The is a dual-voltage AC/DC outer-suburban
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 introduced in 1971 by
Japanese National Railways (JNR), and later operated in Japan 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),
Kyushu Railway Company
The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan and the JR Kyushu Jet Ferry Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait ...
(JR Kyushu), and
West Japan Railway Company (JR-West).
Variants
The 415 series was introduced in 1971, and has since spawned six variants, as listed below.
* 415-0 series
* 415-100 series
* 415-500 series
* 415-700 series
* 415-800 series
* 415-1500 series
The 415 series is descended from the 401, 403, 421 and 423 series.
401/421 series
The 401 series in 1960
and produced until 1966. They were introduced on the
Jōban Line. They were equipped with MT46B motors with of power output.
The last 401 series trains were withdrawn in 1991, while the last 421 series trains operated by
JR Kyushu remained and withdrawn from service until 1996.
403/423 series
The first 403 series set was introduced in 1965, along with the similar 423 series. The 403 series was capable of running on railway lines with 1.5 kV DC and 20 kV AC 50Hz, while 423 series is capable of 1.5 kV and 20 kV AC 60Hz
railway electrification
A railway electrification system supplies electric power to railway trains and trams without an on-board prime mover or local fuel supply.
Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), el ...
. The last 423 series was withdrawn in 2001, while the 403 series remained in service until 2008.
File:JNR kuha401-34.jpg, 403 series set K55 on the Jōban Line in 1985
415-0 series
This was the original version of the 415 series train, and was manufactured from 1971 to 1974, and had air-conditioners installed in 1977. The
Jōban Line and
Mito Line trains were withdrawn in March 2007 in favour of the new
E531 series trains, but 415-0 series were still in operation with
JR Kyushu as of January 2013.
Kyushu
The first 415-0 series sets allocated to Kyushu were 4-car units delivered in December 1974. These were formed KuHa 411-300 + MoHa 415 + MoHa 414 + KuHa 411-300.
Originally delivered in the JNR livery of brick red ("Red No. 13") with cream ("Cream No. 4") warning panels on the cab ends, these sets were repainted between 1986 and 1987 into a new livery of white with blue bodyside stripe, carried up until the present day.
Some sets later received life-extension refurbishment with transverse seating replaced by longitudinal seating.
Livery variations
JR Kyushu set FM5 was re-painted in the old
JNR livery in 2000 to commemorate the
millennium celebrations in Japan. It operated in this livery until it was withdrawn in 2012.
415-100 series
This subseries was introduced in 1978, and most of the trains are operated by
JR Kyushu, although a few trainsets were 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 ...
on the
Jōban Line (the latter were withdrawn in March 2007, again in favour of the
E531 series trains). The 415-100 series trainsets were built in the same exterior style as the
113-2000 series trains, but the seat pitch for transverse seating was increased from 1,420 mm to 1,490 mm, and toilets were fitted only in the KuHa 411-200 cars.
Kyushu
The first 415-100 series sets allocated to Kyushu were 4-car units delivered from September 1978. These were formed KuHa 411-100 + MoHa 415-100 + MoHa 414-100 + KuHa 411-200.
Some sets later received life-extension refurbishment with transverse seating replaced by longitudinal seating.
415-500 series
The 415-500 sub-series was introduced from January 1982 on the
Jōban Line, based at Katsuta Depot. These units had all longitudinal seating.
Five 4-car sets were transferred to Minami-Fukuoka Depot in 1987 for use on
Kagoshima Main Line duties, but these were all transferred to Kagoshima Depot by March 2007.
A further two 4-car sets were transferred from JR East to JR Kyushu, entering service in March 2009.
After serving for more than a decade in service, the remaining cars in this subseries are set to undergo retirement after the timetable revision on 23 September 2022.
415-700 series
Only seven cars were manufactured, and from 1985 to 2007 was operated as part of the 7+4+4-car formations on the Jōban Line. It was withdrawn in March 2007 and scrapped in July 2008.
415-800 series
Introduced by
JR-West in 1991 for service on the
Nanao Line and the
IR Ishikawa Railway Line. The 415-800 series trainsets are based on the
113-800 series trains.
File:JRW 415-800 EMU.JPG, JR-West 415-800 series, July 2004
File:JRwest415keisyanai.JPG, Interior of a 415-800 series trainset
File:415-800fuku.jpg, Fukuchiyama Line livery, Used on the Fukuchiyama Line from 1991
415-1500 series
Introduced in February 1986, the stainless steel bodies 415-1500 series trainsets look externally similar to the
211
Year 211 ( CCXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, in the Roman Empire it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Terentius and Bassus (or, less frequently, year 964 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomin ...
and
213 series
Thirteen or 13 may refer to:
* 13 (number), the natural number following 12 and preceding 14
* One of the years 13 BC, AD 13, 1913, 2013
Music
* 13AD (band), an Indian classic and hard rock band
Albums
* ''13'' (Black Sabbath album), 2013
* ...
trains, and can be operated in 4- or 7+4+4-car formations (
Jōban Line only). These trains can be coupled with the 415-500 and 415-700 series trains, and are lighter than previous variants.
An experimental
bi-level cab car was built by
Nippon Sharyo
, formed in 1896, is a major rolling stock manufacturer based in Nagoya, Japan. In 1996, it abbreviated its name to "日本車両" Nippon Sharyō. Its shortest abbreviation is Nissha "日車". It was a listed company on Nikkei 225 until 2 ...
in 1991.
The car, designated as ''Kuha'' 415-1901, had a capacity of 156 passengers. It was scrapped in 2006.
Kyushu
12 4-car 415-1500 series sets (F1510 - F1521) were delivered to Kyushu between September 1986 and February 1987.
Set F1501 was also later transferred from JR East to JR Kyushu in 2009, allocated first to Minami-Fukuoka Depot, and later to Mojiko Depot (from March 2012).
References
*
*
*
Further reading
*
External links
JR East 415 series information
{{JR Kyushu rolling stock
East Japan Railway Company
West Japan Railway Company
Kyushu Railway Company
Hitachi multiple units
Electric multiple units of Japan
Train-related introductions in 1971
20 kV AC multiple units
Tokyu Car multiple units
Kinki Sharyo multiple units
Kawasaki multiple units
1500 V DC multiple units of Japan
Nippon Sharyo multiple units