651 series

651 series
OM206 in March 2023
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	1988 – 1990, 1992
Number built	99 cars
Dimensions	21,500 mm (end cars) × 2,900 mm × 3,515 mm
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Power supply	Pantograph
Electric system(s)	20 kV AC (50 Hz), 1,500 V DC
Traction system	Resistor control
Service information
In service	11 March 1989 – 18 March 2023
Formation	4 or 7 cars per set
Number in service	None
Fleet numbers	K102 – K103, K105, K201 – K209, OM201 – OM206, OM302 – OM303, IR01
Preservation information
Preserved	1 car
Number scrapped	98 cars

The 651 series is a Japanese dual-voltage limited express electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company from March 1989 to March 2023.

History

The 651 series was designed in 1988 to replace aging 485 cars in addition to speeding up services on various lines. Nine four-car and nine seven-car sets were built, all by Kawasaki Heavy Industries at their Hyōgo Plant. The first cars entered service on 11 March 1989; by 16 March 2013 the entire fleet was put into storage and would be only used for seasonal services or additional workings. The sets were normally used in eleven-car formations, with a seven-car set coupled together with a four-car set.

From 2014, a number of 651 series sets were converted to 651-1000 series sets to replace aging 185 series sets on Akagi and Kusatsu services. In 2016, set OM301 was converted to become a dedicated resort train, numbered IR01. IR01 was retired on 29 March 2020; it was originally intended to be retired on 28 June 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan ended those plans. All 651-0 series sets were retired by 13 March 2020.

The remaining sets were retired from regular service on 18 March 2023. OM201 participated in a "final phototaking" event on 15 October 2023 before it was towed to Nagano General Rolling Stock Center for scrapping.

The 651 series is the recipient of the 1990 Blue Ribbon Award.

Izu Craile

This was a dedicated four-car set used on the Izu Craile resort service converted from set OM301. The set is designated IR01 and is used on the Itō Line; the set entered revenue service on 16 July 2016.

Car 1 has window-facing counter seats on the seaward side, car 2 has a bar counter and a lounge, car 3 has "semi-open compartments" and car 4 has conventional unidirectional 2+2-abreast seating. The LED screen on the Izu Craile set is noticeably much smaller; instead, only the bottom of the LED screen is shown, which allows the end-of-train lights to be displayed.

The word Craile is a portmanteau of the Italian word Cresciuto (meaning "mature"), train and the -ile suffix.

The set was expected to end service on 28 June 2020, but due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic the set ended service on 29 March 2020; it would be scrapped in October 2020.

Design

Colors used

Color	Color name
	Sand Gray
	Olive Green
	Orange

The 651 series used a somewhat streamlined design with a "sand gray" body with "olive green" accents. The 651-1000 series cars added an orange stripe to the bottom of the windows.

The Izu Craile set used a white body with light pink accents with light pink motifs on the car bodies. The Izu Craile set featured light pink window surrounds, while the Izu Craile logo was splashed on the front of the cab car.

Specifications

Construction was of steel. Cars varied in length from 20.7 to 21.68 meters long. Traction motors were resistor controlled. The 651 series featured a large LED screen on the front of their cab cars.

The 651-1000 series sets are modified from 651-0 series sets; most modifications to the sets were to equipment, such as disconnecting (but not removing) the AC equipment on the sets and the changing of the pantographs from PS26 lozenge-type pantographs to PS33D single-arm pantographs as used on the E233 series. An orange body stripe was also added below their windows.

A notable trait of the 651 series cars was their lack of physical end-of-train lights on the cab cars. Instead, two red rounded-corner rectangles would be projected at the bottom of the LED screen on the front of the cab cars; this is more noticeable with the Izu Craile set. This trait was shared with the E351 series's non-gangwayed cab cars.

The 651 series was equipped with an early version of a musical horn that was standard on most of JR East's Limited Express fleet. The musical horn was usually blasted when a set was about to depart, although a shorter version of the same horn was blasted on occasion; the musical horn on the 651 series was not heard as often as various other JR East limited express train sets, with the train's air horn being more commonly heard instead.

This same musical horn was also present on the Izu Craile set.

Preservation

The following 651 series cars have been preserved:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location	Notes
KuHa 651-1001	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	December 1988	March 2023	K101, OM201	Kōriyama Rolling Stock Center, Nagano, Japan	Stored on scrap line, in very poor cosmetic condition, numerous parts missing or removed

Gallery

End-of-train lights

Izu Craile set IR01 (ex-OM301) in August 2016

Trivia

• Set K202 was dumped next to Haranomachi Station on the Jōban Line since the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami due to the suspension of the Hitachi 50 service at 3:09pm JST on that day. The set never re-entered service and was removed from the station's premises on 17 March 2016 and scrapped two days later on 19 March.

References

• Wikipedia.org