Background and overview
JR East developed E233-0 series commuter DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains with the improvements of services and transport stabilities compared with E231 series to replace superannuated 201 series EMU used on the Chuo line rapid services. 42 ten-car sets comprising 6 powered vehicles and 4 trailer vehicles, 16 six-car sets comprising 4 powered vehicles and 2 trailer vehicles, and 16 four-car sets comprising 2 powered vehicles and 2 trailer vehicles were delivered to Toyoda depot over the period from November 2006 until February 2008.
Car body
They have 2950mm wide body incorporating light weight stainless steel construction. Their floor level is 1130mm and 35mm lower than E231 series EMU to eliminate the level difference between platforms and the floor for accessibility. The cross member of the underframe, side column, and carline are positioned longitudinally to form ring shape construction for more intense strength against lateral collision. Bodies are unpainted and have vermilion waistline and headline bands running the length of each car below and above the windows. The construction of the body varies depending on the manufacturer. Vehicles built by Tokyu Car Corporation are constructed with the outside sheets and inner beams as usual with introducing some improvements. Vehicles built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries employ "two-sheet construction method" that the pressed stainless-steel sheet and the outside sheet are combined, and those sheets themselves keep the strength. The driver's cab is placed 185mm higher than that of E231-0 series and the cab is 560mm stretched in the longitudinal direction to feature collision energy absorption structure for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing. For this reason, the doorway behind the cab is placed 950mm further back than E231-0 series. Cab ends having a full-colour LED destination panel placed above the windscreen, and the clusters of a high intensity discharge (HID) light bulb and a rectangular LED taillight located at both sides of the destination panel are covered with a Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) painted in silver. Anti-fall plates between vehicles are also introduced excepting the cab end. They 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. Heat absorbent double-glazing glass is employed for all windows to improve noise and thermal insulation property and prevent their windows from dew condensation. Door operating equipments, TKE150D, featuring electric screw drive are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors which can be operated manually by pressing the buttons fitted beside the door. Full-colour LED destination displays and loudspeakers, providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, are fitted on each side of the body. Class kuhaE233-500 and class kuhaE232-500 end vehicles are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations. An air conditioner, AU726A, rated at 50,000kcal/h is fitted on the centre of their roof. No ventilators are fitted on the roof.
Bogies
Powered bogies are DT71A besides only class mohaE232-200 DT71B, front trailer bogies of end vehicles are TR255, and the other trailer bogies TR255A featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, axle arm type journal box supporting system, and the single link draw gear. They also prepare to be equipped with the yaw dampers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 120km/h. Their bogie frame employs bow-shape to lower the bolster suspension. 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 6.06. Motored bogies employ single tread brake device adopting automatic gap-adjusting unit and trailer bogies employ both double disk brake device and single tread brake device adopting automatic gap-adjusting unit. TR255 also employs a parking brake device.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Class mohaE233 vehicles are equipped with a 2-step Variable-frequency drive (VFD) traction system, SC85, which controls 8 traction motors, MT75, with a power output of 140kW on vehicle basis including class mohaE232 vehicles. This traction system features Intelligent Power Module (IPM). Each traction system in a train set is connected with the bus line to prevent meltdown of the overhead lines at the section break. Class mohaE232 powered intermediate vehicles excepting class mohaE232-200 vehicles are equipped with a duplex auxiliary power unit, SC86, with a power output of 260kVA featuring IGBT. End vehicles and class sahaE233-500 trailer intermediate vehicles are equipped with a motor driven screw air compressor, MH3124-C1600SN3, under their floor. Class mohaE233 powered intermediate vehicles are equipped with a single arm current pickup, PS33D. Class mohaE233-0 and class mohaE233-600 vehicles are also equipped with a backup current pickup. They feature Train Information Management System (TIMS) applying RS485 rated at 10Mbps 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 and holding braking. They feature total brake control on overall a train set and regenerative brake priority by TIMS to realize regeneration rate improvement. The end vehicles are equipped with ATS-P and ATS-N signaling systems under the floor.
