521 series

521 series
A JR West 521-0 series EMU first build train
Manufacturers
Replaced
Constructed2006–
Entered serviceNovember 2006
Number built164 vehicles (82 sets)
Number in service160 vehicles (80 sets) (as of 1 April 2021)
Formation2 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers
  • E01–E05
  • G01–G30
  • J01–J23
  • U01–U15
Operators
DepotsTsuruga, Kanazawa
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel
Car length20,100 mm (65 ft 11 in)
Width2,950 mm (9 ft 8 in)
Height3,630 mm (11 ft 11 in)
Floor height1,120 mm (3 ft 8 in)
Doors3 pairs per side
Maximum speed120 km/h (75 mph)
Traction systemVariable frequency (3-level IGBT)
Power output230 kW (308 hp) per motor
Electric systems1,500 V DC / 20 kV 60 Hz AC (overhead line)
Current collectionWPS28D single-arm pantograph
BogiesWDT59B (motored), WTR243C (trailer)
Braking systemsElectronically controlled pneumatic brakes with regenerative braking, snow-resistant brake
Safety systemsATS-SW, ATS-P
Coupling systemShibata type
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The 521 series (521系, 521-kei) is a dual-voltage AC/DC outer-suburban electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West), along with third-sector railway operators Hapi-Line Fukui (as of March 2024),[1] IR Ishikawa Railway, and Ainokaze Toyama Railway on local services in the Fukui, Kanazawa, and Toyama areas.[2]

Design

The 521 series was the first dual-voltage suburban EMU type to be built for JR West. The body of the first two batches was based on the 223-5000 series suburban EMU design, with the same WMT102C 230 kW (308 hp) traction motors.[3] The sets are able to be used on wanman driver-only operation services.[2]

Operations

JR West

Third-sector lines

Fleet

As of 1 October 2024, JR West operates 20 two-car sets (E01-E05, U01-U15), allocated to Kanazawa depot and Tsuruga depot. The Ainokaze Toyama Railway operates 22 two-car sets (AK01-AK22), the IR Ishikawa Railway operates 24 two-car sets (IR01-IR24), and the Hapi-Line Fukui operates 16 two-car sets (HF01-HF16).[4]

JR West

As of 1 October 2024, the JR West 521 series fleet is as follows.

521-0 series (Hokuriku Main Line sets)

Set No.ManufacturerDelivery date
E01Kawasaki Heavy Industries28 September 2006
E0212 October 2006
E03
E04
E05Kinki Sharyo24 October 2006

521-100 series (Nanao Line sets)

Set No.ManufacturerDelivery date
U01Kinki Sharyo25 December 2019
U02
U03
U0416 July 2020
U05
U06
U076 August 2020
U08
U09
U1010 September 2020
U11
U12
U1327 October 2020
U14
U15

Ainokaze Toyama Railway

Ainokaze Toyama Railway 521 series set AK02 in January 2018
Ainokaze Toyama Railway 521 series set AK17 in May 2021

As of 1 October 2024, the Ainokaze Toyama Railway 521 series fleet is as follows.[5]

Set No.Former set No.ManufacturerDelivery date
AK01G06Kinki Sharyo27 October 2009
AK02G07
AK03G0822 December 2009
AK04G09
AK05G1115 February 2010
AK06G12
AK07G132 March 2010
AK08G15
AK09G16Kawasaki Heavy Industries18 December 2010
AK10G17
AK11G18
AK12G2112 January 2011
AK13G2326 January 2011
AK14G24
AK15G3124 February 2011
AK16G32
AK17–11 January 2018
AK18–4 March 2020
AK19–8 March 2021
AK20–21 February 2022
AK21–20 February 2023
AK22–

Five new two-car 521-1000 series sets are scheduled to be introduced over a period of six years, with the first set delivered in December 2017.[6] These sets are based on the JR West 3rd-batch design, and are intended to replace the operator's ageing 413 series EMUs.[6] On 22 June 2023, it was announced that some of the two-car sets would be lengthened to three cars each in the future after fiscal 2025 to increase transportation capacity on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line.[7]

Sets AK21 and AK22 were delivered in February 2023.

