E531 series
Japanese electric multiple unit train type
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The E531 series (Japanese: E531系, Hepburn: E531-kei) is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan.[1] It was introduced by JR East on 9 July 2005 to replace the aging 403 and 415 series EMUs running on the Jōban Line from Ueno Station in Tokyo. The stock is a dual-voltage (1,500 V DC & 20 kV AC) development of the DC-only E231 series suburban EMU design, and can run at speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) in service.[2]
| E531 series | |
|---|---|
An E531 series train on the Joban Line
(in March 2019 Between Matsudo Station and Kanamachi Station) | |
| In service | 2005–present |
| Manufacturers | Tokyu Car Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, JR East, J-TREC |
| Replaced | 403 series, 415 series, some E501 series |
| Constructed | 2005–2020, 2024 |
| Entered service | 9 July 2005 |
| Number built |
|
| Number in service | 460 vehicles |
| Formation | 5/10 cars per trainset |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Operator |  JR East |
| Depot | Katsuta |
| Lines served | |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Stainless steel |
| Car length | 20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in) |
| Width | 2,950 mm (9 ft 8 in) |
| Floor height | 1,130 mm (3 ft 8 in) |
| Doors | 4 pairs per side |
| Maximum speed | 130 km/h (81 mph) |
| Traction system | PWM 2-level IGBT–VVVF (Hitachi) |
| Traction motors | 4 × 140 kW (190 hp) 3-phase AC induction motor (Hitachi) |
| Power output | 1.12 MW (1,500 hp) (5-car sets) 2.24 MW (3,000 hp) (10-car sets) |
| Acceleration | 2.5 km/(h⋅s) (1.6 mph/s) |
| Deceleration | 4.2 km/(h⋅s) (2.6 mph/s) |
| Electric systems | 1,500 V DC and 20 kV 50 Hz AC, both from overhead catenary |
| Current collection | PS37A single-arm pantograph |
| Bogies | DT71 (motored) TR255 (trailer) |
| Braking system | Regenerative brake |
| Safety systems | ATS-SN, ATS-P, ATS-Ps |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
Operations
- Tōkaidō Main Line (Shinagawa–Tokyo)
- Ueno–Tokyo Line
- Jōban Line (Ueno–Haranomachi)
- Mito Line
- Tōhoku Main Line (Kuroiso–Shin-Shirakawa)
Trains are formed in 10-car (set numbers K401–K426) and 5-car (set numbers K451–K483, K551–K557) sets. 15-car formations are generally run between Shinagawa and Tsuchiura. 10- and 5-car sets operate singly north of Tsuchiura, and 5-car sets are used on the Mito Line. 5-car cold weather sets (E531-3000 series) are used on the Tōhoku Main Line between Kuroiso and Shin-Shirakawa, to handle the change of electrification from DC to AC just north of Kuroiso.
Formations
10-car sets
As of 1 October 2018, 26 ten-car sets (K401–K426) are based at Katsuta Depot and formed with four motored ("M") cars and six non-powered trailer ("T") cars.[3]
← Takahagi Shinagawa → | ||||||||||
| Car No. | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Tc | T | M | M' | T' | Tsd | Tsd' | M | M' | Tc' |
| Numbering | KuHa E531-0 | SaHa E531-0/-2000 | MoHa E531-2000 | MoHa E530-2000 | SaHa E530-2000 | SaRo E531-0 | SaRo E530-0 | MoHa E531-1000 | MoHa E530-0 | KuHa E530-0 |
- Cars 3 and 8 each have one single-arm pantograph.[3]
- Cars 1 and 10 have a wheelchair space.[3]
- Cars 1, 5, and 10 each have a toilet (universal design in cars 1 and 10).[3]
- Car 8 is designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.[3]
- Cars 4 and 5 are bilevel Green Cars.[3]
- Car 9 in sets K412–K422 are numbered in the -2000 series and have longitudinal seating (these cars were originally cars 4 and 5 in sets K401–K406); in all other sets, they are numbered in the -0 series and have some transverse seating bays.[3]
- Cars 1, 2, and 10 have some transverse seating bays.[3]
Standard 5-car sets
As of 3 March 2020, 33 five-car sets (K451–K483) are based at Katsuta Depot and formed with two motored ("M") cars and three non-powered trailer ("T") cars.
