Background and overview
In 1995, JR East developed E127-0 series suburban DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains in order to replace 165 series express DC EMU which were used on rural services of Shinetsu, Uetsu, and Echigo lines to name a few, and caused delays occur while peak hours frequently because of the 165 series' vestibuled body having 2 sliding doors at the both ends. Six 2-car sets consisting of a powered end vehicle and a trailer end vehicle in March 1995.
Car body
They have 2870mm wide body, incorporating unpainted bead-less light weight
stainless construction employing "two-sheet construction method"
that the pressed stainless sheet and the outside sheet are combined together
and those sheets themselves keep the strength. Their floor level is 1130mm
to eliminate the level difference between platforms and the floor for accessibility.
They have a dark and light green coloured waistline band running the length
of each car below the windscreen and side windows, a dark green coloured
band above the side windows, and a dark green coloured narrow skirting.
Cab ends having a gangway door and employing low driver's cab are covered
by a Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) painted in white and black. They are
equipped with three 1300mm wide double-leaf automatic sliding doors on
each side of the vehicles. Door operating equipments, TK113D, are fitted
above the door header of the sliding doors which can be operated manually
by pushing the buttons fitted beside the door. A LED display for providing
passenger information, and a door chime are fitted above the door header
of the sliding doors. Horizontal band of 4 set windows including 2 drop
windows having 960mm height 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. Displays
showing entrance or exit are fitted on the door case beside the doorways
at the both ends for conductor-less operation. An air conditioner, AU720A-G2
rated at 42,000kcal/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 E127-0 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 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. 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
Class moha209 vehicles are equipped with 2-step Variable-frequency drive (VFD) traction system, SC51, which controls 4 traction motors, MT71, with a power output of 120kW on truck basis. This traction system features Gate Turn Off (GTO) thyristor. Trailer end vehicles, class kuhaE126, are equipped with an auxiliary power unit, SC52, with a power output of 90kVA featuring Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and a motor-driven reciprocating air compressor, MH3108-C1200, under their floor. Class kuhaE126 vehicles are also equipped with a cross-arm current pickup, PS30, and a traction resistor unit, MR175, for rheostatic brake on their roof. They employ the electric commanding brake with mixed regenerative-dynamic braking under low possibility of regeneration., featuring brake control of trailer priority.
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 motorman's cab to fitted to the left side of the body is small for conductor-less operation. They 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 motorman's cab. A 1200 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 kuhaE127, are equipped with a western style toilet with a chemical holding tank. A wheel chair space is located across the aisle from the toilet.
Additional delivery
Seven additional 2-car sets were delivered in November 1995.
Withdrawal and transfer
Set V3 was withdrawn from service because of the train fire accident caused
by level crossing accident in October 2014. Ten E127-0 series train sets
were transferred to the third-sector railway operating company Echigo Tokimeki
Railway for use on the renamed Myoko Haneuma Line from the Shinetsu line
between Myoko-Kogen and Naoetsu, and reclassified into ET127 series at
the start of the operations on the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and
Kanazawa.
Modification
Their traction system of 2 sets owned by JR East was displaced with a new traction system, SC102A, employing Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) in 2016. Their auxiliary power unit was also displaced with a new auxiliary power unit, SC103A with a power output of 210kVA. This traction system controls 4 traction motors on truck basis. The brake chopper reactor, IC132, was additionally fitted for the countermeasure for inductive disturbance while the brake chopper operating.
Operations
E127 series entered rural revenue services of Shinetsu line between Niigata and Nagaoka, Uetsu lines between Shibata and Murakami, Hakushin line, Echigo line, and Yahiko line in Niigata region. However, E127 series used on rural services of Shinetsu, Uetsu, Hakushin, and Echigo lines were displaced with E129 series in 2015. Remaining 2 sets owned by JR East had been used on the rural services of Yahiko line until March 2022. |
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