223-2000series
-0 subseries
-1000 subseries
-2000 subseries
-2500 subseries
-5000 subseries
-5500 subseries
-6000 subseries

Type index

Photos

223-2000(II) Series


223-2000(IV)Series


223-2000(V)Series


223-2000(I)series
with prominent anti-fall plates


223-2000(III)series
with prominent anti-fall plates


223-2000(V)series
with prominent anti-fall plates


Background and overview
JR West planned to deliver additional 223 series vehicles for special rapid services starting 130km/h operation in 1999. So, JR West developed 223-2000 series with substantial improvements over previous 223-1000 series vehicles including cost reduction, measures for disabled, elder, pregnant, or injury person, and flexibility for the future. 8-car sets and 4-car sets were initially delivered.

8 car formation (built from 1999 to 2000)
Kumoha2233000 Saha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2222000 Saha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2232000 Kuha2222000
motored trailer trailer motored trailer trailer motored trailer
3 motors

4 motors

4 motors
Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor


Traction system

Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor
WC

4 car formation (built from 1999 to 2000)
Kumoha2233000 Saha2232000 Moha2223000 Kuha2222000
motored trailer motored trailer
3 motors
3 motors
Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor

Traction system WC


Car body
They have 2950mm wide body with bead-less skin, incorporating light weight stainless construction. Their body construction is that the pressed stainless sheet and the outside sheet are combined and those sheets themselves keep the strength although previous 223-1000's body is constructed with the outside sheets and inner beams as usual (Only beams keep strength). Bodies are unpainted and have the beige, brown, white and blue waistline band running the length of each car below the windows. They also have brown accents applied at door cases and around side windows. Their cab end is constructed by streel, having wide windscreens and a gangway at the centre. Cab section and end structure are fitted to their main body by bolts to ease fitting a cab section with the intermediate cars when modifying the intermediate cars into end cars. Their floor level is made 20mm lower than 223-1000 series to realize a low centre of gravity and to eliminate the level difference between platforms and the floor for accessibility. Anti-fall plates between vehicles are also introduced excepting the cab end. They are equipped with three 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors on each side of the vehicles. Door operating equipments, WTK112B, are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors which can be operated manually by pushing the buttons fitted beside the door. Horizontal band of 5 set windows including 2 hopper windows (difficult to employee drop windows because of their wainscot panel construction) having 950mm height are fitted between the doors. Heat absorbent double-glazing glass is employed for all windows in order to improve noise and thermal insulation property and prevent from dew condensation. So, blinds were omitted. Roller-binding train-type indicators and LED destination indicators are fitted on each side of their body. All vehicles employ two air conditioners, WAU705A, rated at 20,000kcal/h/unit on their roof because of their low centre of gravity, unlike trailer vehicles of 223-1000 employ split type air conditioners. Loudspeakers, providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, are fitted inside each air conditioner. Electric fans of air conditioner supply fresh air into the passenger room, instead of ventilators on the roof. End cars are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations.

Bogies
The 223-2000 series are equipped with WDT59 bogies on the powered cars and WTR243 bogies on the trailers, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension and axle arm type journal box supporting system. Their bogies employ the single link traction device. Their bogie employing bow-shaped bogie frame to lower the fitting position of bolster suspension realizes to lower the floor level. These bogies adopt the yaw dampers and anti-rolling stabilizer to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 130km/h. Motored bogie employs single tread brake device. Trailer bogie employs both the double disk brake device and the single tread brake device.

Traction unit and ancillary equipments
All motored cars are equipped with a 3-step variable frequency drive traction system, WPC10, featuring Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) controls four asynchronous traction motors, WMT102B, with a power output of 220kW on axle basis. In spite of realizing that the ratio of motored vehicle to trailer vehicle is 1:2 223-1000's virtual ratio of motored vehicle to trailer vehicle gets higher because their formations consist of four cars including two motored cars or eight cars including three motored cars. So, 223-2000 series introduce new traction system which can leave off the inverter unit on axle base to bring virtual ratio of motored vehicle to trailer vehicle close to 1:2. Motored vehicles having three inverter units and three traction motors are classified into -3000 sub-class. Their traction system is integrated with the high-power auxiliary power supply unit with a power output of 150kVA to leave of an auxiliary power supply in case of 4-car sets or 8-car sets. Motored intermediate vehicles without the auxiliary power supply unit are classified into class moha222. In case of the auxiliary power supply unit failure, one variable frequency drive unit for traction motor can switch to supply electricity as the backup auxiliary power supply unit. Motored end vehicles, class kumoha223, and motored intermediate vehicles, class moha223, are also equipped with a motor driven rotary-screw air compressor, WMH3098-WRC1600, under their floor. All motored vehicles are also equipped with a cross arm type current pickup, WPS27D, with the protection against heavy snow, and prepared to be fitted with another current pickup on their roof. 223-2000 series feature the electric commanding brake with regenerative brake and holding brake, featuring brake control of trailer priority.