IR Ishikawa Railway

IR Ishikawa Railway 521 series set IR03 in June 2015
A later-build IR Ishikawa Railway 521 series set IR05 in March 2015

As of 1 October 2024, the IR Ishikawa Railway 521 series fleet is as follows.[4][8]

Set No.Former set No.ManufacturerDelivery dateLivery accent colour
IR01G10Kinki Sharyo22 December 2009■ Light green
IR02G142 March 2010■ Purple
IR03G30Kawasaki Heavy Industries15 February 2011■ Indigo
IR04J20Kinki Sharyo6 February 2015■ Ochre
IR05J21■ Maroon
IR06–3 December 2020–
IR07–
IR08–
IR09G14Kawasaki Heavy Industries12 January 2011■ Light green
IR10G15
IR11G1726 January 2011
IR12G214 February 2011■ Purple
IR13G2315 February 2011
IR14G298 March 2011
IR15J02Kinki Sharyo6 November 2013■ Indigo
IR16J0411 December 2013
IR17J05
IR18J06■ Maroon
IR19J0722 January 2014
IR20J08
IR21J17Kawasaki Heavy Industries21 February 2014■ Ochre
IR22J18
IR23J19
IR24J221 April 2021

Hapi-Line Fukui

Hapi-Line Fukui 521 series set HF05 in March 2024

15 more two-car 521 series sets were transferred to the third-sector railway operating company Hapi-Line Fukui for use from 16 March 2024 when JR West handed over ownership of the sections of the Hokuriku Main Line in Fukui Prefecture running parallel to the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tsuruga.[1]

As of 1 October 2024, the Hapi-Line Fukui 521 series fleet is as follows.

Set No.Former set No.ManufacturerDelivery date
HF01G20Kawasaki Heavy Industries4 February 2011
HF02G22
HF03G2415 February 2011
HF04G2824 February 2011
HF05G308 March 2011
HF06J01Kinki Sharyo6 November 2013
HF07J03
HF08J098 January 2014
HF09J10
HF10J11
HF11J12Kawasaki Heavy Industries27 January 2014
HF12J13
HF13J14Kinki Sharyo4 March 2014
HF14J15
HF15J16
HF16J23Kawasaki Heavy Industries1 April 2021

Formations

Sets consist of one motored and one non-powered trailer car, and are formed as follows.[3][9]

Designation McTpc'
Numbering KuMoHa 521KuHa 520
Capacity (total/seated) 129/48129/40
Weight 43.2 t44.3 t

The KuHa 520 cars are each fitted with one WPD28D single-arm pantograph.[9]

Interior

Seating is arranged as 2+2 abreast transverse flip-over seats. The KuHa 520 cars include a toilet.[9]

History

The first five sets, E01 to E05, were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kinki Sharyo, and were delivered to Fukui depot between September and October 2006. These entered revenue service from 30 November 2006. The fleet was reallocated to Tsuruga Depot from 1 June 2010.[10]

Ten more sets, G01 to G10, built by Kinki Sharyo, were delivered to Kanazawa depot between October 2009 and March 2010, entering revenue service from 13 March 2010.[10] A further five sets, G11 to G15, were delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries in December 2010 and January 2011.[10] 15 more sets, M01 to M15, were delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries to Tsuruga Depot between January and March 2011.[10]

Nineteen third-batch two-car sets (J01 to J19) were delivered to Tsuruga Depot in fiscal 2013.[9] The third-batch sets have cab ends based on the JR West 225 series EMUs, with improved crash resistance, and use LED lighting for interior lighting.[11] These sets entered revenue service in spring 2014.[11]

