JAPAN JNR The 153 Series "TOKAI" Electric Multiple-Unit

JNR were using the train of 80 series Electric Multiple-Unit for the semi-express in 1957. It was called the SYONAN train. The famous semi-express, TOKAI, operated between Tokyo and Nagoya Stations. There was also HIEI, a semi-express train operating between Nagoya and Osaka Station. The 80 series realized the operation of a speed quicker than the express of those days. It was technically successful also as a business. However, the equipment in the car of 80 series was the same as that of a local train. Therefore, the equipment in the car for long-distance trains of 80 series was slightly insufficient. It was inferior also to the coaches used for the express or semi-express of those days. Moreover, the drivers window of the 80 series was a characteristic big window made up of two sheets and there was no door of a passage there. Therefore, when it connected, the crew were not able to pass through and an excessive crew was needed. Moreover, the motor of the 80 series was still an old form. Therefore, the local express train was newly developed using the motor of the 101 series Electric Multiple-Unit. This is a train of the local express of 153 series Electric Multiple-Unit. The interior of this train exceeded the conventional coach completely. This train became the foundation in the design of the express train of JNR. This train was called the TOKAI type Electric Multiple-Unit.

The 151 Series Lmt.Express "KODAMA"

The whole of the main-Tokaido-line was made electric in the autumn of 1956. For this reason, the limited express of a new model train which would take 8 hours and 30 minutes to travel between Tokyo Station and Osaka-Station was planned. This new train was an electric Multiple-Unit of the 151 historically famous series. In 1957, JNR produced an electric Multiple-Unit as the first new model. This was the electric Multiple-Unit for limited expresses which were developed based on the design of the 101 series trains. The 151 series were called KODAMA from the name of the first train used in November, 1958.
KODAMA means 'an echo' in English. The name of this is used on the Tokaido Shinkansen even now. The 151 series are the vehicles which symbolize not only the main Tokaido line before Tokaido Shinkansen started business but the golden age of JNR. The impression of the body of this series was the form of its head. This train was driven at 110 km/h. Moreover, the 151 series had new features which included a first-class car and a dining car. The first-class cars were beautiful cars which also ensured a great view. The dining cars were the first ones created as electric Multiple-Units in Japan.
These 151 series became the foundation of the present electric Multiple-Units of the limited express in Japan. In this way, the railroad of Japan became a time of the train. It meant a decline of the engine and the coach.

101 Series Electric Multiple-Unit

The 80 series were the trains for the first long-distance operations. However, the portion of the motor was a still the old form. JNR planned to manufacture a newer train, was turned out to be the common train of 101 series. In 1957, JNR adopted a full-scale cardan jointed drive as the design of these vehicles. These vehicles were used for commutation transportation of the increasingly big cities. However, the greatest feature of these 101 series was a motor which could be used for long-distance trains, if the ratio of the gear is changed. JNR planned on designing all the vehicles to carry a motor. It was based on the peculiar situation of the railroad of Japan. The distance between the stations are very short. Therefore, the train must always carry out intense acceleration and slowing down. This was more so in the big cities where the trains are overcrowded. Therefore, JNR carried many motors in the 101 series. However, an ironical situation occurred in which the electric power became insufficient. A large amount of expense is required for reinforcement of power equipment and it had a problem with economical rationality. Therefore, the 101 series were operated with reduced motor power. However, this innovative design continued to be a success of the next train.
The 101 series were used in Tokyo and Osaka, etc. for the development of the economy of Japan.
These 101 series had a historical role as the mother's body of the next new Electric Multiple-Unit.

The 80 Series "SHONAN" Electric Multiple-Unit

The traffic in the city in Tokyo increased rapidly after the Pacific War, and the railroads of Japan had short intervals between stations. Therefore, the trains became more popular.
The first full-scale long-distance trains were the 80 series Electric Multiple-Unit. It was developed by Hideo Shima who was the same person that developed the Shinkansen. He was known as the father of the Shinkansen. The 80 series became the basis of the success of the Shinkansen of a new time. This 80 series was called the Shonan Electric Multiple-Unit. Shonan is the name of a place on the seashore of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan.
The TANNA tunnel was opened for traffic in 1934. Electrification of the main Tokaido line was completed from Tokyo to Numazu. JNR formed a plan to make about 126km of this section into the Electric Multiple-Unit. However, GHQ of the allied forces who occupied Japan were opposed to this plan in those days. That is because an inter-urban decline had already started in the U.S. So, JNR considered another strategy. These 80 series were first used for short-distances towards Yokosuka. They were secretly used for long-distance transportation after that. It is possible to call it an artifice. However, JNR needed to develop a train which could run on the original features of the railroads of Japan for a long distance. As for rightness, the judgment was checked by success of the next Shinkansen.

JNR tried to develop a new style limited express.

Even when the Pacific War ended, the railroad of Japan did not stop.
And it was moving on time mostly. Of course, there were few trains in operation and there were no vacancies. Therefore, the limited express was not driven. Operation of the limited express was resumed in 1949. It was the limited express HEIWA. It means 'peaceable' in English. The name was changed into the limited express TSUBAME in 1950. You will understand how the limited express TSUBAME was loved by Japanese people on the railroad of Japan. The first-class observation car, the second-class wagon, the third class coach, and the dining car were connected with it. The EF58 type electric locomotive towed the electrified section. It towed the royal Train. The C62 type steam locomotive is famous also as a prototype of the Galaxy Express 999 of anime. It made the world record of the steam locomotive of a narrow gauge of 129 km/h. Moreover, the C62 led the express NISEKO of Hokkaido after that. It was an express which runs in the beautiful scenes of snowstorms. The whole line of the main Tokaido line was electrified in 1956. The Limited Express Tsubame ran from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station in 7 hours and 30 minutes. However, it was still a limited express with which an electric locomotive tows a coach. Here, JNR tried to develop a new style limited express. It was a limited express in an Electric Multiple-Unit.

