783series
Type index

Photos

Kuro782-0
"Kamome" intercity service

Kuroha782-500
"HUIS TEN BOSCH" intercity service

Kuroha782-100
"Midori" intercity service

"Hyuga" intercity service
Background and overview
By splitting of Japanese National Railways (JNR) into privatized JR companies in 1987, JR Kyushu, which inherited its assets and operation of Kyushu region, developed next generation intercity AC electric multiple unit (EMU) trainset, 783 series branded "Hyper Saloon", in order to compete against high-speed bus services and cars, with various new highways springing up around the Kyushu region and replace superannuated 485 series intercity EMU vehicles, 1988.

Car body
They have 2950mm wide body, incorporating light weight stainless construction. Bodies are unpainted and have the red and white waistline band running the length of each car below the windows. Cab ends are constructed by steel featuring wide windscreen slanted at 50 degrees. A partition wall behind the driver's cab is low and seating behind the driver's cab is fitted on the high-level floor to have a commanding view of the tracks ahead. They are equipped with a 700mm wide single leaf automatic stepped door at the centre of the body, and unit assemble fixed windows expanded vertically for sufficient passenger's view property are fitted on the both sides of the door. A centre door and a vestibule divide a vehicle into two passenger saloons. The LED destination indicators are fitted on the side of the body. An air conditioner employing heat pump, AU400K, rated at 30,000 kcal/h is fitted under the floor to lower the centre of gravity. No ventilators are fitted. End cars are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations.

Bogies
Motored bogies are DT50Q and trailer bogies are TR235Q, featuring bolster-less secondary air suspension, corn-shaped multilayered rubber spring journal supporting system, the Z link traction device and the yaw dampers to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 120km/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
Four shunt-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT61Q, with a power output of 150kW are controlled by a traction system, CS400K, adopting thyristor phase control, employing regenerative brake and featuring the field weakening ratio at 60%. The motored vehicles, are equipped with a traction rectifier, RS400K, and a traction transformer, TM400K, under the floor. The motored vehicles are also equipped with a diamond-shaped current collector, PS101QA, on the roof excepting motored intermediate vehicles, Moha783-100 coupled next to the motored end cars, Kumoha783, having the high-voltage pull-through cable supplying the electricity. The gear ratio is 3.95 to get high acceleration performance at the range of middle and high speed and the maximum service speed at 130km/h.
The brake system is the electric command pneumatic brake, employing anti-slip control by axle-driven tachometer generator fitted to each axle in order to achieve brake performance efficiently even at 130km/h. Trailer vehicles are equipped with a motor driven air compressor, MH1084-C2000MQ, and an auxiliary power supply, under the floor, thus realize the flexible formation.

Accommodation
All seats are adjustable reclining. 1st class vehicles have 2+1 abreast seating with 1200mm seating pitch and standard class vehicles have 2+2 abreast seating with 960mm seating pitch. LCD TV sets for video programme are provided at each seat of the 1st class. 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. Class kuha782 and kuroha782 are equipped with a western style toilet and class moha783 is equipped with a Japanese style toilet. Each toilet has a chemical holding tank. A washroom is located across the aisle from the toilet. Class saha783 is equipped with a conductor room.

Operations
Two 7-car sets and five 3-car sets were delivered to Minami-Fukuoka depot and entered the "Super Ariake" intercity revenue services in 1988.

Modification and History of Operations
783 series vehicles built in 1989 for the additional capacity of "Super Ariake" intercity services and additional entry of "Kamome" intercity services linking Hakata and Nagasaki have some improvements. The air conditioner is changed into AU402K rated at 38,000kcal/h. Destination indicators on the body are changed into traditional roller-binding destination screens. Class saha783-100 increased seating capacity by discontinuing the conductor room and class saha783-200 featuring self-service cafeteria area are introduced. Class saha783-100 vehicles are not equipped with a motor driven air compressor. The audio control units for audio programme are also provided at each seat of the standard class.
Later, 783 series entered "Nichirin" intercity services linking Hataka and Oita. Cafeteria services were discontinued in 1992. The train name of "Super Ariake" linking Hakata and Nishi-Kagoshima was changed into "Tsubame".
Since the air conditioners fitted under the floor was inefficient to cool enough, the air conditioners had been changed into AU402K-M/AU402K-H heat exchanger units of which are fitted on the roof before 1993. LCD TV sets and audio control units were removed because of discontinuing video and audio programme.
In 1994, 783 series EMU started to undergo extensive refurbishment programme since their accommodation was inferior to that of 787 series EMU delivered in 1992. The rear section of class kuro782 was changed into standard class. Their toilet and washroom were extended. Class kuro782 vehicles were classified into class kuroha782-500. Externally, end cars received additional fog lamps and new livery with silver band having green, red, blue, and black blocks. Moquette covering of seating and decorative plate of their interior were changed. All toilets were introduced vacuum toilet system.
Surplus 783 series vehicles by introducing 787 series EMU to "Tsubame" intercity services and 883 series EMU to "Nichirin" intercity services were delivered for "Ariake" and "Kamome" intercity services in 1996.
Surplus 783 series vehicles by introducing 885 series EMU to "Kamome" services were delivered for "Midori" and "HUIS TEN BOSCH" intercity services by shortening their formations. Since "Midori" and "HUIS TEN BOSCH" services are operated with coupled, new trailer end cars with a gangway door were introduced by joining the cab section to the trailer intermediate cars, class saha783-100 and classified into kuroha782-100 including both 1st class room and standard class room for "Midori" and kuha783-100 including only standard class rooms for "HUIS TEN BOSCH". The cab section and end doors of kuroha782-100 are painted in green, and the cab section of kuha783-100 is painted in yellow, red and blue. Name plates are fitted next to the doors. End cars with a gangway door are equipped with the automatic jumper coupler and the automatic gangway connection device to ease couple/uncouple operations. Due to this change, class moha783 vehicles are equipped with the high-voltage pull-through cable supplying the electricity and classified into -300 subclass with removing a current collector and into -200 subclass with a remaining current collector.
783 series vehicles used on "HUIS TEN BOSCH" intercity services were refurbished again in 2017. Externally, their livery was changed into orange and a designed grill was fitted in front of class kuroha782.
Though 783 series EMU had been used on "Nichirin", "Kirisima", and "Hyuga" intercity services of the Nippo line, they were withdrawn from the intercity services of Nippo line completely in 2021 and some vehicles were scrapped. 783 series EMU are now used on "Midori", "HUIS TEN BOSCH", "Kaiou", "Kirameki" and some "Kamome" intercity services.
Technical Data
Items Data
Supply Voltage 20000VAC, 60Hz
Service speed, etc. Service speed: 130km/h
Length 19500mm
Width 2950mm
Height 3670mm
Bogie DT50Q (motored) TR235Q (trailer)
Current pickup PS101Q
Traction motor MT61Q (135kW)
Gear ratio 3.95
Transformer TM400K
Rectifier RS400K
Traction system Thyristor phase control: CS400K
Air conditioner AU400K
Designed by JR Kyushu