Accommodation
They consist of longitudinal bench seating featuring cantilever construction throughout having 450 mm wide per person. Each seat employs no sag springs supporting seat cushion and cantilever construction. E231 series and older EMU adopted baggage racks constructed by stainless steel pipes, whereas E233 series adopt baggage racks constructed by aluminum hollow plate having slits. Straps having black coloured longitudinal triangle shape are fitted throughout their body excepting priority seating area having orange coloured. A pair of 15-inch LCD showing destination or stops information on the right and video ads, and a door chime are fitted on the door header of the sliding doors. As for the device of driving cab, the control desk of the driver's cab is equipped with a one handle master controller operated by the left hand and three liquid crystal displays showing the speed meter, the pressure gauge, and the other information instead of analogue indicators.
Additional delivery
JR East additionally built 12 six-car sets and 12 four-car sets to be used on the Oume and Itsuka-ichi lines over the period from November 2007 until March of the following year. An additional 10-car set was delivered for the Chuo line rapid services in 2020.
Class satoE232-0/saroE233-0
JR East developed a pair of bilevel 1st class vehicles, class saroE232-0 and saroE233-0 in 2023 which are inserted into 10-car and 6-car sets to introduce 1st class services to the Chuo line rapid services starting from 2025. These bilevel vehicles employ narrower 2880mm wide body than regular vehicles to keep the clearance against the structure gauge, because they have 670mm longer bogie centre than existing bilevel 1st class vehicles for making the bilevel section as long as possible to compensate the smaller one-story passenger room by the introduction of wider doorways. They are equipped with two 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors on each side of the vehicles. Door operating equipments are TKE150E, featuring electric screw drive, door nipping detector, and flashing alarm lamps while door opening/closing are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors which can be operated manually by pushing the buttons fitted beside the door. Wide fixed windows aligned two seating bays are fitted between the doors and small fixed windows for each seat are fitted at the one-story section of each end of the car. A LED destination display and loudspeakers, providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, are fitted on each side of the body. They are also equipped with two air conditioners, AU729-G3, rated at 20,000kcal/h on the roof at both ends of the body. This air conditioning unit has two outlets, supplying both lower and upper decks, located at the side of the air conditioning unit and an outlet, supplying passenger room located on one-story and controls temperature for each saloon independently.
Their bogies are TR255C featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, axle arm type journal box supporting system, and the single link traction device. They also prepare to be equipped with the yaw dampers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 120km/h. Their bogie frame employs bow-shape to lower the bolster suspension. TR255C employs both double disk brake device and single tread brake device.
All seats are 2+2 abreast adjustable reclining seating with 960mm seating pitch. Their seating of bilevel section emplys auto rotatable to shorten standing time. The seating of upper deck is covered with blue fabric and the others are covered with red fabric. The passenger saloons employ LED lighting. A door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon at the one-story section is automatic. They are equipped with 1st class seating use management system and smart card readers for paying 1st class fee fitted above each seat. A western style toilet employing the vacuum toilet system, a washroom having automatic faucet with water temperature control, and a conductor's room are located at the end of class saroE233-0 vehicles.
Modifications
Class mohaE232-200 vehicles are additionally equipped with an auxiliary power unit, SC86, with a power output of 260kVA under the floor due to the addition of 1st class vehicles to 10 and 6-car sets. Class mohaE233-200 vehicles included in 6-car sets and sahaE233-500 vehicles are additionally equipped with a universal access toilet employing the vacuum toilet system and a wheelchair space located at the rear, and modified class mohaE233-200 are classified into subclass -800.
Operations
E233-0 series entered the revenue services on the Chuo line in December 2006. They also entered the revenue services on the Oume and Itsukaichi lines in March 2007. They are now used on the Chuo line rapid services linking Tokyo and Ohtsuki, local services on the Oume, Itsukichi, and Fujikyuko lines. |
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