The 251 series ( ja, 251系) was 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) train type operated by

East Japan Railway Company 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 ...

(JR East) on Tokaido Main Line '' Super View Odoriko''

limited express A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes. Japan The term "limited express" is a common ...

services in Japan between April 1990 and March 2020.

Operations

The 251 series sets were primarily used on '' Super View Odoriko'' limited express services from , , and to . Since the 13 March 2004 timetable revision, 251 series sets were also used on the weekday morning '' Ohayō Liner Shinjuku 26'' and weekday evening '' Home Liner Odawara 23'' services.

Formation

The four sets, numbered RE1 to RE4 and based at Ōmiya Depot in Tokyo, were formed as follows, with car 1 at the Izukyū-Shimoda end, and car 10 at the Tokyo and Shinjuku end. Cars 4, 6, and 8 were each fitted with one PS27 scissors type

pantograph A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen. If a line dr ...

. File:JREast251-Kuro250.JPG, KuRo 250 (car 1) File:JREast251-Saro251.JPG, SaRo 251 (car 2) File:JREast251-Moha250.JPG, MoHa 250 (car 3) File:JREast251-Moha250-100.jpg, MoHa 250-100 (car 5) File:JREast251-Moha251.jpg, MoHa 251 (car 8) File:JREast251-Saha251.jpg, SaHa 251 (car 9) File:JREast251-Kuha251.jpg, KuHa 251 (car 10) File:JR East 251 PS27.jpg, A PS27 pantograph on a 251 series set in August 2016

Interior

File:Kids Space on JR East Tc251.JPG, Children's play area on the lower deck of a KuHa 251 car

History

Built by

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 ...

and

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 ...

, the first two sets were introduced from 28 April 1990. These were followed by two more sets in 1992. The 251 series was awarded the 1991

Laurel Prize The is an award presented annually in Japan since 1961 by the Japan Railfan Club. It is awarded for railway vehicles that entered service in the previous year and voted by the selection committee as having the most outstanding functional and des ...

, presented annually by the Japan Railfan Club. A formal presentation ceremony was held at

Shinagawa Station is a major railway station in the Takanawa and Konan districts of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), and the private railway operator Keikyu. The Tokaido Shinkan ...

in Tokyo on 1 March 1992. The fleet underwent a programme of refurbishment between December 2002 and March 2004, which included the addition of new seating, and repainting the sets into a new colour scheme.

Withdrawal

From the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2020, the 251 series sets were replaced by new

E261 series The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan on ''Odoriko, Saphir Odoriko'' limited express services between Tokyo Station, Tokyo and Izukyū Shimoda Station, Izukyū-Shimoda. It w ...

sets on services between Tokyo and Izukyu-Shimoda, with the ''Super View Odoriko'' brand being replaced by new ultra-deluxe ''Saphir Odoriko'' services. The last 251 series ''Super View Odoriko'' limited express run took place on 13 March 2020. After their withdrawal, the trains were transferred to Nagano General Rolling Stock Center for scrapping. No 251 series cars have been preserved.

References

External links

JR East 251 series ''Super View Odoriko''
{{JR East EMU Tōkaidō Main Line Electric multiple units of Japan East Japan Railway Company Double-decker EMUs Train-related introductions in 1990 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan Kawasaki multiple units Kinki Sharyo multiple units