Background and overview
JR West developed 207 series commuter DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains
for Katafuku link line under construction at that time (named JR Tozai
line at present), and delivered pre-production 7-car set consisting of
3 motored vehicles and 4 trailer vehicles in 1991.
Car body
They have 2950mm wide body, incorporating light weight stainless construction.
Bodies are unpainted and have the blue and light blue waistline band running
the length of each car below the windows. Cab ends are constructed by steel
having vertical roundness sideview and a gangway at the front of the cab.
They are equipped with four 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors
on each side of the vehicles and fixed windows adopting the double-glazing
glass in order to improve noise and thermal insulation property and prevent
their windows from dew condensation. Door case windows between the doors
and windows located at the end plate of the body are omitted. Wide drop
windows fitted at the end of the body for the emergency ventilation cause
the gangway doors to be fitted at the decentral position of the body. Door
operating equipments, WTK112, are fitted above the door header of the sliding
doors which can be operated manually by pushing the buttons fitted beside
the door. Roller-binding train-type indicators and LED destination indicators
are fitted on each side of their body. Two air conditioners, WAU702, rated
at 21,000kcal/h/unit, and no ventilators are fitted on their roof.
Bogies
Motored bogies are WDT52 and trailer bogies are WTR235J, featuring bolster-less
secondary air suspension, corn-shaped multilayered rubber spring journal
supporting system, and the Z link traction device. These bogies be prepared
to adopt the yaw dampers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at
120km/h. Motored bogies employ single tread brake device adopting automatic
gap-adjusting unit, and trailer bogies employ both single disk brake device
and single tread brake device.
Traction unit and auxiliary equipments
Their traction system, WPC1, consisting of the voltage boosting and dropping
chopper featuring GTO thyristor and the 3-step Variable-frequency drive
(VFD) featuring power transistor controls AC asynchronous traction motors,
WMT100, with a power output of 155kW, on vehicle basis. Their gear ratio
is 7.07 to realize the maximum service speed at 120km/h and the acceleration
at 2.7km/h/s. Their cardan driving device is a WN (Westinghouse - Natal)
gear coupling. Every motored vehicle is equipped with the traction system.
Intermediate vehicles, class moha207, are also equipped with a motor driven
air compressor, WMH3093-WTC2000A and an auxiliary power supply, WSC28 with
a power output of 122kVA featuring power transistor, under their floor,
and 2 cross-arm type current collectors, WPS27A, on their roof. Class moha206
vehicles not having current collectors are electrified from class moha207
vehicles. 207 series feature the electric commanding brake with regenerative
brake, featuring brake control of trailer priority.
Accommodation
Seating is longitudinal throughout. The air conditioning duct is fitted
above the ceiling in order to improve interior design and the outlets of
cool air are slit shape. A LED display for providing passenger information,
and a door chime are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors.
Windscreens and windows behind the driver's cab are as large as possible
to provide sufficient passenger's view property. LED meter panel featuring
digital and graphical display is adopted.
Operations of pre-production set
Pre-production set of 207-0 series entered the revenue services on the
Gakken-Toshi line (Katamachi line) in April, 1991, after undergoing extensive
test running.
Mass-Production sets
Mass-production sets of 207-0 series were delivered to Yodogawa depot and
entered revenue services on Gakken-Toshi line. Mass-production sets differ
from pre-production set. Their formation are 4-car sets consisting of two
motored intermediate cars and two trailer end cars, and 3-car sets consisting
of a motored intermediate car and two trailer end cars. All class kuha207
trailer end cars and class kuha206 trailer end cars of 3-car sets are equipped
with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations, and are classified
into -100 subclass. Their traction system was changed into WPC1A and their
auxiliary power supply was changed into WSC28A. Driver's monitor display
employed touch screen providing inspection and repair functions additionally.
Additional delivery
Additional 4-car sets were delivered to Miyahara depot to replace superannuated
103 series used on commuter services of JR Takarazuka line in 1993, employing
longitudinal seating having canti-lever construction. Class kuha207 vehicles
of 4-car sets for JR Takarazuka line were equipped with the automatic jumper
coupler to ease rush-up operations, and were classified into -100 subclass.
Modification to be ready for opening JR Tozai line
Class moha207-0 of 3-car sets were remodeled for supplying electricity
to inserted additional class moha207-1500 vehicle to change 3-car set of
207-0 series into 4-car set and classified into -500 subclass for the start
of services of the JR Tozai Line in 1997. The function of switching the
use number of the current collectors is also added. The use number of the
current collector is 2 for JR Tozai line and 1 for the other lines.
Operations
207-0 series had been used on JR Takarazuka and Gakken-Toshi lines rapid services and JR Kobe, JR Kyoto, JR Takarazuka, JR Tozai and Gakken-Toshi lines commuter services.
Scrap
4 cars of 207-0 series were scrapped caused by Amagasaki derailment accident
occurred in Amagasaki, Hyogo prefecture on 25 Apr., 2005.
Their livery started to be changed into same scheme having dark blue and
orange colour carried from 2nd generation commuter train, 321 series, in
2005.
The prominent anti-fall plates on the front ends of class kuha206-0 were also began to be fitted from 2014.
Modification and refurbishment
From 2014, a refurbishment programme was commenced on 207-0 series. Their
body was reinforced against off centre and lateral collision. Body Vibration
Detector (BVD) detecting derailment, collision, and overturning to stop
the train urgently. High-Intensity discharge (HID) headlights and auxiliary
headlights were employed. LED destination indicators were replaced with
full coloured one displaying sequential vehicle number additionally. The
semiconductor elements of their traction system were changed into Insulated
Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and removed the voltage boosting and dropping
chopper unit and the smoothing reactor, featuring truck basis control.
Their traction system was classified into WPC1B. The semiconductor elements
of their auxiliary power supply were also changed into IGBT.
Passenger accommodation was also improved. Seven-seater longitudinal seating
having 440mm seating width was changed into six-seater seating having 470mm
seating width. Stanchions were additionally fitted at the both end and
centre of seating. Their wind screen structure is enlarged. All end cars
are equipped with wheelchair spaces. LED lighting was introduced to the
passenger saloons.
LED meter panel of the driver's cab was changed into the analog indicators.
Latest operation status
207-0 series are now used on JR Takarazuka, Gakken-Toshi, Osaka-Higashi,
and Yamatoji lines' rapid services and JR Kobe, JR Kyoto, JR Takarazuka,
JR Tozai and Gakken-Toshi lines' commuter services. |
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