715 series
Japanese train type
title: "715 series" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["electric-multiple-units-of-japan", "east-japan-railway-company", "kyushu-railway-company", "train-related-introductions-in-1984", "20-kv-ac-multiple-units", "raised-cab-multiple-units", "4-car-emus"] description: "Japanese train type" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/715_series" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Japanese train type ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox train"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | 715 series |
| image | JR Kyusyu holiday kuha715-7.jpg |
| imagesize | 300px |
| caption | 715-0 series train at Hizen-Yamaguchi Station, 1987 |
| service | 1984–1998 |
| manufacturer | JNR |
| yearconstruction | 1967–1972 (as 581 / 583 series) |
| refurbishment | 1984–1985 (converted from 581 / 583 series) |
| numberbuilt | 108 vehicles (27 sets) |
| numberservice | None |
| numberpreserved | 1 vehicle |
| successor | 701 series, 813 series |
| formation | 4 cars per trainset |
| operator | JNR (1984–1987) |
| JR East, JR Kyushu (1987–1998) | |
| depots | Minami-Fukuoka, Sendai |
| carbody | Steel |
| carlength | 20500 mm |
| width | 2950 mm |
| doors | 2 per side |
| maxspeed | 100 km/h |
| traction | Resistor control |
| electricsystem | 20 kV AC (60 Hz) (715-0 series) |
| 20 kV AC (50/60 Hz) (715-1000 series) | |
| collectionmethod | Overhead catenary |
| gauge | |
| :: |
| name = 715 series | image = JR Kyusyu holiday kuha715-7.jpg | imagesize = 300px | caption = 715-0 series train at Hizen-Yamaguchi Station, 1987 | service = 1984–1998 | manufacturer = JNR | factory = | family = | replaced = | yearconstruction = 1967–1972 (as 581 / 583 series) | yearservice = | refurbishment = 1984–1985 (converted from 581 / 583 series) | yearscrapped = | numberconstruction= | numberbuilt = 108 vehicles (27 sets) | numberservice = None | numberpreserved = 1 vehicle | numberscrapped = | successor = 701 series, 813 series | formation = 4 cars per trainset | fleetnumbers = | capacity = | operator = JNR (1984–1987) JR East, JR Kyushu (1987–1998) | depots = Minami-Fukuoka, Sendai | lines = | carbody = Steel | carlength = 20500 mm | width = 2950 mm | height = | floorheight = | doors = 2 per side | maxspeed = 100 km/h | weight = | acceleration = | deceleration = | traction = Resistor control | poweroutput = | transmission = | aux = | powersupply = | hvac = | electricsystem = 20 kV AC (60 Hz) (715-0 series) 20 kV AC (50/60 Hz) (715-1000 series) | collectionmethod = Overhead catenary | bogies = | brakes = | safety = | coupling = | multipleworking = | gauge =
The 715 series was an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in February 1984 by Japanese National Railways (JNR), and later operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) on local services in Japan. They were converted from former 581/583 series sleeping car EMUs.
Operations
12 4-car 715-0 series sets converted from former 581 series EMU cars were introduced from February 1984 on Nagasaki Main Line and Sasebo Line local services in Kyushu alongside new 713 series EMUs.
15 4-car 715-1000 series sets converted from former 581/583 series EMU cars were introduced from March 1985 on Tōhoku Main Line local services in the Sendai area.
Formations
715-0 series
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/JR_Kyusyu_kuha715-101_new.jpg" caption="KuHa 715-101 in JR Kyushu livery with blue bodyside stripe"] ::
The 12 JR Kyushu 4-car sets based at Minami-Fukuoka Depot were formed as shown below. Sets NM101–110 had a KuHa 715-100 converted cab car at one end, while sets NM111–112 had converted cab cars at both ends.
Sets NM101–110
::data[format=table]
| Designation | Numbering |
|---|---|
| Tc | M |
| KuHa 715-100 | MoHa 715 |
| :: |
Sets NM111–112
::data[format=table]
| Designation | Numbering |
|---|---|
| Tc | M |
| KuHa 715-100 | MoHa 715 |
| :: |
The MoHa 714 cars were each fitted with one pantograph.
715-1000 series
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/JR_East_715-1000.jpg" caption="JR East 715-1000 series set"] ::
The 15 JR East 4-car sets (N1–15) based at Sendai Depot were formed as follows.
::data[format=table]
| Designation | Numbering |
|---|---|
| Tc | M |
| KuHa 715-1100 | MoHa 715-1000 |
| :: |
The MoHa 714 cars were each fitted with one pantograph.
File:JNR EC Tc715 side view.png|KuHa715 File:JNR EC M714 side view.png|MoHa714 File:JNR EC M715 side view.png|MoHa715 File:JNR EC Tc715-100 side view rev.png|KuHa715-100
Interior
File:Kuhane581-8 kyushu interior 20070119.jpg|Interior of preserved KuHa 715-1, January 2007
Rebuilding
The sets were rebuilt from surplus former 581/583 series EMU cars at JNR factories in Tsuchisaki (Akita), Kōriyama (Fukushima), Mattō (Ishikawa), and Kokura (Kitakyūshū). Rebuilding work involved removing the upper sleeper berths, adding longitudinal bench seating at the ends of cars, increasing the number of doorways, reducing the number of toilets and washing areas, and the addition of slab-front cab ends to some former intermediate cars.
715-0 series
::data[format=table]
| Rebuilt car | Former identity | Modification details |
|---|---|---|
| KuHa 715 | KuHaNe 581 | Doorway added |
| KuHa 715-100 | SaHaNe 581 | Driving cab added, toilet removed |
| KuHa 714 | SaHaNe 581 | Driving cab added, |
| MoHa 714 | MoHaNe 580 | Doorway added, one pantograph removed, toilet removed |
| MoHa 715 | MoHaNe 581 | |
| :: |
715-1000 series
::data[format=table]
| Rebuilt car | Former identity | Modification details |
|---|---|---|
| KuHa 715-1000 | KuHaNe 581 | Doorway added |
| KuHa 715-1100 | SaHaNe 581 | Driving cab added, toilet removed |
| MoHa 714-1000 | MoHaNe 582 | Doorway added, one pantograph removed, toilet removed |
| MoHa 715-1000 | MoHaNe 583 | |
| :: |
History
The JR East 715-1000 series sets were withdrawn from revenue service on 13 March 1998.
The remaining JR Kyushu 715-0 series sets were finally withdrawn from service on 26 March 1998.
Preserved examples
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Kuhane581_8.jpg" caption="KuHa 715-1, repainted and renumbered as KuHaNe 581-8"] ::
KuHa 715-1 is preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu, restored cosmetically to its original identity of KuHaNe 581-8.
References
References
- (1992). "JR全車輛ハンドブック'92". Neko Publishing.
- (July 1998). "JR電車編成表 '98夏号". JRR.
- Sasada, Masahiro. (September 2012). "国鉄&JR保存車大全". Ikaros Publications Ltd..
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::