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) 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 Japan on

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 the Kyoto and Osaka area since October 2015. The trains were converted from former dual-voltage (1,500 V DC and 20 kV AC) 683-2000 series EMUs formerly used on '' Shirasagi'' services and made surplus following the 14 March 2015 timetable revision.

Operations

The 289 series trains were initially introduced on 31 October 2015 on ''

Hashidate The is a limited express train service operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) in Japan. One of the services making up JR West's "Big X Network", it connects Kyoto Station, Amanohashidate Station and Toyooka Station via the Sanin Mai ...

'', '' Kinosaki'', '' Kounotori'' (formed as 4- or 4+3-car sets) and on ''

Kuroshio The , also known as the Black or or the is a north-flowing, warm ocean current on the west side of the North Pacific Ocean basin. It was named for the deep blue appearance of its waters. Similar to the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic, the Ku ...

'' services formed as 6- or 6+3-car sets services, displacing the remaining

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 pref ...

-era

381 series The is a tilting DC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1973 by Japanese National Railways (JNR), and currently operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West), and formerly also operated by Central Japan Railway Company (JR ...

EMUs. Since the timetable revision on 26 March 2016, the 4- or 4+3-cars sets are used only on '' Kounotori'' services. While the trains are similar in appearance and performance characteristics to the

287 series The is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) in Japan on limited express services such as the '' Kinosaki'' and '' Kounotori'' from Kyoto and Osaka since 12 March 2011. 287 series EMUs we ...

trains, they cannot operate in multiple.

Formations

, the fleet consists of five six-car sets and three three-car sets (39 vehicles in total) based at Kyoto Depot for use on ''Kuroshio'' services, and seven four-car sets and six three-car sets (46 vehicles in total) based at Fukuchiyama Depot for use on ''Kounotori'' services.

6-car ''Kuroshio'' sets

The six-car ''Kuroshio'' sets, numbered J01 to J05, are formed as follows. Cars 1 and 4 each have one 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 ...

3-car ''Kuroshio'' sets

The three-car ''Kuroshio'' sets, numbered I01 to I03, are formed as follows. Car 7 has one scissors-type pantograph.

4-car ''Kounotori'' sets

The seven four-car ''Kounotori'' sets, numbered FG401, FG403, FG406, FG408 to FG411 and based at Fukuchiyama Depot, are formed as follows. Cars 1 and 3 each have one scissors-type pantograph. From 2016, the KuRo 288-2000 cars were modified with only half of the car assigned as "Green car" (first class) seating, and reclassified KuRoHa 288-2000.

3-car ''Kounotori'' sets

The six three-car ''Kounotori'' sets, numbered FH302 to FH305, are formed as follows. Car 5 has one scissors-type pantograph.

Exterior

The sets based at Fukuchiyama Depot for use on ''Kounotori'' services are finished in the same livery as the Fukuchiyama-based

EMUs also used on these services, with a thin maroon line below the windows. The sets based at Kyoto Depot for use on ''Kuroshio'' services have an "ocean green" turquoise line below the windows.

Interior

The 289 series trains feature western-style toilets,

universal access Apple Universal Access is a component of the macOS operating system that provides computing abilities to people with visual impairment, hearing impairment, or physical disability. Components Universal Access is a preference pane of the Sys ...

toilets, and AC outlets for passenger use are provided on the end walls of the passenger saloons.

History

JR-West announced the first details of its plans to introduce the new 289 series trains on 28 April 2015. The first four-car set converted was test-run in May 2015. The trains entered revenue service from 31 October 2015, replacing older 381 series trains. Set FH301 was returned to the 683 series from April 2019. Set FH306 followed suit in June 2019.

References

External links

JR-West 28 April 2015 press release
{{A-Train West Japan Railway Company Electric multiple units of Japan Train-related introductions in 2015 ja:JR西日本289系電車 Hitachi multiple units 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan