Background and overview
JR West developed 521 series suburban dual voltage AC/DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains for the conversion of the Nagahama to Tsuruga of Hokuriku line and the Nagahara to Ohmi-Shiotsu of Kosei line electrified at 20kVAC to 1500VDC in June 2006 and in order to displace superannuated EMU trains used on the rural services between Tsuruga and northward in the future. 5 two-car sets consisting of a motored end vehicle having same equipments as DC EMU trains and a trailer end vehicle having peculiar equipments for only AC EMU trains were delivered in 2006.
Car body
They have 2950mm wide body, incorporating light weight stainless construction
and same cross-section shape as that of 321 series EMU. Laser beam welding
is applied for not only wainscot and pier panels, 321 series EMU of which
also feature laser beam welding, but also frieze board for the reduction
of skin distortion of side construction. Bodies are unpainted and have
the blue, white and blue waistline band running the length of each car
below the windows. They also have brown accents applied at door cases.
Cab ends constructed by steel are fitted with a gangway and the gangway
connection base at the centre of the front. A train classification roll
sign is fitted above the gangway door and a LED destination indicator is
above the control desk. Two headlights and auxiliary lights are horizontally
fitted each side of the gangway. Rectangle shaped LED tail lights are fitted
below the headlights and auxiliary lights. Their floor level is 10mm lower
than 223-2000 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 drop windows having 950mm height are fitted
between the doors. Heat absorbent double-glazing tempered glass is employed
for all windows in order to improve noise and thermal insulation property
and prevent their windows from dew condensation. Roller-binding train-type
indicators and LED destination indicators are fitted on each side of their
body. Displays showing entrance or exit are fitted on the door case beside
the doorways at the both ends for conductor-less operation. Class kuha520
vehicles have the 140mm lower roof section where the current collector
and high voltage equipments are fitted than the other section of the roof
to keep the insulation distance against the extra-high voltage current
feeder. Two air conditioners, WAU708B, rated at 20,000kcal/h/unit, are
fitted on their roof. 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, and Automatic dampers for air intake are employed
to reduce pressure fluctuation while running through the tunnel and realize
quickly carry out cooling and heating by shutting dampers. End cars are
equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations.
Cover plates are fitted between equipments fitted under their floor to
reduce the waving for preventing snow and ice from sticking thereon.
Bogies
Motored bogies are WDT59B and trailer bogies are WTR243C featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, axle arm type journal box supporting system, and the single link traction device. The fitting position of bolster suspension is 15mm lower than 223 series to lower the floor level for accessibility. These bogies feature the yaw dampers, and are ready to be fitted with anti-rolling stabilizer to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 120km/h. Axle springs, air springs, and brake diaphragm are covered with snow preventing covers. Quiet Westinghouse-Natal drive is applied for power transmission device. The gear ratio is 6.53 to get high acceleration performance and the maximum service speed at 130km/h. Motored bogie employs single tread brake rigging adopting automatic gap-adjusting unit and trailer bogie employs both the double disk brake rigging and the single tread brake rigging adopting automatic gap-adjusting unit. WTR243C is also ready to employ parking brake device.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Trailer end vehicles, class kuha520, are equipped with a traction transformer,
WTM27, with a power output of 1200kVA featuring natural air cooling and
a pair of 3-level traction converter, WPC12-G2, employing Insulated Bipolar
Transistor (IGBT) and synchronizing each other under the floor. While a
converter is under failure, the remaining other converter carry on its
work with power limit operation for redundancy. On the other hand, powered
end vehicles, class kumoha521, are equipped with a 3-level Variable-frequency
drive (VFD), WPC11-G2, employing IGBT to control four asynchronous traction
motors, WMT102C, with a power output of 230kW on axle basis. Their traction
system is integrated with the auxiliary power supply unit with a power
output of 150kVA. 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. Cooling air for traction motors
is taken from intakes fitted on the end plate. In addition, cooling air
can also be taken from intakes located in the passenger room. Class kumoha521
vehicles are also equipped with a motor driven rotary-screw air compressor,
WMH3098-WRC1600, under their floor, and class kuha520 vehicles are equipped
with a current pickup, WPS28D, on the roof. They feature the electric commanding
brake with regenerative brake and holding brake, featuring brake control
of trailer priority, employing anti-slip control by axle-driven tachometer
generator fitted to each axle because short train sets were operated in
an area of heavy snowfall.
