L0 series

L0 Series
A test run of a five-car set, September 2013
Manufacturer	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nippon Sharyo
Formation	5-12 cars
Operator(s)	JR Central
Line(s) served	Chūō Shinkansen
Specifications
Maximum speed	Operational: 505 km/h (315 mph) Record: 603 km/h (375 mph)

The L0 Series (Japanese: L0系, Hepburn: Eru-zero-kei^?, "L zero series") is a high-speed maglev train that the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) is developing and testing. JR Central plans to use the L0 Series on the Chūō Shinkansen railway line between Tokyo and Osaka, which is under construction.

The L0 Series uses the Japanese-designed SCMaglev system. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Nippon Sharyo, a subsidiary of JR Central, are building fourteen pre-production vehicles.

A seven-car train set a land speed record for rail vehicles of 603 km/h (375 mph) on 21 April 2015. The trains are planned to run at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (314 mph), offering journey times of 40 minutes between Tokyo (Shinagawa Station) and Nagoya, and 1 hour 7 minutes between Tokyo and Osaka.

The end cars of L0 Series trainsets are 28 metres (92 ft) long and carry 24 passengers. The nose extends 15 metres (49 ft) for better aerodynamics and reduced noise in tunnels. Intermediate cars are 24.3 metres (80 ft) long and carry 68 passengers each. Each row is four seats wide, one less than JR Central shinkansen trains. The cars are more box-shaped than earlier models to allow for more interior space. Cars are painted white and blue. During normal operation, the train is expected to operate at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (314 mph).

The first L0 series vehicle was delivered to the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line and unveiled to the press in November 2012. The first five vehicles were linked up and placed on the guideway in June 2013.