Background and overview
JR East developed 253 series intercity DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains to introduce for the "Narita Express" intercity services linking downtown Tokyo and Narita international airport originally known as New Tokyo International Airport via newly-constricted airport branch line of Narita line owned by Narita Airport Rapid Railway starting in 1991. Twenty-one 3-car sets consisting of 2 powered vehicles of standard class and 1 trailer vehicle of 1st class were delivered in 1991.
Car body
They have 2946mm wide body. Their body is constructed by ordinary steel, employing stainless plates for their roof and floor. Their roof is covered with polyurethane waterproof coating for anti-corrosion improvement. End vehicles are gangwayed, employing the automatic jumper coupler and the automatic gangway connection device to ease rush-up operations. Their automatic gangway connection device does not employ the bellows connectors but rubber connectors. When two or more trainsets are coupled together in a single train, plug doors at the ends are opened to give a passage and the part of gangway with a rubber connector is pressed each other to form a seal. This gangway is not for public use but for train crew. They are equipped with two 1000mm wide single-leaf sliding doors for standard class vehicles or one door for the 1st class vehicle, and the horizontal band fixed windows adopting the double-glazing bronze glass on each side of their body. Traditional destination rollsigns and car's number vane displays are fitted on the side of their body. One heat pump air conditioner, AU812, rated at 28,000kcal/h/unit, is fitted on their roof of the rear. Electric fans of air conditioner supply fresh air into the passenger room, instead of ventilators on the roof. Their livery is white with red, gray and black accents. The N'EX logo and an airplane could be seen splashed on the front of end vehicles and the side of intermediate vehicles.
Bogies
Motored bogies are DT56B and trailer bogies are TR241C, featuring bolster-less
secondary air suspension, rolled rubber spring journal supporting system,
and the Z link traction device. They also employ the yaw dampers and anti-rolling
stabilizers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 130km/h. 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
Eight series-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT61, with a power output
of 120kW are controlled by the armature-resistance traction control system,
CS57, featuring field added excitation control. At the armature voltage
control stage, armature resistance control and series-parallel control
are applied. At the field weakening stage, field added excitation system,
HS77, indirectly controls the electrical current of field by controlling
the electrical current of inductive shunt. Forced field control by HS77
realizes regenerative braking from the high-speed range by using the field
weakening at 30%. At low-speed range, the voltage of regeneration keeps
by applying series-parallel control. So, the regenerative braking is available
until 30km/h. If the regenerative brake is not sufficient, additional brake
is provided by pneumatic friction brake. Their traction system introduced
the constant speed drive function over 60km/h.
The brake system is the rheostatic electric command pneumatic brake, employing anti-slip control by axle-driven tachometer generator fitted to each axle and pressure intensifying braking over 100km/h to shorten braking distance. Regenerative holding brake is available, which keep the travelling speed at the holding brake operation starting over 40km/h. Class moha253 vehicles are equipped with a diamond shaped current pickup, PS26, featuring improved tracking performance against a current feeder and lighter body. Class kumoha252 vehicles are equipped with an auxiliary power unit, SC28, with a power output of 140kVA featuring a boost converter and a motor driven air compressor, MH3094-C2000ML under their floor. The end cars are equipped with the ATC, ATS-P, and ATS-SN signaling systems under their floor. These signaling systems are automatically switched during travelling.
Accommodation
1st class vehicles have reclining seating and one 4-seat compartment. Open plan accommodation of class kuro253-0 vehicles has 1-1 abreast seating with 1090mm seating pitch. These seats can angle to face the windows at an angle of 30 degrees. Open plan accommodation of class kuto253-100 vehicles has a mixture of 2+1 and 1+1 abreast seating with 1340mm seating pitch. A catering room and the baggage shelf to store large suitcases are fitted between doorways and the open saloon. They adopt sliding curtains.
Standard class vehicles have European-style fixed four-seat bays with 2040mm seating pitch. The baggage shelfs to store large suitcases are fitted between doorways and the passenger saloon. They adopt roller blinds.
