227 series


The 227 series is a DC electric multiple unit train operated by West Japan Railway Company for use on suburban services in the Hiroshima area of Japan since 14 March 2015, with plans for additional sets in the Kinki Region beginning in 2019.

Design

The trains have unpainted stainless steel bodies, with an exterior livery featuring red highlights. Each motored car has one motored bogie. The trains will be branded "Red Wing", with logos applied to the body sides and to the prominent anti-fall plates on the front ends, which inspired the name.

Operations

The 227 series trains were delivered from autumn 2014 for test running and driver training before entering revenue service initially on the Sanyo Main Line between and, replacing ageing JNR-era 115 series EMUs. The trains will also displace 115 series EMUs on the Kure Line and Kabe Line, with the entire fleet of 276 vehicles scheduled to be delivered by the end of fiscal 2018.

Formations

The 227 series fleet on order consists of 42 two-car and 64 three-car sets, allowing formations of up to eight cars to be formed in service.

Hiroshima Area Sets

3-car sets

The three-car sets are numbered A01 onward, and are formed as shown below with all three cars motored.
DesignationMcMM'c
NumberingKuMoHa 227-0MoHa 226-0KuMoHa 226-0
Weight 40.237.140.5-40.6
Capacity 133/56149/72126/52

The two-car sets are numbered S01 onward, and are formed as shown below with both cars motored.
DesignationMcM'c
NumberingKuMoHa 227-0KuMoHa 226-0
Weight 40.240.5-40.6
Capacity 133/56126/52

DesignationMcM'c
NumberingKuMoHa 227-1000KuMoHa 226-1000
Weight 40.240.5-40.6
Capacity 133126

The passenger saloons use LED lighting, and the trains are equipped with universal access toilets and wheelchair spaces. Passenger accommodation consists of transverse seating with flip-over seat backs, and longitudinal bench seating at the ends of cars. Flip-down seats are also provided next to the doorways.

History

The first three-car set, numbered A03, was delivered to Hiroshima Depot in September 2014 from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company factory in Kobe. Sets A01 and A02 were delivered to Hiroshima Depot from Kinki Sharyo in October 2014. The first two car set, numbered S01, was delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries in January 2015 together with three-car set A06.
In March 2018, JR West announced, that starting in Spring 2019, it planned to introduce a new version of 227 series trains to Sakurai and Wakayama Lines, as well as part of Kisei Main Line. The planned 56-car fleet would displace all 105 series and 117 series trains on the two lines by Spring 2020. Once the order is complete, the trains would have smart card readers on board, expanding ICOCA acceptance to all JR West service in Nara prefecture and on Wakayama Line.

Build details

227-0 series

3-car sets

2-car sets

227-1000 series