485-0series
485-0 series
485-200 series
485-300 series
485-1000 series
485-1500 series
485-3000 series
489 series

Type index


"Hakucho" services linking Osaka and Aomori (withdrawn)
481 series
Background and overview
With the extension of AC electrified railways, intercity services operated by electric multiple unit trains linking DC electrified railways located in metropolitan area and AC electrified railways were desired. Hence, Japanese National Railways developed 481 series AC at 60Hz and DC dual-voltage electric multiple unit trains for intercity services to introduce intercity services operated by EMU trains linking Osaka/Nagoya and Kanazawa/Toyama in 1964. 481 series delivered for "Raicho" and "Shirasagi" intercity services were 11 car sets consisting of 6 powered vehicles and 5 trailer vehicles including two 1st class vehicles and a restaurant vehicle.

Car body
They have 2946mm wide body. Their body design incorporates lightweight shaped steel and pressed forming beam to realize a lightweight body, employing cold rolled steel plate for the body skin, and hot rolled steel plate for the roof. Floating floor construction is also employed for soundproof and vibration proof. Their floor level is 125mm higher than that of 151 series to fit with the AC electric equipments such as traction transformer under the floor. The end vehicles closely based on the bonnet-style 151 series EMU are equipped with a dome-shaped driver's cab having large, curved windscreens extending all the way to the sides on the roof. A headlight and two extra whistles covered with integrated cover are fitted on the cab. An illuminated classification headboard is fitted on the front of the bonnet, and inverted triangle gunmetal intercity express symbol mark above the headboard. A headlight and a taillight are fitted on the front of rectangular shaped light case on each side of the bonnet. "JNR" logo made of stainless steel is applied to each side of the bonnet. The front of the end vehicles has a knuckle coupler with a cover. They are equipped with a 700mm wide single-leaf automatic sliding stepped doors, and small fixed double-grazing windows per each 1st class seating or wide fixed double-glazing windows aligned two 2nd class seating bays. Heat absorbent glass is employed for all windows. Their door operating equipment, TK100B, is fitted on the door header of the sliding door. A restaurant car has a shunting control position on each end of the vehicle. A destination rollsign is prepared to be fitted on each side of the body excepting restaurant cars. Class moha481 and sashi481 vehicles are equipped with 6 air conditioners, AU12, rated at 4000 kcal/h having sucked and forced draught ventilators, class kuha481 5, and class moha480 3 on the roof. Class moha480 vehicles lacking cooling capacity are also equipped with 3 air conditioners, AU41, rated at 4000 kcal/h on the floor. Their livery is cream with red wide band around side windows and red narrow skirting.

Bogies
The 481 series are equipped with DT32A bogies on the powered vehicles and TR69A bogies on the trailers, featuring bellows air springs for the secondary suspension, the top of which is slanted in lateral direction, and pedestal type journal supporting system. Their secondary airbag suspension is not mounted to their body directly but mounted in the bogie unit. The parallel cardan drive with hollow shaft is applied for the power transmission device. The gear ratio is 3.50. Their brake rigging is a single tread brake for powered and double disk brake for trailer.

Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Eight series-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT54, with a power output of 120kW are controlled by the armature-resistance traction control system, CS15B, fitted to class moha481 powered intermediate vehicles. CS15B features holding breaking and free selectable speed control. Class moha480 powered intermediate vehicles are equipped with a shell type traction transformer, TM10, and a traction rectifier, RS22, under the floor. They are also equipped with two current pickups, PS16B, connected with copper bar supported by ceramic insulators, and an air-blast circuit breaker, CB103A, on the roof. Class kuha481 end vehicles are equipped with a motor generator, MH93A-DM55A, with a power output of 150kVA, an air compressor, MH92B-C3000A inside the bonnet located at the front, and an overhead line voltage detector on the roof of the cab. Both non voltage air-blast circuit breaker method and automatic DC/AC changeover using an overhead line voltage detector are employed for the protection against accidentally entering an AC electrified section. Class sashi481 vehicles are equipped with a motor generator, MH94-DM58, with a power output of 70kVA. They adopt electromagnetic straight air brake with the rheostatic brake.

