The trains were built jointly by Kinki Sharyo and Tokyu Car,[2] with a steel body design based directly on the earlier 253 series EMUs built for Narita Express services, although the window height was increased by 100 mm.[3] It is the first JR East limited express rolling stock to feature VVVFGate turn-off thyristor traction control systems, based on the results of trials with the prototype 209 series commuter EMUs.[3]
DT56E bogies are used on motored cars, and TR241E bogies are used on trailer cars.[3]
The five 9-car sets, numbered Be01 to Be05, are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Trains consist of four motored "MoHa" and five "KuHa", "SaHa", and "SaRo" trailer cars.[1][3]
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Designation
Tc'
M2
M1
Ts
T2
T1
M2
M1
Tc
Numbering
KuHa 254
MoHa 254
MoHa 255
SaRo 255
SaHa 254
SaHa 255
MoHa 254
MoHa 255
KuHa 255
Weight (t)
31.1
35.7
33.6
29.2
28.1
27.3
35.7
33.6
31.7
Seating capacity
64
64
68
42
58
64
64
68
52
Cars 2 and 8 are each equipped with one PS26A scissors-type pantograph.[1]
Passenger facilities
Green (first class) car: Car 4
Toilets: Cars 2, 4, 5, 7, 9
Wheelchair space: Car 5
Telephone: Car 4
Interior
Seating is arranged 2+2 abreast in both standard class and Green class, with a seat pitch of 970 mm (38 in) in standard class, and a seat pitch of 1,160 mm (46 in) in Green class.[3]
Green car (SaRo 255-1) interior view
Green class seating
Standard class car (MoHa 254-2) interior view
Standard class seating
History
A 255 series set on a Sazanami service in March 2008, with original front-end skirt design
The first two sets, Be01 and Be02, were delivered in March and April 1993, entering revenue service from 2 July 1993 on View Wakashio and View Sazanami limited express services.[4] Three more sets, Be03 to Be05, were delivered in October and November 1994.[4]
From the start of the revised timetable on 12 December 2000, the Green car (car 4) was made entirely no smoking.[4]
The destination indicators on the sides of cars were changed from the original roller blind type to LED indicators between October and November 2005.[4]
From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, View Wakashio and View Sazanami services were renamed simply Wakashio and Sazanami, and 255 series sets were also introduced on Shiosai services.[4] All cars were made no-smoking from this date.[4]
The front-end skirt design was modified during 2010.[1]
From 2014, the 255 series sets were retrofitted with IGBT-based traction control systems.[5]
Before the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2024, the 255 series sets are planned to be withdrawn from Wakashio, Sazanami, and Shiosai services.[6]
See also
E257 series, also used on Bōsō limited express services
References
^ abcd JR電車編成表 2012冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2012]. Japan: JRR. October 2011. p. 50. ISBN978-4-330-25611-5.
^Saka, Masahiro (March 2014). JR第1世代の車両・現況と概要 [JR 1st-generation rolling stock: Current situation and overview]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine (in Japanese). 43 (359): 22.
^ abcdeNomoto, Hiroshi (July 1993). 255系特急形直流電車 [255 series DC limited express EMU]. Railway Journal (321): 82–89.
^「E」のつかない特急型は2系式に JR東日本初期に登場した車両の現在と今後は？ [Only two limited express types without "E" exist. What is the current status and future of the vehicles that appeared during the early days of JR East?]. RM News. Japan: Neko Publishing. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
^"2023【ダイヤ改正日】 2024年3月16日（土） - JR東日本" [2023[Timetable revision date] Saturday, March 16, 2024 - JR East] (PDF) (in Japanese). JR East. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to JR East 255.
