Background and overview
485 series intercity dual voltage AC/DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains used on "Raicho" intercity services pale in comparison to 681/683 series EMU used on "Thunderbird" intercity services in their journey time and accommodation. Thus, JR West developed 683-4000 series intercity dual voltage AC/DC electric multiple unit (EMU) trains to displace superannuated 485 series EMU. They consist of 9 cars including three motored vehicles and six trailer vehicles to provide more seating capacity since they were mainly used on "Thunderbird" intercity services. 12 nine-car sets were delivered over the period from February 2009 until July 2011.
Car body
The double-skinned aluminum alloy construction is incorporated into the
vehicle design. Their body is equipped with their corner posts having a
triangular guide and the groove inside the side wall near the end plate
to bend side wall inwards by absorbing impact energy in order to guide
another vehicle colliding with apart for the non-head-on collision accident
measure. All end vehicles are gangwayed featuring raised driver's cab and
storable gangway connection to improve end section appearance. Class kuro683-4500
vehicles have a fixed cover plate at the gangway. Anti-fall plates between
vehicles are also introduced excepting the cab end. End vehicles are equipped
with an automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations. Class moha683-5000
and saha682-4400 vehicles are equipped with two single-leaf sliding doors
and the other vehicles are equipped with one. The sliding door width of
class saha682-4400 toward front is 1000mm and the others 700mm located
toward end of the vehicle (the door of class kuro683-4500 is located behind
the cab) to realize even door arrangement. The doorway is equipped with
cylinder pressing the door against the body in order to reduce the fluctuation
of atmospheric pressure in the passenger saloon. Wide fixed double-glazing
UV cut windows aligned two seating bays are fitted. Train-type rollsigns
and LED destination indicators are fitted on each side of their body. All
vehicles are also equipped with an air conditioner, WAU704D, using R407C
refrigerant. Electric fans of air conditioner supply fresh air into the
passenger room, instead of ventilators on the roof, and automatic dampers
for air intake are employed to reduce pressure fluctuation while running
through the tunnel and realize quickly carry out cooling and heating by
shutting dampers. Cover plates are fitted between equipments fitted under
their floor to reduce the waving for preventing snow and ice from sticking
thereon. Their livery is white with gray wide band around side windows,
and blue narrow band under side windows. "THUNDERBIRD" logos
are applied to the sides of the vehicles excepting class kumoha683 and
moha683 vehicles.
Bogies
Motored bogies are WDT301 and trailer bogies are WTR301 featuring bolster-less
secondary air suspension, axle arm type journal box supporting system,
and the single link traction device. The fitting position of bolster suspension
is 20mm lower than 681 series to lower the floor level for accessibility.
These bogies feature 1980mm wide distance between two secondary air suspension,
the yaw dampers, and anti-rolling stabilizer to ensure smooth ride characteristics
even at 160km/h. Westinghouse-Natal drive, WQD308, is applied for power
transmission device. The gear ratio is 5.22 to get high acceleration performance
and the maximum service speed at 160km/h. Motored bogie employs single
tread brake rigging and not hydraulic pressure facing caliper wheel disk
brake rigging but are ready to be fitted them because 683-2000 series would
be operated at 130km/h or below for the present. So powered vehicles are
classified into -5000 subseries. Trailer bogie employs both the double
disk brake rigging and the single tread brake rigging.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Tailer intermediate vehicles, class saha682, are equipped with a traction transformer, WTM27-G2, featuring natural air cooling with a power output of 1400kVA and a pair of 3-level traction converter, WPC12-G3, employing Insulated Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and synchronizing each other under the floor. While a converter is under failure, the remaining other converter carry on its work with power limit operation for redundancy. A waveform shaping filter and an amorphous core for the prevention of higher harmonics inductive interference and noise are fitted between the traction transformer and the traction converter for the reinforcement of electromagnetic induction fault measures. On the other hand, powered end vehicles, class kumoha683, and powered intermediate vehicles, moha683, are equipped with a 3-level Variable-frequency drive (VFD), WPC11, employing IGBT to control four more powerful asynchronous traction motors, WMT105A, with a power output of 255kW on axle basis. Their traction system is integrated with the auxiliary power supply unit with a power output of 150kVA. In case of the auxiliary power supply unit failure, one variable frequency drive unit for traction motor can switch to supply electricity as the backup auxiliary power supply unit. Class kumoha683 and class moha683 vehicles are also equipped with a motor driven rotary-screw air compressor, WMH3098-WRC1600, under their floor, and class saha682 vehicles are equipped with a single-arm current pickup, WPS28D, on the roof. They feature the electric commanding brake with regenerative brake and holding brake, featuring brake control of trailer priority, employing anti-slip control by axle-driven tachometer generator fitted to each axle to achieve brake performance efficiently even at 130km/h.
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. 1st class seating is equipped
with a power supply outlet on the edge of respective armrest. The connection
of the wall above the overhead luggage rack and the lateral ceiling is
shaped smaller circular arc than 683-0 series to enlarge space above the
overhead luggage rack. Reading lights are fitted on the lower part of the
overhead luggage rack. Cass saha683-4300 vehicles are equipped with a vending
machine. A LED display for providing passenger information is fitted above
the door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon. All trailer vehicles
are equipped with a western style toilet, a flushing urinal, and a washroom.
Each toilet has the vacuum toilet system. Class saha682-4400 vehicles are
equipped with a universal access toilet employing a flip-up diaper-changing
station and a flip-up high chair. Class saha682-4400 vehicles are also
equipped with a conductor room, a catering room and a multi-purpose room.
Smoking is not allowed on 683-4000 series trains and toilets and a multi-purpose
room are equipped with a flame detector to give waning announcement not
to smoke in it for preventing passive smoking.
Modification and refurbishment
They were scheduled to undergo a programme of refurbishment from autumn 2015 until the end of fiscal 2018. Their livery was changed into white body with blue stripes added to the areas near the bottom of their headlights; their accents also changed from gray to black.
Operations
They entered 4 round-trips of "Thunderbird" intercity services in June 2009 and are now used on. |
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