Accommodation
1st class vehicles have 2+2 abreast reclining seating, R24, with 1160mm seating pitch, and 2nd class vehicles have 2+2 abreast rotatable transverse seating, T17B, with 910mm seating pitch. All vehicles adopt sliding curtains on side windows and roller blinds are adopted together for 1st class and restaurant vehicles. 1st class vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet, a washroom, and conductor's rooms toward the front of the vehicle, and a western style toilet and a washroom at the rear of the vehicle. 2nd class vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet and a washroom toward the doorway. Restaurant vehicles have a galley and a service entrance for foodstuff toward the front of the vehicle, and a dining room with ten 4-seat tables on both sides located toward the rear. A galley is equipped with a sink, a serving table, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a urinal for employees. An aisle is located next to the galley so that passengers can pass through the car to the rest of the train. The porous aluminum plate is employed for the ceiling board for noise absorption.

Additional delivery
Vehicles built from 1965 employ only non-voltage air-blast circuit breaker method for the protection against accidentally entering an AC electrified section, because automatic DC/AC changeover using an overhead line voltage detector caused the malfunction very much.

Modification
A destination rollsign is additionally fitted over the period from 1965 until 1966. Japanese National Railways fitted an additional door between the passenger room and the passageway facing the air conditioners, AU41, to improve the heating capacity of class moha480 vehicles.

483 series
Background and overview
Japanese national Railways developed 483 series AC at 50Hz and DC dual-voltage electric multiple unit trains in 1965 for intercity services for "Hibari" intercity services which is the diesel multiple unit trains running only electrified sections to replace with electric multiple unit trains. The trailer vehicles used in these sets are classified into 481 series. 483 series were 10 car sets consisting of 6 powered vehicles and 4 trailer vehicles including an 1st class vehicle and a restaurant vehicle.

Car body
The color of the obstacle deflector of the end vehicle is changed into cream to distinguish from 481 series.

Traction unit and ancillary equipments
The traction transformer is changed into TM9 for 50Hz AC electrification.

Additional delivery
Vehicles built from 1966 employ the improved current pickup, PS16D, reinforcing the protection against snow. In addition, their rectifier is changed into RS22 featuring improved insulation.

Modification
A destination rollsign is additionally fitted in 1966. Japanese National Railways fitted an additional door between the passenger room and the passageway facing the air conditioners, AU41, to improve the heating capacity of class moha482 vehicles.

485 series
Background and overview
In response to the completion of the development of traction transformer which is applicable for both 50Hz and 60Hz AC electrified lines, Japanese National Railways developed 485 series AC at 50Hz/60Hz and DC dual-voltage electric multiple unit trains in 1968 to fulfill the requirement of nationwide reallocation and realize the inter running services through 1500V DC, 20kV 50Hz AC, and 20kV 60hz AC. At the same time, JNR also developed the 1st class end vehicles, class kuro481, to make 9-car train sets including a restaurant trailer vehicle with increasing the proportion of powered vehicles of train sets used on "Yamabato" intercity services running through graded Itaya Pass.

Car body
They have 2946mm wide body. Their body design incorporates lightweight shaped steel and pressed forming beam to realize a lightweight body, employing weatherproof high tension steel sheet for the skin and the roof. Floating floor construction is also employed for soundproof and vibration proof. Their floor level is 125mm higher than that of 151 series to fit with the AC electric equipments such as traction transformer under the floor. They are equipped with a 700mm wide single-leaf automatic sliding stepped doors made of stainless steel, and small fixed double-grazing windows per each 1st class seating or wide fixed double-glazing windows aligned two 2nd class seating bays. Heat absorbent glass is employed for all windows. The electric heater is employed for a track for the sliding door inside the door case for antifreezing. A destination rollsign is fitted on each side of the body excepting restaurant vehicles.

Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Eight series-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT54B, having high rigidity air inlet to cool the motor and featuring improved air tightness with a power output of 120kW are controlled by the armature-resistance traction control system, CS15E, fitted to class moha485 powered intermediate vehicles. CS15E features holding breaking and free selectable speed control. Class moha484 powered intermediate vehicles are equipped with a shell type traction transformer, TM14, and a traction rectifier, RS22A, under the floor, and two current pickups, PS16H, connected together with copper bar supported by ceramic insulators, and an air-blast circuit breaker, CB103A. Class kuro481 and kuha481 end vehicles are equipped with a motor generator, MH93B-DM55B, with a power output of 150kVA, an air compressor, MH92B-C3000A inside the bonnet located at the front, and an overhead line voltage detector on the roof of the cab. Class sashi481 vehicles are equipped with a motor generator, MH94-DM58, with a power output of 70kVA. They adopt electromagnetic straight air brake with the rheostatic brake with pressure intensifying braking over 110km/h to shorten braking distance.

Accommodation
1st class vehicles have 2+2 abreast reclining seating, R24, with 1160mm seating pitch, and 2nd class vehicles have 2+2 abreast rotatable transverse seating, T17B, with 910mm seating pitch. All vehicles adopt sliding curtains on side windows and roller blinds are adopted together for 1st class. Restaurant vehicles adopt venetian blinds fitted in the side windows. 1st class vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet, a washroom, and conductor's rooms toward the front of the vehicle, and a western style toilet and a washroom at the rear of the vehicle. 2nd class vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet and a washroom toward the doorway. Restaurant vehicles have a galley and a service entrance for foodstuff toward the front of the vehicle, and a dining room with ten 4-seat tables on both sides located toward the rear. A galley is equipped with a sink, a serving table, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a urinal for employees. A passageway is located at the south side of the galley. The ceiling board is changed into melamine resin decorative plate for easy maintenance.

Additional delivery
The vehicles built from March 1970 feature a unit assembled toilet and a washroom constructed by fibre-reinforced plastic. A service rooms located in class moha484 vehicles built from May 1970 are changed into conductor room. Furthermore, JNR introduced standard class trailer intermediate vehicle, class saha481, to make some of train sets used in Tohoku area into 12-car sets. The traction system of the vehicles built from March 1971 is changed into CS15F having improved reliability by adopting contactless relays, cam contactor employing improved material, etc. Some improvements are introduced to class kuro481 and kuha481 vehicles built from June 1971 with head lights replaced with shielded beam lightbulbs and a motor generator replaced with a high power one, MH129-DM88, with a power output of 210kVA and classified them into -100 subclass. Class moha484 vehicles built from December 1971 employ a new traction rectifier, RS40A, featuring oil immersion cooling, and is fitted with an additional door between the passenger room and the passageway facing the air conditioners, AU41, to improve the heating capacity. Vehicles built from May 1972 differ from former vehicles in having improved bogies, DT32E and TR69E, employing the diaphragm air spring, and improved traction motors, MT54D. A urinal for employees located in the restaurant vehicle is changed into the western style toilet.

Modification and refurbishment
Japanese National Railways
Conversion of a classification headboard of class kuha481 into a rollsign
A classification headboard of class kuha481 allocated at Mukomachi depot was replaced with a rollsign over the period from 1969 until 1971.

Standard class seating refurbishment
Rotatable transverse seating, T17B, was replaced with reclining seating, R55C, over the period from 1986 until 1993.

Class kuro481-50
Saro481-19 to -25 1st class trailer intermediate vehicles were modified into 1st class trailer end vehicles by constructing bonnet-style cab end on the underframe at the rear of the body in 1968 and classified into class kuro481-50. They are equipped with a motor generator, MH93B-DM55B, with a power output of 150kVA, and an air compressor, MH92B-C3000A inside the bonnet located at the front. They are also equipped with 4 air conditioners, AU12, rated at 4000 kcal/h having sucked and forced draught ventilators on the roof.