Accommodation
Seating accommodation consists of 2+2 abreast switchable transverse seating with 910mm seating pitch and transverse bucket seating bays with fold-down auxiliary seating provided next to the doorway, in order to increase standing capacity during peak hours. LED displays for providing passenger information are fitted in zigzags and door chimes are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors. Straps were fitted throughout their body. Trailer end cars, class kuha222-2000, are equipped with a universal access toilet employing a chemical disposable tank and a wheel chair space.

Operation
223-2000 series entered rapid services and special rapid services of JR Kobe, JR Kyoto, and Biwako lines from March, 1999.
223-2000 series and 223-1000 series started 130km/h operation during the morning commute in May, 1999. Finally, they started 130km/h operation all day long in March, 2000.

Additional delivery
JR West additionally delivered 2nd batch's 223-2000 series introducing some improvements in order to displace superannuated 113 series EMU used of JR Kobe, JR Kyoto, and Biwako lines rapid services in 2003. They include 6-car sets.
Their windows feature heat absorbent double-glazing tempered glass having protection against UV and flying object. The window colour is changed from gray into green. Air conditioners were changed into WAU705B using R407C refrigerant. All motored vehicles are equipped with four traction motors and a new traction system, WPC13, featuring regenerative brake to zero speed and an auxiliary power supply unit. As the result, class moha222 which did not have an auxiliary power supply unit were not built from 2nd batch onward. Some motored intermediate vehicles not having a motor driven air compressor are classified into class moha223-2100. Blinds were fitted since they were built. Dead-man's vigilance device (EB) and one action emergency operation device (TE) were also introduced. Slopes are also introduced to reduce level difference at the gangway.

8 car formation (built from 2003)
Kumoha2232000 Saha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2232100 Saha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2232000 Kuha2222000
motored trailer trailer motored trailer trailer motored trailer
4 motors

4 motors

4 motors
Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor


Traction system
Aux. pwr supply


Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor
WC

6 car formation  (built from 2003)
Kumoha2232000 Saha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2232000 Saha2232000 Kuha2222000
motored trailer trailer motored trailer trailer
4 motors

4 motors

Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor


Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor

WC

4 car formation  (built from 2003)
Kumoha2232000 Saha2232000 Moha2232100 Kuha2222000
motored trailer motored trailer
4 motors
4 motors
Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor

Traction system
Aux. pwr supply
Compressor
WC

3rd batch's 223-2000 series delivered in 2004 were introduced the enlarged life guard device fitted under the cab end.
4th batch's 223-2000 series delivered in 2006 differ from previous batch's 223-2000 series in adopting the curved lighting cover made of the glass fiber.
5th batch's 223-2000 series delivered in 2007 and onward adopted drop windows instead of hopper windows.

Modification and refurbishment
JR West fitted blinds to 1st batch not fitted with blinds.
The prominent anti-fall plates on the front ends were began to be fitted from 2015.
LED displays fitted above the door header of the sliding doors started to be replaced with LCD displays for passenger information and digital signage in 2020.

Latest operation status
223-2000 series are now used on the special rapid services, rapid services, ordinary services of JR Kobe, JR Kyoto, Biwako, Kosei, Sanyo, and Ako lines.
Technical Data
Items Data
Supply Voltage 1500VDC
Service speed, etc. Acceleration: 2.5km/h/s Deceleration: 4.3km/h/s Service speed: 130km/h
Length 19500mm
Width 2950mm
Height 4140mm
Bogie WDT59 (motored) WTR243 (trailer)
Collector WPS27D (cross-arm)
Traction motor WMT102B (220kW)
Gear ratio 6.53
Traction system 3-step variable frequency drive on axle basis (IGBT): WPC10
Air conditioner WAU705A (20000kcal/h×2)
Designed by JR West