← Haranomachi Oyama, Shinagawa → | |||||
| Car No. | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Tc | T | M | M' | Tc' |
| Numbering | KuHa E531-1000 | SaHa E531-0 | MoHa E531-0 | MoHa E530-1000 | KuHa E530-2000 |
Cold-weather 5-car sets
As of 1 October 2018, seven five-car sets (K551–K557) are based at Katsuta Depot and formed with two motored ("M") cars and three non-powered trailer ("T") cars.[3]
← Haranomachi, Kuroiso Shin-Shirakawa, Shinagawa → | |||||
| Car No. | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Tc | T | M | M' | Tc' |
| Numbering | KuHa E531-4000 | SaHa E531-3000 | MoHa E531-3000 | MoHa E530-4000 | KuHa E530-5000 |
Original 10-car sets (July 2005 – March 2007)
The original ten-car sets delivered without bilevel Green cars were formed as follows.[4]
Sets K401–K406
← Takahagi Ueno → | ||||||||||
| Car No. | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Tc | T | M | M' | T' | T | T | M | M' | Tc' |
| Numbering | KuHa E531-0 | SaHa E531-0 | MoHa E531-2000 | MoHa E530-2000 | SaHa E530-2000 | SaHa E531-2000 | SaHa E531-2000 | MoHa E531-1000 | MoHa E530-0 | KuHa E530-0 |
Sets K407–K411
← Takahagi Ueno → | ||||||||||
| Car No. | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designation | Tc | T | M | M' | T' | T' | T' | M | M' | Tc' |
| Numbering | KuHa E531-0 | SaHa E531-0 | MoHa E531-2000 | MoHa E530-2000 | SaHa E530-2000 | SaHa E530-2000 | SaHa E530-2000 | MoHa E531-1000 | MoHa E530-0 | KuHa E530-0 |
- Cars 3 and 8 each had one single-arm pantograph.
- Cars 1 and 10 had a wheelchair space.
- Cars 1, 5, and 10 each had a toilet (universal design in cars 1 and 10).
- Car 8 was designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.
- Cars 1, 2, 9, and 10 had some transverse seating bays.
Interior
An ordinary-class car with longitudinal seating in January 2022
An ordinary-class car with a mixture of longitudinal and transverse seating in January 2022
Priority seating in January 2022
The lower deck of bilevel Green car SaRo E531-17 in January 2022
The upper deck of bilevel Green car SaRo E531-17 in January 2022
A toilet in January 2022
History
The first E531 series trains entered service on 9 July 2005.[5]
Pairs of double-deck "Green" (first class) cars were added to the ten-car sets from 6 January 2007, and all ten-car sets included Green cars by the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007. Two trailer cars from sets K401–K411 (cars 4 and 5) were repurposed as cars 6 and 9 in sets K412–K422. As there were 12 SaHa E531-2000 cars and 10 SaHa E530-2000 cars being repurposed (the latter type has an air compressor missing from the former type), the SaHa E531-2012 car was modified to become SaHa E530-2022.
In September 2014, an additional ten-car set, K423, was delivered from the J-TREC factory in Yokohama, four years after construction of the original fleet had ceased.[6] This was followed by seven new five-car sets (K469–K475) also delivered from J-TREC in Yokohama from December 2014 to March 2015.[7] Seven cold-weather E531-3000 series sets (K551–K557) were built between October 2015 and March 2017. Later in 2017, three more 10-car sets (K424–K426) and two more five-car sets (K476 and K477) were built. Then, between 2019 and 2020, six more five-car sets (K478–K483) were built.
On 26 March 2021, set K417 was involved in a collision between Tsuchiura and Kandatsu. It collided with a passenger vehicle which caught fire and caused damage to the KuHa E531-17 car (car 10).[8] The damaged car was replaced with car 10 (KuHa E531-9) from set K409, which later received a new-build end car, also numbered KuHa E531-17.[9][10]
Special liveries
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Katsuta Depot, set K451 entered service on 5 November 2021 in a wrapping reminiscent of the livery of the 401 series trains.[11] Set K423 also received this wrapping in March 2023. The two sets are scheduled to carry this livery until the first quarter of 2026.[12]