Kuha481-33, -35, -37, and -39
Kuha481-33, -35, -37, and -39 were additionally equipped with a 50-inch screen and speakers, and their seat arrangement was changed into stadium seating over the period from 1979 until 1980, and branded "Video car". However, video services were ended, and they were restored to their original in 1985.

Class kuha481-500
JNR modified surplus kuha181-109 and kuha180-5 end vehicles of 181 series EMU into the end vehicles of 485 series EMU to complement the lack of end vehicles of 485 series caused by 583 series withdrawn completely from intercity services in Kyushu in 1984 and classified them into class kuha481-500. An overhead line voltage detector was additionally fitted on the roof of the cab. A step was additionally fitted at the doorway. Their floor level is lower than the other 485 series vehicles because their bogies were carried from 181 series having lower floor. Initially, they didn't have an AC/DC changeover switch. Though, it was fitted later. Kuha481-502 is equipped with an exposed knuckle coupler, that is a feature of class kuha180.

Class kuha481-600
JNR modified kuro481-3 to -5 1st class end vehicles into the standard class end vehicles to complement the lack of end vehicles of 485 series caused by 583 series withdrawn completely from intercity services in Kyushu in 1984 and classified them into class kuha481-600. Conductor's rooms located beside the doorway were removed to expand the passenger room. Their accommodation was changed into 2+2 abreast R51AN reclining seating with 910mm seating pitch. Kuha481-602 was reverted to kuro481-4 in 1988.

Saro481-134 and -135
The jumper plug, KE76, for multiple operation with class EF63 locomotives of saro489-6, and -8 was removed to enter 485 series, and renumbered into saro481-134, and -135.

Class kuro480-1 to -4
JNR fitted saro481-40, -43, -44, and -45 with an additional 485-1000 style cab section at the rear of the body to make 5-car sets for "Ariake" intercity services over the period from 1984 until 1985. They are equipped with an air compressor, MH113B-C2000MA under the cab and a motor generator, MH129-DM88 with a power output of 210kVA beneath the floor. They are also equipped with 4 air conditioners, AU12, rated at 4000 kcal/h having sucked and forced draught ventilators on the roof.

Kuha481-1 to -3
JNR delivered 4-car sets of 485 series to the Kisei line for the diesel multiple unit used on "Kinokuni" express services to be displaced with the electric multiple unit trains. JNR fitted saha481-12 -to -14 with an additional gangwayed cab section at the rear of the body to operate with two 4-car train sets coupled together between Tennoji and Shirahama, and a 4-car train set between Shirahama and Shingu in 1984 and classified them into class kuha480-0. They have no air compressor and no motor generator. They are also equipped with 5 air conditioners, AU12, rated at 4000 kcal/h having sucked and forced draught ventilators on the roof.

Kuha481-751 and -752
JNR fitted an additional 485-300 style cab section at the rear of the body of saha489-202 and -203 in 1986. An air compressor, MH113B-C2000M, and an additional motor generator, MH135-DM92, with a power output of 160kVA are fitted beneath the floor. They are also equipped with 5 air conditioners, AU12, rated at 4000 kcal/h having sucked and forced draught ventilators on the roof.

JR East
Head coupler replacement of class kuha481-0
JR East replaced the head coupler of class kuha481-0 with the tight lock coupler to operate "Sawayaka Hitachi" intercity services with couple two 7-car trains sets together in 1993.

JR West
Head coupler replacement of class kuha481-100
Class kiha65 diesel multiple unit train used on "Utopia Wakura" intercity services linking Osaka and Wakura-Onsen was coupled with 485 series train set excluding train sets having bonnet style end vehicles used on "Raicho" intercity services between Osaka and Kanazawa. However, major train sets used on "Raicho" intercity services apply bonnet style end vehicles. For this reason, JR West replace the head coupler of class kuha481-100 bonnet style end vehicles with the tight lock coupler to couple with class kiha65 DMU over the period from 1988 until 1989.