Class kuro253 vehicles are equipped with a Western style toilet and a power room, and class moha253 vehicles are equipped with a universal access toilet, a flashing urinal, and a public phone room.
Their luggage rack employs the airplane overhead bin style. Reading lights are fitted under the luggage rack of 1st class vehicles. FM transmitter is employed for the indoor music programme services. A door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon is automatic, detecting by the photo sensor. A LED display for providing passenger information is fitted above the door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon.
Operations
They entered "Narita Express" intercity revenue services linking Shinjuku/Yokohama and Narita international airport via Tokyo in March, 1991.
Additional delivery
JR East delivered six 3-intermediate vehicles sets consisting of 2 powered intermediate vehicles, class moha253-100 and moha252, and 1 trailer intermediate vehicle, class saha253. There are some noticeable differences over 1st batch's sets. Their roof panel was changed from corrugated stainless into weatherproof steel. Fresh air intakes are changed to be fitted on the upper side of their body to ease maintenance. Minor changes were added to their accommodation. Hand-grabs on the edge of aisle seats were introduced for standing passengers. The colure of seating and the carpet fabric was changed. The construction and the surface treatment of the overhead bin style luggage rack were also changed to ease operation and maintenance. Four 3-intermediate vehicles sets were also delivered in 1994, and 2 sets were in 1996.
Modification and refurbishment
The accommodation of class kuro253 vehicles was remodeled in 2003. The seating accommodation of class kuro253-0/-100 vehicles used for 6-car sets were changed into 1-2 abreast reclining seating with 1090mm seating pitch. On the other hand, the open plan accommodation of class kuto253-100 vehicles sued for 3-car sets were changed into standard class and classified into class kuroha253, featuring 2-2 abreast reclining seating with 1020 seating pitch. a 4-seat compartment has no change. All seats introduced at this time are auto rotatable to shorten standing time. Their overhead bin style luggage rack was changed into standard luggage rack for useability. Their curtains adopted for 1st class were changed into roller blinds.
253-200 series
Background and overview
JR East additionally delivered two 6-car sets 253 series EMU to provide additional capacity for services associated with reinforced Narita International airport with an additional runway. They were introduced some noticeable improvement against existing 253-0 series vehicles and classified into -200 subseries.
Car body
Anti-fall plates between vehicles excepting the cab end were introduced. Destination rollsigns and car's number vane displays were integrated to LED destination and car's number signs. Their air conditioner was changed into AU812-G3 featuring high power electric fans.
Bogies
Their bogies are changed from former 253-0 series. Motored bogies are DT69 and trailer bogies are TR254, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, axle arm type journal box supporting system, the existing single link traction device. They also employ the yaw dampers and anti-rolling stabilizers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 130km/h. 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, traction motor, and field added excitation system
are transplanted from 205 series EMU of which traction system was changed
into variable-frequency drive. Thus, 8 their traction motors which are
series-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT61C, with a power output of
120kW are controlled by the armature-resistance traction control system,
CS57E, featuring field added excitation control equipped class moha253-200/300
vehicles with. Their field added excitation system, HS52, is fitted with
the electromagnetic contactor for 3-phase ac and DC electric loads to apply
the electricity supplied from the inverter auxiliary power unit, SC37C,
though the field added excitation system of 205 series EMU was supplied
from a motor-generator. ATC signaling system is also transplanted from
surplus 209 series EMU.
Accommodation
The noticeable difference over former 253-0 series vehicles is having reclining seating throughout. 1st class vehicles have 2+1 abreast seating with 1090mm seating pitch and standard class vehicles have 2+2 abreast seating with 1020mm seating pitch. All seats are auto rotatable to shorten standing time. Standard luggage rack is employed for useability and reading lights fitted under the luggage rack are discontinued. Their curtains adopted for 1st class were changed into roller blinds. The door chimes indicating doors opening/closing and the automatic sliding door for universal access toilet are introduced as a measure for barrier-free
Modification
All surplus 253-200 series caused by introducing E259 series to replace
for "Narita Express" intercity services had been remodeled for
use on Tobu railway inter-running services and classified into 253-1000
series. |
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