103 series

103 series
R1 in January 2023
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Kisha Seizō, Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō, Tokyu Car Corporation, Toshiba
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	1963 – 1984
Number built	3,447 cars
Dimensions	787 in (20,000 mm) × 110 in (2,800 mm) × 155 in (3,935 mm)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Power supply	Pantograph
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC
Traction system	Resistor control
Service information
In service	28 December 1963 – Present 2004 – 2016 (Indonesia)
Formation	2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 10 cars per set
Number in service	49 cars
Fleet numbers	E1 – E14, E17 – E18, F1 – F5, F11 – F15, HJ401 – HJ408, HL101 – HL102, HY101, HK601 – HK610, KeYo101, KeYo103 – KeYo106, KeYo108, KeYo202 – KeYo206, KeYo208, KeYo301 – KeYo307, LA01 – LA05, NH401, NH406, NH408, NS401 – NS415, NS617 – NS619, SA01 – SA02
Preservation information
Preserved	7 cars
Number scrapped	3,377 cars (including Indonesia)

The 103 series is a Japanese city commuter electric multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successor companies since December 1963. These are essentially an upgraded version of the previous 101 series sets.

History

Based on the earlier 101 series, the 103 series has been used on various commuter services since 1963; some 103 series cars were converted from 101 series cars. The 103 series was the main rolling stock used on urban commuter services for a time.

Four former JR East 103 series 4-car units (Musashino Line sets KeYo 20, 21, 22, and 27) were shipped to Indonesia in 2004 to operate on the KRL Jabodetabek system in Jakarta.

• KuMoHa 103: 105, 153
• MoHa 103: 654, 752
• MoHa 102: 231, 321, 810, 2009
• KuHa 103: 359, 384, 597, 632, 815, 822
• SaHa 103: 210, 246

These cars retain their Japanese numbering.

As of November 2016, all 103 series have been withdrawn.

JR Kyushu remains the only operator of the 103 series sets, with JR East, West and Central having retired their fleet and replaced with newer rolling stock.

Design

The sets have been manufactured in a multitude of different body styles, with additional body styles being created over the years. Older sets had body styles similar to the one used on the 101 series, while later variations like the 103-1500 series operated by JR Kyushu adopted more modern adaptations of the same basic body style.

Specifications

Construction is of steel. Each car is 20 meters long. Traction motors are resistor controlled.

Variable frequency drive tests were conducted on various 103 series cars operated by JR East and JR Central.

Experimental direct-drive car MoHa 103-502

An insulated gate bipolar transistor traction system and direct-drive motors both manufactured by Toshiba were experimentally tested on car MoHa 103-502 (car #4) on ten-car set KeYo304 based on the Keiyō Line from May 2002; the car was originally manufactured in December 1975 by Nippon Sharyo. The direct-drive motors and IGBT inverters appear to be of the same specification as used on the experimental E993 series set due to similar cadences.

The use of direct-drive motors in the car gave the set a unique sound, with both the roar of the old-fashioned resistor-controlled traction motors and the more modern, high-pitched cadence of the variable frequency drive in car MoHa 103-502; MoHa 103-502's use of direct-drive motors gave the car itself a unique sound, as once the set reached a certain speed, the traction motors made no discernible noise.

The set entered service with the direct-drive motored car on 15 May 2003, but was retired and scrapped in December 2003 after just 7 months of service with this experimental car. Car MoHa 103-502 remains the last 103 series car to have been fitted with a variable frequency drive. No JR train since has used direct-drive motors in combination with IGBT or PMSM inverters, apart from the purely experimental E993 and E331 series sets.

A video of set KeYo304 running can be seen here.

Preservation

The following 103 series cars have been preserved:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location	Notes
KuHa 103-713	Kinki Sharyo	October 1977	May 2005	KeYo302	The Railway Museum, Saitama, Japan	Front half only, painted in all-over white with multi-colored polka dots; only preserved car with high-mounted cab
KuHa 103-525	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	January 1966	October 1994	N/A	Poppo-no-oka, Isumi, Chiba, Japan	Previously located at Toshiba's Fuchū plant and painted in a colorful paintscheme; repainted orange prior to move in 2020, along with KuMoNi 83006
KuMoHa 103-18	Tokyu Car Corporation	September 1964	December 2005	F15	Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan	Not accessible to public though can be viewed from roadside, occasionally covered in tarp; poor cosmetic condition
KuHa 103-1	Nippon Sharyo	April 1964	March 2011	A21	Kyoto Railway Museum, Kyoto, Japan	Ex-first production set, interior open for public viewing except cab
KuMoHa 103-110	Kisha Seizō	May 1967	July 2009	H13	Osaka Prefectural Firefighting College, Osaka, Japan	Used for fire training, can be viewed from across a river; only preserved car with door pocket windows
KuMoHa 103-147		October 1969	June 2004	MaTo22	Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan	Privately owned, preserved at owner's home

The following 103 series cars were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Last location	Notes
KuHa 103-560	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	May 1966	May 1990	N/A	Shirakaba Kindergarten, Kanagawa, Japan	Scrapped circa 2015
KuMoHa 103-58	Kinki Sharyo	March 1966	October 1994		Toshiba Fuchū Factory, Tokyo, Japan	Painted in a colorful paintscheme; scrapped 2011
KuMoHa 103-104	Nippon Sharyo	April 1967	July 1997		Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan	Used for direct drive motor testing with IGBT traction system; scrapped circa early 2010s
MoHa 103-230	Kinki Sharyo	August 1969	March 1990

Gallery

Refurbished set LA05 in November 2016

103-1500 series set E17 in February 2017

MoHa 103-502 in May 2003

"VVVF" markings on undercarriage of MoHa 103-502

103 series set KeYo 21F-27Fwith revised JR Central livery at Manggarai Station, December 2011

A 103 series EMU on a Depok Express service when using KRL Jabodetabek second livery while passing Gambir railway station, July 2007.

References

• Wikipedia.org
• Direct-drive car MoHa 103-502 information (in Japanese)