Background and overview
In 1994, JR East developed suburban AC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains, 701-1000 series, with some improvements in order to displace locomotive-hauled trains used in Morioka region and 715-1000 series EMU used in Sendai region. 701-1000 series include 2-car sets and 4-car sets. Fifteen 2-car sets were delivered to Morioka depot and two 4-car sets Sendai depot in 1994.
Car body
They have 2870mm narrow body. Their body construction is that the pressed
stainless sheet and the outside sheet are combined together and those sheets
themselves keep the strength. Bodies are unpainted. Vehicles delivered
to Morioka depot have the blue violet waistline band running the length
of each car below the side windows and light and dark violet band below
the windscreens. On the other hand, vehicles delivered to Sendai depot
have green and red waistline band running the length of each car below
the side windows and green band below the windscreen. The end vehicles
are equipped with a gangway door and featured low front cab style. Tow
headlights featuring the sealed beam light bulb are fitted above the front
gangway door, and taillights are fitted below the windscreens. A destination
rollsign is fitted above the opposite side of the control desk. They are
equipped with three 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic stepped doors on
each side of the vehicles. Door operating equipments, TK113C, 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 4 set
windows including two 960mm high double-hung side windows, the upper sash
of which moves down and the lower is fixed, between the doors are fitted
between the doors, and fixed windows are fitted at the end of the vehicle.
Heat absorbent glass is employed for all windows in order to eliminate
blinds. Traditional roller-binding destination screens and loudspeakers,
providing guidance broadcast for passengers waiting at a station, are fitted
on each side of the body. An air conditioner, AU710A rated at 38,000kcal/h,
is fitted on the centre of their roof. No ventilators are fitted on the
roof. End cars are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up
operations.
Bogies
The 701-1000 series are equipped with DT61A bogies on the powered vehicles and TR246A bogies on the trailers, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension and axle arm type journal box supporting system. Their bogie employing bow-shaped bogie frame to lower the fitting position of bolster suspension realizes to lower the floor level. 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. Motored bogies employ single tread brake device and trailer bogies employ both single disk brake device and single tread brake device.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Their traction system, CI1, consisting of a converter employing thyristor and diode to get constant voltage electric current from the secondary current of traction transformer output and a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) employing power transistor controls 4 AC asynchronous traction motors, MT65, with a power output of 125kW. Their traction transformer features shell and forced oil cooling type. This transformer's primary voltage is 20kV, secondary is 825V, and third is 388V. They employ the electric commanding brake with rheostatic brake. Class kumoha701 vehicles are equipped with an ancillary power supply, SC49, under the floor. They are also equipped with a lozenge current pickup, PS105, in order to retain the distance against the wall-cover of the Senseki line's tunnel and a traction resistor unit, MR102, for rheostatic brake on the roof. Trailer vehicles are equipped with a motor driven air compressor, MH1112-C1600MF.
Accommodation
Passenger accommodation feature longitudinal bucket bench seating throughout with wind protection panel at the end of seating. The air conditioning duct is fitted above the ceiling in order to improve interior design and the outlets of cool air are slit shape. Their cab is a compartment type located at the left side of the train for conductor-less operation. 2-car sets@allocated at Sendai depot are equipped with the ticket machines, which put the ticket indicating the boarding station, located beside doorways, a fare LED display and the fare box located behind the cab. These equipments are prepared for 4-car sets. A 1200mm wide double leaf sliding door is fitted at the gangway connection to ease the movement between vehicles in conductor-less operation. Trailer end vehicles, class kuha700-1000, are equipped with a western style toilet with a chemical holding tank. A wheelchair space is located across the aisle from the toilet.
A LED display for providing passenger information, and a door chime are fitted above the door header of the sliding doors.
Additional delivery
JR East delivered five 2-car sets to Sendai depot over the period from January 1995 until February, six 2-car sets from September until October, twelve 2-car sets to Aomori depot from December 1995 until March 1996.
Modification and refurbishment
A refurbishment programme was commenced on 701-1000 series from 2011. Their traction system changed into CI19A consisting of a 3-level PWM converter employing Insulated Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and a 2-level Variable-frequency drive (VFD) employing IGBT controls 4 AC asynchronous traction motors, MT65, on truck basis. When the system failure occurred on the one of two circuits of the traction system, a failed circuit would be disconnected to achieve higher redundancy. A traction resistor unit fitted on the roof was removed because regenerative brake was applicable by introducing new traction system. Their traction transformer was changed into TM32A in order to reduce harmonics heating caused by introducing new traction system. The ancillary power supply is updated into SC93 featuring IGBT. Destination rollsigns fitted on the front and the body side were replaced with LED destination displays. The current pickup of some vehicles was changed into the single arm current pickup, PS106.
Operations and transfer
701-1000 series entered revenue services on Tohoku line between Shiraishi and Morioka in December 1994. Then they were used on Tohoku line rural services between Kuroiso and Aomori, and Senseki line subsequently. Four 2-car sets were transferred to the third-sector railway operating company Iwate Galaxy Railway and one to Aoimori Railway at the start of the operations on the Tohoku Shinkansen between Morioka and Hachinohe in 2002. Additional seven 2-car sets were transferred to Aoimori Railway at the start of the operations on the Tohoku Shinkansen between Hachinohe and Shin-Aomori in 2010.
701-1000 series owned by JR East are now used on Tohoku line rural services between Shin-Shirakawa and Morioka. |
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