16 two-car 521 series sets were transferred to the third-sector railway operating company Ainokaze Toyama Railway for use from 14 March 2015 when JR West handed over ownership of the sections of the Hokuriku Main Line in Toyama Prefecture running parallel to the new Hokuriku Shinkansen.[12] Likewise, three two-car sets were transferred to the IR Ishikawa Railway, which took over control of the section of the Hokuriku Main Line in Ishikawa Prefecture from 14 March 2015.[13] Two more sets were newly built for the IR Ishikawa Railway.[13]

In December 2019, the first three two-car 521-100 series sets (U01 to U03) for the Nanao Line were built by Kinki Sharyo.[14] Unlike older JR West 521 series sets, the 521-100 series sets feature red waistline striping, reminiscent of the body colour used by older 413 and 415 series trains operated on the line.[15] By October 2020, a total of fifteen two-car sets were built for JR West.[16] Three more sets for the IR Ishikawa Railway (IR06 to IR08) were delivered on 3 December 2020.[8] The 521-100 series fleet entered service on the Nanao Line from 3 October 2020.[17]

Two more 521-0 series two-car sets (J22 and J23) were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and delivered to Kanazawa Depot in March 2021.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 "福井県並行在来線経営計画" [Fukui Prefecture Parallel Conventional Line Management Plan] (PDF). hapi-line.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Jr全車両: ビジュアル決定版 Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: ＪＲ全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. p. 90. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
  3. 1 2 Jēāru zensharyō handobukku: Rail Magazine 2009 JR全車輌ハンドブック2009 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2009]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2009. ISBN 978-4-7770-0836-0.
  4. 1 2 Jr電車編成表 2018冬 JR電車編成表 2018冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2018] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 15 November 2017. pp. 138–142. ISBN 978-4-330-84117-5.
  5. ↑ "あいの風とやま鉄道521系4両が甲種輸送される" [Delivery of 521 Series sets AK21 and AK22]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 あいの風とやま鉄道521系1000番台2両が甲種輸送される [Ainokaze Toyama Railway 521-1000 series 2-car set delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  7. ↑ "利便性向上等のための投資について" (PDF). Toyama Prefecture (in Japanese). Japan. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  8. 1 2 IRいしかわ鉄道向け521系100番代IR06～IR08編成が落成 [IR Ishikawa Railway 521-100 series sets IR06–IR08 delivered]. RM News. Japan: Neko Publishing. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 JR電車編成表 2015冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2015] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 21 November 2014. pp. 139–142. ISBN 978-4-330-51614-1.
  10. 1 2 3 4 JR電車編成表 2011夏 [JR EMU Formations – Summer 2011]. Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. May 2010. p. 139/142. ISBN 978-4-330-21211-1.
  11. 1 2 521系3次車 [521 series 3rd-batch stock]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). 54 (634): 54–55. February 2014.
  12. ↑ 富山県の北陸新幹線並行在来線、新社名は「あいの風とやま鉄道」に内定! [New company name "Ainokaze Toyama Railway" chosen for old line running parallel to Hokuriku Shinkansen in Toyama Prefecture]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). Japan: Mynavi Corporation. 31 May 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  13. 1 2 Terada, Hirokazu (June 2015). 北陸新幹線長野ー金沢間開業 並行在来線4社5路線を訪ねて（１） [Visiting the 5 parallel conventional lines of 4 companies following the opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen between Nagano and Kanazawa]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). 55 (650): 42–47.
  14. ↑ "521系100番台が登場" [521-100 series sets delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "JR西日本，七尾線に521系を導入" [JR West to introduce 521 series on Nanao Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "521系100番台U13・U14・U15編成が登場" [521-100 series sets U13, U14 and U15 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "七尾線で521系100番代の営業運転始まる" [521-100 series begins commercial operation on Nanao Line]. RM News (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  18. ↑ "521系0番台J22編成・J23編成編成が登場" [521-0 series sets J22 and J23 delivered]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2024.

Further reading

  • 521系近郊形交直流電車 [521 series outer-suburban AC/DC EMU]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). 47 (549): 54–59. January 2007.
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