485 series

Variants

• 481 series: Dual-voltage (1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC (60 Hz), introduced 1964
• 483 series: Dual-voltage (1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC (50 Hz), introduced 1965
• 485 series: Dual-voltage (1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC (50/60 Hz), introduced 1968

481 series

The 481 series trains were introduced in 1964 for use on Hokuriku Line limited services, and were capable of operating under 1,500 V DC or 20 kV AC (60 Hz) overhead wire power supplies. These train were subsequently operated by JR-West and JR Kyushu.

File:JNR-KURO481-1.jpg|A 481 series trainset on a Midori service circa 1982 File:JNR saro481-1051.jpg|481 series Green car SaRo 481-1051 in 1985 File:JNR sashi481-52.jpg|481 series restaurant car SaShi 481-52 in 1985

Interior

File:JNR sashi481-40- syanai.jpg|Interior of SaShi 481-40 restaurant car in 1985

483 series

The 483 series trains were introduced in 1965 for use on Tohoku Main Line limited express services, and were capable of operating under 1,500 V DC or 20 kV AC (50 Hz) overhead wire power supplies. The non-powered trailer cars used in these sets were classified 481 series.

485 series

Variants

• 485 series (original) (from 1968)
• 485-200 series (from 1972)
• 485-300 series (from 1974)
• 485-1000 series (from 1975)
• 485-1500 series (from 1974)
• 485-3000 series (converted from former 485-1000 series trains between 1996 and 2001)
• Joyful Train variants

The 485 series trains were introduced in 1968. These trains were capable of operating under 1,500 V DC or 20 kV AC (50/60 Hz) overhead wire power supplies. The original design was closely based on the bonnet-style 181 series EMU, with the primary difference being ceilings that were 12.5 cm higher. However, trains produced from 1972 onwards, starting with the 485–200 series, featured a new design with a cab adapted from the 583 series sleeper expresses, which became the standard on nearly all subsequent JNR limited-express EMUs. The 485-200 series trains had gangway doors at the cab ends to allow trains to be operated in multiple, but the 485-300 series trains introduced from 1974 had no gangways. The 485-1500 series trains were built in 1974 for use in Hokkaido. The 485-1000 series trains built from 1975 onward incorporated design improvements from the DC-only 183-1000 series trains.

Operations

485 series trains were also used on the Raichō and Super Raichō services from 1968 until the service ended in March 2011. These trains sometimes utilized a panoramic cab car (numbered KuRo 481-2000) which was a "Green Car".

The Inaho and Hokuetsu services have used 485 and 485-3000 series trains since 1969.

The Hitachi service used 485 series trainsets from 1969 to 1998, when it was replaced by Super Hitachi and Fresh Hitachi services.

The Tsugaru service has used 485-3000 series trains since 2002, when the service started.

The Nikkō service used a dedicated 6-car 485 series set from March 2006 until 4 June 2011, which was occasionally substituted by a reserve 189 series set nicknamed Ayano. It was replaced by two 6-car 253 series sets from 4 June 2011.

The Noto has used a single 6-car 485 series train since March 2010, replacing the previous 489 series train.

Currently owned by JR East and formerly by JR-West and JR Kyushu, they also operated in the JR Hokkaido area on regular Hakuchō services, and in JR Central and JR Shikoku areas providing extra services. The last original JNR-style trainset (Sendai-based set A1+A2) operated by JR East was withdrawn in June 2016 after a series of special farewell Hibari, Aizu, and Tsubasa runs on 18 and 19 June.

Limited express

File:WestJapanRailwayCompanyType485.jpg|A 485 series train with panoramic cab car (KuRo 481-2000) on a Raichō service in December 2006 File:JR West 485 superraicho 3.jpg|A JR-West Super Raichō KuMoHa 485-200 coach File:JRkyushu485Kirishima.jpg|A JR Kyushu 485-200 series on a Kirishima service in July 2009 File:JRW 485 series konko extra train kurashiki.jpg|A JR-West 485-300 series in October 2009 File:4851am.jpg|A 485-1000 series set in August 2003 File:JNR 485 katsuta color K60.jpg|A JR East 485-1500 series in November 2007 File:485 G58 Nikko omiya.JPG|A 485 series train on Nikkō service in May 2011 File:485系3000番台.jpg|A Niigata-based 485-3000 series refurbished train on a Rapid service in September 2018 File:Limited express hakucho 485-3000 bandai.JPG|An Aomori-based 485-3000 series refurbished train on a Hakucho service in March 2016

Joyful Train sets

Main article: Joyful Train

File:JRE-485-yu-K30.JPG|Resort Express Yū, May 2006 File:JRE485 Utage Higashi-Koganei 20130621.jpg|Utage, June 2013 File:JRE485 Hana Higashi-Koganei 20130606.jpg|Hana, June 2013 File:JReast485 New Nanohana-131019.jpg|New Nanohana, October 2013 File:Model 485 of YAMANAMI.jpg|Yamanami, April 2007 File:JRE-485-Seseragi.jpg|Seseragi, May 2009 File:Series485-NoDoKa.jpg|No.Do.Ka, December 2016 File:JRE 485 Irodori 20100724.jpg|Irodori, July 2010 File:JRE-Series485-Yamadori.jpg|Resort Yamadori, May 2017 File:Series485-Zipangu Koriyama.jpg|Zipangu, April 2017

Formations

485-3000 series

, only two 485-3000 series refurbished sets remain in service, based at Niigata Depot for use on limited-stop "Rapid" services between and on the Nihonkai Hisui Line. These sets were withdrawn in 2017, and from 2017 to 2022 only Joyful Train sets remain in service. The six-car sets are formed as follows, with car 1 at the Itoigawa end. The last 485-3000 series-operated rapid trains were discontinued.

• Car 1 includes "Green car" (first class) seating.
• Cars 2 and 4 each have two pantographs.

Preserved examples

, five 485 series cars are preserved, as follows.

• KuHa 481 26: Preserved at the Railway Museum in Saitama, Saitama.
• KuHa 481 246: Preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu. (front end section only)
• KuHa 481 256: Preserved at the JR Kyushu Kokura Depot in Kitakyushu since October 2016.
• KuHa 481 603: Preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu.
• MoHa 484 61: Preserved at the Railway Museum in Saitama, Saitama.

File:Railway Museum in Saitama, Japan (3600592549).jpg|KuHa 481 26 preserved at the Railway Museum in Saitama File:Kyushu Railway History Museum Cut body place.jpg|The cab end of KuHa 481 246 (left) preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu File:Kuha481-603.JPG|KuHa 481 603 preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu

References

References

1. (2009). "Jēāru zensharyō handobukku: Rail Magazine 2009". Neko Publishing.
2. link. (19 June 2016). Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.
3. (20 May 2016). "Jr電車編成表". Kotsu Shimbunsha.
4. Sasada, Masahiro. (25 November 2014). "国鉄&jr 保存車大全 2015-2016". Ikaros Publications Ltd..
5. link. (3 October 2016). Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.