Background and overview
JR West developed 281 series intercity DC electric multiple unit (EMU)
trains to introduce for the "Haruka" intercity services linking
Kyoto and Kansai International Airport opened in 1994. 9 five-car sets
consisting of two powered vehicles and three trailer vehicles were delivered.
Car body
They have 2915mm wide body. Their body design incorporates lightweight
shaped steel and pressed forming beam to realize a light weight body, employing
weatherproof steel sheet (Steel Plate Atmospheric), hot-rolled atmospheric
corrosion resisting steels for welded structure (Steel Marine Atmospheric)
for their body skin, and stainless plate for their roof. Their roof is
covered with polyurethane waterproof coating for anti-corrosion improvement.
Rain water gutters are shaped by recessing the roof plate to improve their
appearance. The end section of the trains is entirely concaved representing
the gentle S-shape with an emergency gangway, employing a raised driver's
cab. They are equipped with two 1010mm wide single-leaf sliding doors for
intermediate vehicles or one door for the end vehicles and the horizontal
band fixed windows on each side of their body. Their door operating equipment,
TK115, is fitted above the door header of the sliding door. Roller-binding
train-type indicators and LED destination indicators are fitted on each
side of their body. Two air conditioners, WAU703, rated at 18,000kcal/h/unit,
are fitted on their roof. Electric fans of air conditioner supply fresh
air into the passenger room, instead of ventilators on the roof. Their
livery is shining white with their underframe painted in strato-blue and
upper frieze board painted in cosmo gray. The "square dot" logos
of "Haruka" are also applied on pier panels.
Bogies
Motored bogies are WDT55 and trailer bogies are WTR239, featuring bolster-less
secondary air suspension, corn-shaped multilayered rubber spring journal
supporting system, and the Z link traction device. These bogies adopt double
collar sealed roller bearing, and the yaw dampers to ensure smooth ride
characteristics even at 130km/h. They are also prepared to fit the anti-rolling
stabilizer. Motored bogies employ the single tread brake device adopting
automatic gap-adjusting unit, and trailer bogies employ both the single
disk and the single tread brake devices.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Variable frequency drive traction system, WPC4, featuring Gate Turn Off
(GTO) thyristor controls 4 traction motors, WMT100B, with a power output
of 180 kW on axle basis in order to realize that the ratio of motored vehicle
to trailer vehicle is one to two. Their gear ratio is 5.65 to get high
acceleration performance at the range of middle and high speed and the
maximum service speed at 130km/h. Motored vehicles are equipped with an
auxiliary power unit, WSC40 with a power output of 140kVA featuring the
combination of double chopper employing Gate Turn Off (GTO) thyristor and
3 step inverter employing Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), under
their floor. Motored vehicles are also equipped with a cross-arm type current
pickup, WPS27D and prepared to be fitted with another current pickup on
their roof. Class kuha281 and saha281 vehicles are equipped with a motor
driven air compressor, WMH3094-WTC1000. 281 series employ the electric
commanding brake with regenerative brake, featuring brake control of trailer
priority.
Accommodation
All seats are adjustable reclining which is auto rotatable to shorten standing
time. 1st class vehicles have 2+1 abreast seating with 1160mm seating pitch
and standard class vehicles have 2+2 abreast seating with 970mm seating
pitch. A LED display for providing passenger information is fitted above
the door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon. The baggage shelf
to store large suitcases with two stages are fitted beside doorways. A
segregated smoking compartment was fitted on class moha281 vehicles to
make all seating accommodation no-smoking. A public telephone room and
a vending machine are fitted at the opposite side of a smoking room. Class
saha281 and kuro280 vehicles are equipped with a western style toilet (saha281
is universal access), a flushing urinal, and a washroom. A baggage room,
which can store about 50 suitcases by using lashing belts, for City Air
Terminal (CAT) services are fitted at the front of class kuha281 vehicles.
Operations
They entered "Haruka" intercity revenue services linking Kyoto and Kansai International Airport at opening of Kansai International Airport in September, 1994. Additional trailer intermediate vehicles, class Saha281-100, were inserted to change 5-car formations into 6 cars to provide additional capacity in 1995. Class saha281-100 vehicles are equipped with a standard western toilet instead of a universal access toilet, and are not with a motor driven air compressor. In 1995, JR West also delivered 3-car sets of 281 series to make total 9-car sets for additional capacity during busy hours. New powered end vehicles, class kumoha281, were developed to make 3-car sets. They are equipped with two 1010mm wide single-leaf sliding doors and a segregated smoking compartment.
A baggage room for CAT services stopped to be used because of closing the services of Kyoto city air terminal and their sets were changed into opposite direction to locate a 1st class vehicle to the Kyoto end.
281 series are now used on "Haruka" intercity services along with 271 series built in 2019. |
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