The is a DC

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...

(EMU) commuter train type operated by

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

(JR-West) in the

Kansai Region The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropolita ...

of Japan since 1991. This train bears no relation to the 207 series built by

JNR The abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

and operated by

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

until 2009.

Background and history

The 207 series was developed for use on the Katafuku Line (now known as the JR Tozai Line), and also to be the standard commuter train type for JR-West. The type was introduced into service on 30 April 1991, replacing ageing

101 series 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

and

103 series 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

EMUs operating on the

Fukuchiyama Line The is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) connecting Osaka and Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Fukuchiyama, Japan. Within JR West's "Urban Network" covering the Osaka–Kobe–Kyoto metropolitan region, the line from Osaka to S ...

and the

Katamachi Line The , officially nicknamed the , is a commuter rail line and service in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area of Japan, owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line connects Kizu Station (Kyoto), Kizu Station in Kyoto P ...

. The trains were built jointly by

Hitachi () is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Ni ...

JR-West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and ...

(Goto Factory),

Kinki Sharyo is a Japanese manufacturer of railroad vehicles based in Osaka. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation. In business since 1920 (as Tanaka Rolling Stock Works) and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945. They have produced light ...

, and

Kawasaki Heavy Industries (or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese Public company, public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, Heavy equipment (construction), heavy equipment, aerospace and Military, defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headq ...

Livery revision

With the introduction of the 321 series fleet from 2005, the livery used with the 207 series was modified from its original two-tone blue scheme to a navy-and-orange color scheme, matching the scheme used with the 321 series.

Refurbishment

On 22 September 2014, JR-West announced that the 207 series fleet would undergo a program of refurbishment, aiming to improve the fleet's safety, efficiency, and accessibility. 0-subseries set Z22, the first set to be refurbished, returned to service on 17 November 2014. During the refurbishment program, the interior was fitted with wheelchair spaces, enlarged seat partitions, newly introduced intermediate seat partitions to make way for vertical grab bars, and LED lighting. External changes include the use of

HID headlight A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term fo ...

s, gangway door-mounted wipers, and lead car-mounted fall-prevention devices. In addition, the fleet was equipped with abnormality detection technology, and much of the existing electrical equipment was overhauled. File:Series207-0R-Z22-LED (2021-09-13).jpg, Z22, the first set to undergo refurbishment, in September 2021 File:207系体質改善車車内.JPG, Refurbished interior

Variants

* 207-0 series (manufactured 1991–1994) * 207-500/1500 series (converted from former 207-0 and 207-1000 series trains in 1996) * 207-1000 series (manufactured 1994–1997) * 207-2000 series (manufactured 2002–2003)

Operations

Tōkaidō Main Line The is a major Japanese railway line of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) network, connecting and stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities. The high-speed Tōkaidō Shinkansen largely parallel ...

and

Sanyō Main Line , stylized as SANYO, is a Japanese electronics company and formerly a member of the Fortune Global 500, ''Fortune'' Global 500 whose headquarters was located in Moriguchi, Osaka, Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo had over 230 subsidiari ...

Local Service (

Biwako Line The is the nickname used by the operator of the West Japan Railway Company (JR West) to refer to the portion of the Tōkaidō Main Line (between Maibara Station and Kyoto Station) and the Hokuriku Main Line (between Maibara Station and Nagahama ...

JR Kyoto Line The is a commuter rail line in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The name applies to the section of the Tōkaidō Main Line between Kyōto Station and Ōsaka Station. The Kyoto ...

JR Kobe Line The is the nickname of portions of the Tokaido Main Line and the Sanyo Main Line, between Osaka Station in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture and Himeji Station in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture. The line, along with the JR Kyoto Line and the Biwako Line, form ...

): – * Fukuchiyama Line (JR Takarazuka Line): – *

Kosei Line The is a commuter rail line in Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line was completed in 1974 by the former Japanese National Railways (JNR) to provide faster access from the Kansai region t ...

: – – *

JR Tōzai Line is one of several commuter rail lines and services in the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto Metropolitan Area, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line, whose name literally means "east-west", runs underground through central Osaka and conne ...

and Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line): – – *

Osaka Higashi Line The (Literally: Osaka East Line) is a railway line in Osaka, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR-West). The line connects Shin-Osaka Station in northern Osaka with Kyūhōji Station in Yao, forming an arc around the norther ...

and

Kansai Main Line The is a railway line in Japan, which connects Nagoya Station with JR Namba Station in Osaka. It is jointly run by the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), with the boundary between both comp ...

(

Yamatoji Line The is the common name of the western portion of the Kansai Main Line. The line is owned and operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), and starts at Kamo Station in Kyoto Prefecture and ends at JR Namba Station in Naniwa-ku, Osaka. O ...

): Kizu – , Nara – – *

Wadamisaki Line The is the spur line of the Sanyō Main Line, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and connecting Hyogo on the main line and Wadamisaki. Operation The line has only two stops, and only operates during morning and evening, and ma ...

: – (sometimes substituted for 103 series)

Formations

207-0 series

7-car set (Pre-series set)

The pre-series set is formed as follows.

4-car sets

207-1000, 207-2000 series

4-car sets

3-car sets

Interior

File:JR-West207(6).JPG, Original interior style, February 2006 File:JRW207-Z21 renewal inside of train.jpg, Interior following changes to seat covers and hanging straps File:JR-West207(4).jpg, Original LED passenger information display above door File:Jrw207-1000 cocpit.jpg, 207-1000 series driver's cab

References

* * {{JR-West rolling stock Electric multiple units of Japan West Japan Railway Company Train-related introductions in 1991 Hitachi multiple units Kawasaki multiple units Kinki Sharyo multiple units 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan

Background and history

Livery revision

Refurbishment

Variants

Operations

Formations

207-0 series

7-car set (Pre-series set)

4-car sets

207-1000, 207-2000 series

4-car sets

3-car sets

Interior

See also

References