Editing Shinkansen (section)

== Technology ==
To enable high-speed operation, Shinkansen uses a range of advanced technology compared with conventional rail, achieving not only high speed but also a high standard of safety and comfort. Its success has influenced other railways in the world, demonstrating the importance and advantages of [[high-speed rail]].

=== Routing ===
The majority of Shinkansen routes never intersect with slower, narrow-gauge conventional lines. Consequently, the Shinkansen is not affected by slower trains and has the capacity to operate many high-speed trains punctually. Routes are also completely [[grade separation|grade separated]] from road traffic and tracks are strictly off-limits, with penalties against trespassing regulated by law. The routes make extensive use of tunnels and [[viaduct]]s to go through and over obstacles rather than around them, with a minimum curve radius of {{convert|4000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, although the older Tōkaidō Shinkansen line has a minimum of {{convert|2500|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |last=Yasuo |first=Wakuda |date=April 1997 |title=Railway Modernization and Shinkansen |url=https://www.ejrcf.or.jp/jrtr/jrtr11/history.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613154641/http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr11/history.html |archive-date=13 June 2011 |access-date=9 May 2025 |publisher=Japan Railway & Transport Review}}</ref>

While most Shinkansen routes follow this pattern, two exceptions exist. They are the [[mini-shinkansen]] lines, which run on conventional lines converted to standard gauge; and the [[Hokkaido Shinkansen]], which shares trackage with narrow-gauge freight trains through the [[Seikan Tunnel]].

=== Track ===
[[File:Toyohashi Station 001.JPG|thumb|Shinkansen standard-gauge track, with welded rails to reduce vibration]]

The Shinkansen uses {{RailGauge|1435mm}} standard gauge in contrast to the {{RailGauge|1067mm|lk=on}} narrow gauge of most other lines in Japan. [[Continuous welded rail]] and [[swingnose crossing]] points are employed, eliminating gaps at turnouts and crossings. Long rails are used, joined by expansion joints to minimize gauge fluctuation due to thermal elongation and shrinkage.

A combination of [[Track ballast|ballasted]] and [[slab track]] is used, with slab track exclusively employed on concrete bed sections such as viaducts and tunnels. Slab track is significantly more cost-effective in tunnel sections, since the lower track height reduces the cross-sectional area of the tunnel, reducing construction costs up to 30%.<ref>Miura, S., Takai, H., Uchida, M., and Fukada, Y. "The Mechanism of Railway Tracks". ''Japan Railway & Transport Review'', 15, 38–45, 1998</ref>
However, the smaller diameter of Shinkansen tunnels, compared to some other high-speed lines, has resulted in the issue of [[Piston effect#Tunnel boom|tunnel boom]] becoming a concern for residents living close to tunnel portals.

The slab track consists of rails, fasteners and track slabs with a cement asphalt mortar. On the roadbed and in tunnels, circular upstands, measuring {{convert|400|–|520|mm|abbr=in}} in diameter and {{convert|200|mm|in||abbr=in}} high, are located at 5-metre intervals. The prefabricated upstands are made of either [[reinforced concrete]] or pre-stressed reinforced concrete; they prevent the track slab from moving latitudinally or longitudinally. One track slab weighs approximately 5 tons and is {{convert|2220|–|2340|mm|abbr=in}} wide, {{convert|4900|–|4950|mm|abbr=in}} long and {{convert|160|–|200|mm|abbr=in}} thick.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ando |first=Katsutoshi |display-authors=etal |date=2001 |title=Development of Slab Tracks for Hokuriku Shinkansen Line |journal=Quarterly Report of RTRI |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=35–41 |doi=10.2219/rtriqr.42.35 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

=== Signal system ===
[[File:ATC TEC.png|thumb|Braking curve for the original ATC-1 used on the [[Tokaido Shinkansen]] (Vertical axis represents the speed of the train whereas the horizontal axis represents the distance.)]]
[[File:新幹線総合指令所(京都鉄道博物館).jpg|thumb|Replica of the Shinkansen CTC as seen at the [[Kyoto Railway Museum]]]]

The Shinkansen employs an [[Automatic Train Control|ATC]] (automatic train control) system, eliminating the need for trackside signals. It uses a comprehensive system of [[automatic train protection]].<ref name="Smith" /> [[Centralized traffic control]] manages all train operations, and all tasks relating to train movement, track, station and schedule are networked and computerized.

=== Electrical systems ===
Shinkansen uses a [[25 kV AC railway electrification|25 kV AC]] overhead power supply (20 kV AC on [[Mini-shinkansen]] lines), to overcome the limitations of the 1,500 V [[direct current]] used on the existing electrified narrow-gauge system. Power is distributed along the train's axles to reduce the heavy axle loads under single power cars.<ref name="Smith" /> The AC frequency of the power supply for the Tokaido Shinkansen is 60&nbsp;Hz.

=== 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}}

=== Traction ===
The Shinkansen has used EMUs from the outset, with the [[0 Series Shinkansen]] having all axles powered. Other railway manufacturers were traditionally reluctant or unable to use distributed traction configurations ([[Talgo]], the German [[ICE 2]] and the French (and subsequently South Korean) [[TGV]] (and [[KTX-I]] and [[KTX-Sancheon]]) use the [[locomotive]] (also known as power car) configuration with the [[Renfe Class 102]] and continues with it for the [[Talgo AVRIL]] because it is not possible to use powered bogies as part of Talgo's bogie design, which uses a modified [[Jacobs bogie]] with a single axle instead of two and allows the wheels to rotate independently of each other, on the ICE 2, TGV and KTX it is because it easily allows for a high ride quality and less electrical equipment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ejrcf.or.jp/jrtr/jrtr17/pdf/f40_technology.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221010/http://www.ejrcf.or.jp/jrtr/jrtr17/pdf/f40_technology.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=What Drives Electrical Multiple Units?|author=Hiroshi Hata|website=Ejrcf.or.jp|access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref>) In Japan, significant engineering desirability exists for the electric multiple unit configuration. A greater proportion of motored axles permits higher acceleration, so the Shinkansen does not lose as much time if stopping frequently. Shinkansen lines have more stops in proportion to their lengths than high-speed lines elsewhere in the world.