Accommodation
Seating accommodation consists of the mixture of longitudinal seating having the wind screen at the end of the passenger saloon and 2+2 abreast switchable transverse seating with 910mm seating pitch and Fold-down auxiliary seats provided next to the doorway in order to increase standing capacity during peak hours. The air conditioning duct is fitted above the ceiling in order to improve interior design and the outlets of cool air are slit shape. Hanging straps s are fitted throughout their body. The passenger saloons feature fluorescent lighting covered with the round-shaped glass fibre. The ticket machine, which put the ticket indicating the boarding station, is located beside doorways at the end of their body. The fare chart seven segment display and the fare box are located behind the driver's cab. LED displays for providing passenger information are fitted above the doorways in zigzags. End vehicles, class kuha520, are equipped with a universal access toilet employing the vacuum toilet system. End vehicles, class kumoha227 and kumoha226, are also equipped with a wheel chair space.
Additional delivery
JR West additionally delivered 30 two-car sets of 2nd batch's 521 series in order to superannuated 419 series and 475 series EMU trains over the period from October, 2009 until March, 2011, employing hanging straps with larger looped handle for easier hold and perceptibility compared with former 521 series, and enlarged wind screens fitted at the both end of bench seating. Their universal access toilet is changed into round-shape.
Furthermore, 21 two-car sets of 3rd batch's 521 series delivered in order
to displace remaining 475 series EMU over the period from November, 2013
until February were introduced the frontal impact accident measure that
shock absorbing beams above the cab ceiling to absorb the impact energy
and widen the lower part of cab space. This change realizes the more rounded
end section appearance than 225-0 series. The prominent anti-fall plates
on the front ends are also introduced likewise between the vehicles. Two
headlights and auxiliary lights applied high intensity discharge (HID)
lamps are aslant fitted nearer to each side of the gangway than 225-0 series
and uniquely shaped LED trail lights are fitted toward out of the headlights
and auxiliary lights. A train classification roll sign is fitted above
the gangway door and a LED destination indicator is above the control desk.
Roller-binding train-type indicators and LED destination indicators are
also fitted on each side of their body. Door operating equipments changed
into WTK123 having closing strength attenuated mechanism 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. The fare chart display is changed into the LCD. Platform
detecting ultrasonic sensors are fitted on each side of end section to
prevent the passenger from falling down when all or part of the train is
not at a platform. A body vibration detector (BVD) applying accelerometers
is fitted near their bogies to prevent damage caused by derailment and
collision to name a few from spreading.
2 two-car sets delivered in 2021 employed a large colour-selectable LED destination screen fitted on each side of the body is integrated with train classification sign. A train classification sign and a destination indicator are also changed into colour selectable LED displays.
Modification
Body Vibration Detector (BVD) detecting derailment, collision, and overturning was introduced to stop the train urgently. Platform detecting ultrasonic sensors are additionally fitted on each side of end section to prevent the passenger from falling down when all or part of the train is not at a platform. The fare chart featuring seven-segment display was changed into the LCD.
Operations and transfer
521 series entered rural services linking Maibara and Fukui of Hokuriku line, and linking Ohmi-Imazu and Ohmi-Shiotsu in 2006. Services were extended to Kanazawa in 2009. Services were extended to Tsubata in 2011 and to Itoigawa in 2014.
Five 521 series train sets were transferred to the third-sector railway operating company IR Ishikawa Railway and sixteen to Ainokaze Toyama Railway at the start of the operations on the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa. Vehicles transferred to IR Ishikawa Railway include two third batch's sets.
521 series owned by JR West and third-sector railway operating companies are now used on the rural services between Maibara and Itoigawa of Hokuriku line, and between Ohmi-Imazu and Ohmi-Shiotsu of Kosei line. |
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