Limited express TSUBAME

The history of this Limited Express Tsubame started in 1930 when this limited express was driven between Tokyo Station and Kobe Station.


The time required of operation of Limited Express Tsubame at that time was 9 hours. It was no less than 2 hours shorter than the time required of the old limited express. JNR of those days tried all things for this operation.

Please look at a Japanese map. Mt. Fuji and Mt. Hakone which are volcanoes are on the west of Tokyo. The present main Tokaido line passes through them in a tunnel called the TANNA tunnel. The TANNA tunnel is 7804m in length and was a frightfully difficult construction. It was opened for traffic in 1934. This is a quake-prone area and during construction of the tunnel, big earthquakes caused the position of the tunnel to shift and cause accidents. The main Tokaido line till then avoided Mt. Hakone north, and passed through GOTENBA station. However, there was still a steep slope there. Therefore, an auxiliary steam locomotive was required. The Limited Express Tsubame connected the auxiliary engine in 30 seconds and it was separated during the run. Furthermore, the driver of the steam locomotive took the place of the fearful thing during the run. The limited express TSUBAME also connected the freight car carrying water. In this way, the limited express TSUBAME also saved time in supplying the water. However, the operation of the limited express TSUBAME was stopped by the Pacific War.

大きな地図で見る

The Electric Multiple-Unit n age of Japan started.

Japan is a country with much mountainous land. Therefore, operation of railroads using electric power was desirable. However, there was a problem.
Much expense is required for electrification. The army was opposed to electrification of the railroad before the Pacific War. That is because they feared an attack on the power generation equipment. Electrification of the other local routes was only carried out on the section of a long tunnel through a mountain range.
However, electrification of the main Tokaido line progressed after the end of the war. It was the greatest main line in Japan. The Tokaido Shinkansen was still a dream at the time. The main Tokaido line, between Tokyo Station and KOUZU stations was electrified in 1925. However, the other section was not electrified. The economy of Japan collapsed in defeat of the Pacific War.
Therefore, the price of coal jumped up suddenly. Moreover, the railroad traffic increased rapidly after the revival of the war. The rest of the main Tokaido line was electrified in 1956. In this way, the Electric Multiple-Unit started a new age of Japan. As for the main Tokaido line till then, the limited express which has a glorious history was running. It was the Limited Express Tsubame. TSUBAME is a swallow in English. This mark was a symbol of JNR.
This train was a limited express which represents Japan from before the Pacific War. This train was used for trials on how to run the track in a narrow gauge of early Japan. It is a traditional tale.

JAPAN JNR Electric multiple unit of 581,583 series.

The sleeping car was driven from a viewpoint of silence in the coach which an engine tows. Therefore, high-speed operations were impossible for sleeping cars on the railroads of Japan.
Japan was in a growth phase of advanced economy in the 1960s. Thereby, the demand of transportation of the railroads increased very much. Since the speed of sleeping cars was slow, the increase in the number of train was difficult. Furthermore, since a sleeping car can be used only at night, it had run short of garages. It became impossible for as trains for the daytime increased the need to use a garage. Furthermore, the expense required to manufacture new vehicles also ran short because having separate coaches for daytime and night time needed to be manufactured separately.
Then, JNR designed an Electric multiple unit for a bed which could be used for both day and night. The Electric multiple unit of the 581 series appeared in 1967. This was able to run the electrified section of a direct current, and the electrified section of 60htz of an alternating current. This Electric multiple unit was converted in 1968 so that the electrified section of 50Htz of an alternating current could also run. This is the 583 series. The Electric multiple unit of this bed enabled the 120-km/h fastest operation in the old railroad line of Japan in those days. This was initially used for the limited express Gekkou (English is moonlight) for Hakata Station from Shin-Osaka Station.

JAPAN Railroad Only Japanese Electric Multiple-Unit sleeping car

The sleeping car which carries power was used in part in every country in the world. It is famous for the Inter-urban Electric Multiple-Unit sleeping car in the United States in the early 20th century. Moreover, there were VT10.5 type of Diesel Multiple-Unit of the sleeping car in West Germany in the middle of the 1950s, etc. It was used for commercial service and in the daytime was used as a day coach. It stored the seats and was used at night a sleeping car. However, there was a problem. Silence was required for the sleeping car but the power for the sleeping car was noisy. Furthermore, there was no economical merit to drive a sleeping car in daytime and at night. Therefore, only a small number of them were produced, and they were only used for a short time.


However, JNR had a special reason for using the Electric Multiple-Unit for a sleeping car. The railroad of Japan had a complicated track with many slopes and curves. Japan is a small island but it is mountainous. There is only a short distance between one city and the next city. Therefore, the vehicles which were powered by Electric Multiple-Units or Diesel Multiple-Units were distributed from the start of the 1960s in Japan. That is because Electric Multiple-Units and Diesel Multiple-Units have excellent acceleration and slowdown performance, and also have good speed on an uphill slope. It is the same reason that the Shinkansen of Japan uses an Electric Multiple-Unit.