Reduction of Wayside Noise from Shinkansen High-Speed Trains

Abstract

We worked on the reduction of Shinkansen wayside noise at higher speeds using two experimental trains, namely (running only on Shinkansen lines) and (running on both Shinkansen and conventional lines). Both of these feature several new types of equipment for reducing pantograph noise and noise from the lower part of cars, which have the greatest effect on overall noise level in series E2-1000, the newest commercial trains in JR-East. Low-noise pantographs and noise insulation plates were used with the intention of reducing pantograph noise. Sound-absorbing panels were installed to reduce noise emitted from the lower part of cars. We conducted running tests with the FASTECH360 trains to measure wayside noise. The results show that to operate at the same noise levels as current commercial trains (namely series E2 and E3 (coupled) running at 275 km/h), FASTECH360S and FASTECH360Z (coupled) would have to run at approximately 330 km/h, and FASTECH360S (alone) at approximately 340 km/h. We verified that the combination of certain measures for the reduction of pantograph noise and noise from the lower part of cars were rather successful in mitigating Shinkansen wayside noise.