Background and overview
In 2000, JR East developed E231-0 series commuter DC electric multiple unit (EMU) which was the mass-production version of 209-950 series. 40 ten-car sets comprising 4 powered vehicles and 6 trailer vehicles including a trailer vehicle having 6 doors on each side of the body were built over the period from February 2000 until November of the following year.
Car body
They have 2950mm wide body with bead-less skin to standardize the car body
for commuter and suburban trains and to relieve overcrowding, incorporating
light weight stainless steel construction. Their floor level is 1165mm
and 15mm lower than 209-0 series EMU to eliminate the level difference
between platforms and the floor for accessibility. As the result, the distance
of each bogie of 209-0 series EMUs is 13300mm as an optimum value of strength,
that of E231-0 series EMUs adopts 13800mm to fit the wide body within loading
gauge. In addition, although the body length of 209-0 series' end vehicles
is 420mm longer than those of intermediate vehicles, the body length of
all vehicles of E231-0 series is standardized into 19500mm, considering
that end vehicles are coupled at the mid of train set. Cab ends are covered
with a Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) painted in silver. Anti-fall plates
between vehicles are also introduced excepting the cab end. A class sahaE230-0
is equipped with six 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors, three
drop windows between the doors at the end and the centre, and two fixed
windows at the rest on each side of the body. The other vehicles are equipped
with four 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors, two drop windows
between the doors excepting centre of the vehicles, and three fixed windows
at the end and the centre on each side of the vehicle. Door operating equipments
featuring electric screw drive are fitted above the door header of the
sliding doors. 3-colour LED destination displays are fitted on the side
of their body. An air conditioner, AU726A, rated at 50,000kcal/h for class
sahaE230-0, or AU725A, rated at 42,000kcal/h, for the others is fitted
on the centre of their roof. No ventilators are fitted on the roof.
Bogies
Powered bogies are DT61G, trailer bogies for class saha230-0 are TR246N,
front trailer bogies of end vehicles TR246M, trailer bogies for the others
TR246P, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, axle arm type
journal box supporting system and the single link draw gear. The air suspension's
effective diameter is 560mm, same as 209-0 series. Twin Disc (TD) flexible
joint employing deflecting plates made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic
(CFRP) is applied for power transmission device. The gear ratio is 7.07.
Their brake rigging is a single tread brake for powered and both directly
the single disk and the single tread brake for trailer.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Class mohaE231-0 vehicles are equipped with a 3-step Variable-frequency drive (VFD) traction system, SC60A, which controls 8 traction motors, MT73, with a power output of 95kW on vehicle basis including class mohaE230-0 vehicles. This traction system features Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT). Class mohaE230-0 powered intermediate vehicles are equipped with an auxiliary power unit, SC61A or SC62A, with a power output of 210kVA featuring IGBT and a motor driven screw air compressor, MH3119-C1600S, under their floor. Class mohaE231-0 powered intermediate vehicles are equipped with a single arm current pickup, PS33B, on their roof. They feature Train Information Management System (TIMS) applying RS485 interface and managing the traction control, in-train announcement apparatus, voice communication for train crews and passengers, air conditioner control, and so on. They employ the electric commanding brake with regenerative braking. They feature total brake control on overall a train set and regenerative brake priority by TIMS to realize regeneration rate improvement.
Accommodation
Passenger accommodation of class saha209-0 consists of three-seater foldable
longitudinal bench seating, which can be folded automatically by operation
at the driver's cab. Handholds are fitted at the centre of the body between
sliding doors. The others consist of longitudinal bench seating featuring
cantilever construction throughout having 450 mm wide per person. Handrails
are fitted at both end and middle of seats. The cushion of seating is made
of polyester resin mold with taking recyclability. A LED display for providing
passenger information, and a door chime are fitted on the door header of
the sliding doors. Roller blinds are discontinued because of introducing
heat absorbent windowpane.
Additional delivery
JR East additionally built 17 ten-car sets comprising 4 powered vehicles and 6 trailer vehicles including no 6-door vehicle, and 19 five-car sets comprising 2 powered vehicles and 3 trailer vehicles over the period from November 2001 until February 2004 and allocated at Matsudo depot to replace 103-0 series used on the Johban line rapid services. They have emerald green and olive-green waistline and headline bands and their end section in painted in white. Loudspeakers, providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, are also ready to be fitted on the frieze board. Door operating equipments are changed into TKE152 featuring electric liner motor drive. End cars excepting class kuhaE230 used on 10 car sets are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations. The traction system is changed into SC60B featuring pure electric brake to zero speed, and the auxiliary power supply is changed into SC62A. LED displays located on the door header are changed into larger 2-line displays employing Visual Information System.
3 ten-car sets were additionally built to supplement the lack of train sets used on Chuo-Sobu line commuter services in 2006, since 3 ten-car sets of 209-500 series used on Chuo-Sobu line commuter services were relocated. They prepared to be fitted with loudspeakers, providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, located on the side of the body and employ the improved single-arm current pickup, PS33D, employed by E233 series.
Modification and refurbishment
Their traction system was displaced with SC113 and the auxiliary power supply with SC114A.
Operations
E231-0 series entered the revenue services to displace 201 and 205 series used on Chuo-Sobu line commuter services in 2000. Subsequently, they were additionally allocated at Matsudo depot and entered Johban line rapid services for the replacement of 103 series. E231-0 series used on Chuo-Sobu line commuter services were gradually displaced with E231-500 series used on Yamanote line excepting 6 ten-car sets, and surplus E231-0 series were transferred to Musashino line services with train set shortening. Some were converted to E231-3000 series for Hachinohe line services with shortening train sets to 4-car, and surplus powered intermediate vehicles displaced trailer intermediate vehicles of E231-0 series 10-car sets to make 10-car sets comprising 6 powered vehicles and 4 trailer vehicles same as E231-500 series 10-car sets.
E231-0 series are now used on Chuo-Sobu line, Johban line rapid, and Musashino line services. |
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