JR Shikoku developed pre-production type of 8000 series electric multiple
unit (EMU) train for the Yosan Line "Shiokaze" and "Ishizuchi"
services for the start of rural services of the newly electrified Yosan
line around Matsuyama in 1992.
They adopt the lightweight stainless steel body. Reducing the wheel diameter realizes the lower centre of gravity and footstep-less side doors. There are two types of end cars. Type 8000 vehicles have a streamlined cab end and type 8200 vehicles have a gangwayed cab end.
Bogies are S-DT59/S-TR59, which was developed based on high speed bogies
for narrow gauge Shinkansen trains, with built-in bearing guide devices
for body tilting system, and equipped with yaw dampers to ensure smooth
ride characteristics even at high speed. Motored cars are equipped with
caliper wheel disk brake and trailer cars are equipped with disk brakes
an axle. Furthermore, 8000 series feature rail brake device in order to
reduce the slip distance for brake from 160km/h.
8 high power asynchronous traction motors, S-MT59, rated at 150kW are controlled
by AVAF inverter traction systems featuring GTO thyristor in order to realize
160km/h operation. Current collectors are fixed with the wire ropes to
bogies so that current collectors may not deviate very much from the overhead
contact line at the time of a body tilting.
All seats are adjustable reclining. 1st class vehicles have 1+2 abreast seating and seat pitch is 1170mm and standard class vehicles have 2+2 abreast seating and seat pitch is 980mm.
After undergoing extensive testing and endurance running of pre-production
unit, mass production type of 8000 series was delivered from 1993. They
differ from pre-production unit in numbers of ways. Bogies were changed
into S-DT60/S-TR60 with built-in roller devices for body tilting system.
Rail brake devices were discontinued since their maximum services speed
is limited to 130km/h.
Traction motors were changed into S-MT60 rated at 200kW, which were controlled
on axle basis by AVAF inverter traction systems featuring GTO thyristor.
Their gear ratio was raised in order to improve their acceleration performance.
The entire fleet underwent life-extension refurbishment from 2004.
Now 8000 series are used on "Shiokaze" and "Ishizuchi"
intercity services between Okayama/Takamatsu and Matsuyama. |
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