The is a two-car
tilting diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated by
Shikoku Railway Company
The , commonly known as , is the smallest of the seven constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates of intercity and local rail services in the four prefectures on the island of Shikoku in Japan. The company has i ...
(JR Shikoku) in Japan since August 2017 on
limited express services in
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
.
Design
The trains are built by
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is ...
to a "Neo Japonisme" concept, combining traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern styling.
The trains operate at a maximum speed of in service.
The trains use the same pneumatic tilt system as the
8600 series EMU trains (instead of the pendulum system used in the older 2000 series trains) to allow faster speeds on curves.
The train features a database of curves along the line, allowing the train to begin tilting before reaching the curve.
Operations
The 2600 series trains are used
on the
Yosan Line
The is the principal railway line on the island of Shikoku in Japan, connecting the major cities of Shikoku, and via the Honshi-Bisan Line, with Honshu. It is operated by the Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku), and is aligned approximately p ...
,
Dosan Line
is a railway line in Shikoku, Japan, operated by the Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku). It connects Tadotsu Station in Tadotsu, Kagawa, and Kubokawa Station in Shimanto, Kōchi. The line links the city of Kōchi with northern Shikoku a ...
, and
Kōtoku Line
The is a railway line in northeastern Shikoku, Japan that connects the prefectural capitals Takamatsu ( Kagawa) and Tokushima (Tokushima). Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) owns and operates the line, whose name comes from the characters in t ...
from December 2017, replacing the ageing
2000 series DMU trains.
Formation
The trains are formed as two-car sets, with both cars powered (one axle per bogie).
Interior
Passenger accommodation consists of ordinary-class 2+2 abreast reclining seats, with the same seat design as used on the
8600 series EMU trains.
Each seat is provided with an AC power outlet.
The Mc car has maroon colour seat covers, while the Mc' car has dark blue seat covers.
The Mc' car has a toilet, while the Mc car includes a wheelchair space and
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 Syst ...
toilet.
is used throughout.
History
Details of the new trains were officially announced on 30 January 2017.
The first two trainsets were delivered from the
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is ...
factory in
Kobe to
Takamatsu Depot in February 2017.
Regular revenue service commenced on 2 December 2017,
but prior to this, the sets were first used in revenue service on 11 August 2017 on a special charter service between and .
From 12 to 15 August 2017, the two sets were also used on additional seasonal ''Awadori'' limited express services operating between Takamatsu and Tokushima.
Future developments
In September 2017, JR Shikoku announced that the pneumatic tilting system used on the trains did not operate effectively, and future trains built based on the 2600 series design would use a pendular tilting system instead.
This led to the development of the
2700 series, which was first announced in 2018,
and entered revenue service on 6 August 2019.
References
External links
Official website (archived on March 30, 2019)
{{JR Shikoku trainsets
2600 series
2600 series
Tilting trains
Train-related introductions in 2017
Kawasaki multiple units