JR Kyushu
Modification of class kuro480 fitted with an additional air conditioner
JR Kyushu fitted an additional air conditioner, AU13E, to improve the capacity of air conditioning.

Operations
481 series EMU trains entered revenue services with "Raicho" intercity services linking Osaka and Toyama, and "Shirasagi" linking Nagoya and Toyama in 1964. In addition, they entered revenue services with "Tsubame" intercity services linking Nagoya and Kumamoto, and "Hato" linking Osaka and Hakata when electrification of the Kagoshima line extended to Kumamoto in 1965.
On the other hand, 483 series EMU trains entered revenue services in 1965 to replace kiha80 series DMU trains used on "Hibari" intercity services linking Ueno and Sendai, and "Yamabiko" linking Ueno and Morioka. 485 series EMU trains were additionally delivered in 1968 to provide additional capacity of "Hibari" and "Yamabiko" intercity services, and to start "Yamabato" intercity services linking Ueno and Yamagata and "Aizu" linking Ueno and Aizu-Wakamatsu. At this time, 483/485 series used in Tohoku area were unified into 9-car train sets including a class kuro481 1st class trailer end vehicle. Surplus 485 series vehicles used om "Tsubame" and "Hato" intercity services due to be replaced with 581 series were delivered for the additional transportation capacity of "Raicho" and "Shirasagi" intercity services and to start "Midori" intercity services linking Shin-Osaka and Oita. Furthermore, 485 series entered "Hakutaka" intercity services linking Ueno and Kanazawa and "Hokuetsu" linking Osaka and Niigata at the start of electrified Shinetsu line between Naoetsu and Miyauchi and Hokuriku line between Itoigawa and Naoetsu in 1969.
At the start of the operation on Sanyo Shinkansen between Okayama and Hakata in 1975, 481 series and 485-0 series vehicles allocated at Mukomachi depot were reallocated to Kagoshima depot to provide additional capacity of "Ariake" intercity services linking Hakata and Nishi-Kagoshima, and "Nichirin" services linking Kokura and Miyazaki. Furthermore, kuro481 1st class trailer end vehicles were reallocated to Minami-Fukuoka depot to make 4-car sets for "Midori" intercity services at the start of electrified Nagasaki and Sasebo lines in 1976.
However, superannuated 481 and 483 series vehicles began to be withdrawn in 1982. Eventually, they were completely scrapped until 1984 excepting eight 483 series motored intermediated vehicles JR East received in 1987. In addition, some 485 vehicles were reallocated to Hineno depot to be used on "Kuroshio" intercity services linking Tennoji and Shingu. However, vehicles used on "Kuroshio" services were reallocated to Fukuchiyama depot 1986 to be used on "Kitakinki" intercity services at the start of the electrified operation on Fukuchiyama line.
After the splitting of the former Japanese National Railways into the new privatized JR companies, 483 series and 485-0 series had been used on JR East's intercity services "Hitachi", JR West's intercity services "Raicho", "Shirasagi", "Kaetsu", JR Kyushu's intercity services "Ariake", "Nichirin", "Kamome", "Midori". However, they were replaced with various new intercity trains delivered by each JR company. Remaining JR West's motored intermediate vehicles of 485-0 series were withdrawn in 2011, and eventually they had been completely withdrawn.
Technical Data
Items Data
Supply Voltage 1500VDC, 20000VAC, 50/60Hz
Service speed, etc. Service speed: 120km/h
Length 20500mm
Width 2946mm
Height 3745mm
Bogie DT32A, DT32E (motored) TR69A, TR69E (trailer)
Collector PS16H
Traction motor MT54B, MT54D (120kW)
Gear ratio 3.50
Transformer TM14
Rectifier RS22A
Traction system Armature-resistance control: CS15E
Air conditioner AU12, AU41
Designed by Japanese National Railways