Background and overview
JR West had reduced the journey time for "Kuroshio" intercity services by improving travelling speed on curves and introducing "Super Kuroshio" intercity services with limited stops to compete against high-speed bus services and cars with the extension of expressways. Furthermore, JR West developed 283 series intercity DC electric multiple unit (EMU) tilting trains and delivered for "Kuroshio" intercity services to reduce their journey time more and introduce more amenable service against high-speed bus services and cars in 1996. Two 6-car sets consisting of two powered vehicles and four trailer vehicles, and two types of one 3-car set consisting of one powered vehicle and two trailer vehicles were delivered. One type of 3-car set includes one no gangwayed end vehicle and one gangwayed end vehicle. The other of 3-car set include only gangwayed end vehicles.
Car body
They have 2850mm wide body, which is smaller than standard intercity vehicles,
to keep their body within loading gauge when tilting at 5 dregees. Their
floor level is 40mm lower (1120mm from the top of rail) than that of 281
series EMU to realize a low centre of gravity. Their body design incorporates
lightweight shaped steel and pressed forming beam to realize a light weight
body, stainless plate and weatherproof steel sheet for their roof and floor.
Their roof features polyurethane waterproof coating for anti-corrosion
improvement. The end section of no gangwayed end vehicles features streamlined
design and wide curved windscreen to have a commanding view of the tracks
ahead. The end section of gangwayed end vehicles employs storable gangway
connection to improve end section appearance. They are equipped with two
700mm wide single-leaf sliding doors for powered intermediate vehicles,
class moha283-0, or one door for the other vehicles. They are also equipped
with the horizontal band fixed windows on each side of their body. Their
door operating equipment, WTK115A, is fitted above the door header of the
sliding door. Train-type roll-signes and LED destination indicators are
fitted on each side of their body. 283 series employ split air conditioners,
WAU305, rated at 36000kcal/h. Two indoor units are fitted on their roof
and one outdoor unit is fitted under their floor in order to realize a
low centre of gravity. Their livery is beach white with wide band in ocean
green to emulate the colure of the sea in the Nanki area running the length
of each car above the window sill. Gangwayed end vehicles are equipped
with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations
Bogies
The 283 series are equipped with WDT57 bogies on the powered vehicles and
WTR241 bogies on the trailers, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension,
coil spring primary suspension with cylindrical laminated rubber, single
link traction device, and tilting mechanism. These bogies adopt the yaw
dampers and anti-rolling stabilizer to ensure smooth ride characteristics
even at 130km/h. WN gear couplings are applied for power transmission device.
Tilting mechanism employs liner motion guide, which is capable of performing
larger circular motion, in order to smooth tilting motion by reducing the
friction. Their bogie frame employs bow-shape to fit the tilting frame
and the liner motion guide. A tilting system employing liner motion guide
is controlled by a computer and realizes 30km/h faster travelling than
standard limited speed on curves. Powered bogie employs single tread brake
device. Trailer bogie employs both the double disk brake rigging and the
single tread brake rigging.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
All motored cars are equipped with a 3-step Variable-frequency drive (VFD)
traction system, WPC8, featuring Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
controls four asynchronous traction motors, WMT104, with a power output
of 220kW on axle basis. Their traction system is integrated with the auxiliary
power supply unit with a power output of 130kVA. In case of the auxiliary
power supply unit failure, one VFD unit for traction motor can switch to
supply electricity as the backup auxiliary power supply unit. Powered intermediate
vehicles, class moha283, are also equipped with a single-arm current pickup
which is employed to realize a low centre of gravity. Trailer intermediate
vehicles, class Saha283, and trailer end vehicles, class kuha282, are also
equipped with a motor driven air compressor, WMH3093-WTC2000D, under their
floor. and are also equipped with a cross arm type current pickup, WPS27D,
with the protection against heavy snow. 283 series feature the electric
commanding brake with regenerative brake and holding brake, featuring brake
control of trailer priority.
Accommodation
All seats are adjustable reclining. 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 partition wall behind the driver's cab of no gangwayed end vehicles is low to provide sufficient passenger's view through the motorman's cab. A partition wall is fitted at the centre of 1st class passenger saloon to divide into smoking seats and nonsmoking seats. 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. However, this partition wall was removed in 1998. An observation lounge equipped with four chairs fitted at seaward side and four-seater sofa fitted at mountainside and facing to the ocean is located in Class moha283-300 vehicles. A LED display for providing passenger information is fitted above the door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon. Every trailer vehicle is equipped with a western style toilet, a flushing urinal, and a washroom. Each toilet has a chemical holding tank. Class saha283-200 and class kuha282-700 vehicles are equipped with a universal access toilet and a multi-purpose room.
Operations
283 series EMU entered "Super Kuroshio (Ocean Arrow)" intercity revenue services linking Kyoto and Shingu in July, 1996. They are now used on "Kuroshio" intercity services were also used on "Fresh Hitachi" intercity services linking Shin-Osaka and Shirahama/Shingu. |
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