159 series

159 series
159 series set in April 1976
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Nippon Sharyo
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	1961 – 1962
Number built	16 cars
Dimensions	Unknown
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	12 April 1961 – 1980
Formation	4 or 8 cars per set
Number in service	None
Fleet numbers	Various
Preservation information
Preserved	None
Number scrapped	16 cars

The 159 series was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways from April 1961 to 1980.

History

The 159 series sets were originally produced from 1961 to 1962 to supplement and potentially replace the older 80 series sets. Sixteen cars, comprising of one eight-car and two four-car sets, were produced by Nippon Sharyo using a modified 155 series design.

With their introduction, the sets were introduced on the Komadori and Wakaya services, with the sets most famously being used on the Komadori school excursion sets. Like the 155 series sets, the 159 series sets were used on school excursion services as they were originally designed to do so, and were painted "lemon yellow" with "scarlet red" accents; later sets would use "canary yellow" bodies while still retaining the "scarlet red" accents.

The sets were used on Komadori and Wakaya excursion services until March 1973 when they were discontinued in favor of the Kodama services on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen operated by the 0 Series Shinkansen sets, and were used on various other limited express services such as the Nagara service until they were scrapped in 1980.

No 159 series cars have been preserved.

Design

The sets had body styles similar to the ones used on the 113, 115, 165, 167 and 169 series sets; as the sets are broadly based on the 155 series sets, so the design language of the 155 series sets carries over. The sets most famously wore the older red and yellow livery used by school excursion sets, but later wore the Shōnan orange and green livery that trains on the JNR ever so famously wore after they were relegated to normal limited express services.

Specifications

Construction was of steel. Traction motors were resistor controlled, which was standard for the time. The 159 series sets, as mentioned above, were essentially a modified version of the 155 series sets; differences between the two sets include a more limited express-esque styled interior on the 159 series sets, in addition to various other changes to the air-conditioning systems.

See also

• 155 series, very similar sets built for a similar purpose

References

• Wikipedia.org