen) are also built to a larger [[loading gauge]] compared to conventional-speed rolling stock.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mlit.go.jp/pubcom/06/pubcomt129/03.pdf |script-title=ja:鉄道に関する技術上の基準を定める省令等の解釈基準 |publisher=[[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism]] |language=ja}}</ref> This larger loading gauge permits wider coaches, allowing for 5-abreast seating (2+3) in Standard Class coaches, compared to the more common 4-abreast (2+2) seating usually found elsewhere. On occasions, this wider loading gauge was also used to allow 6-abreast seating (3+3) on certain trains, such as the [[E1 Series Shinkansen|E1]] and [[E4 Series Shinkansen|E4 series]] sets. This, combined with a lack of power cars, allows for a higher passenger capacity within a shorter train length. However, since mini-Shinkansen lines are effectively track-regauged conventional lines, the conventional loading gauge for 1,067mm lines still applies on mini-Shinkansen lines. 
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{{Wide image|File:Line scan photo of Shinkansen N700A Series Set G13 in 2017, car 01.png|1000px|Shinkansen N700A Series, car 01}}