215 series

215 series
NL3 in March 2021
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Hitachi, Nippon Sharyo
Type of locomotive	Electric multiple unit
Constructed	1992 – 1993
Number built	40 cars (4 sets)
Dimensions	787 in (20,000 mm) × 114 in (2,900 mm) × 160 in (4,070 mm)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Power supply	Pantograph
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC
Traction system	Field system superimposed field excitation resistor control
Service information
In service	4 April 1992 – 12 March 2021
Branding	The Double Decker Liner
Formation	10 cars per set
Number in service	None
Fleet numbers	NL1 – NL4
Scrapped	2021
Preservation information
Preserved	None
Number scrapped	40 cars (4 sets)

The 215 series, branded The Double Decker Liner (DDL), was a Japanese suburban double-deck electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company from April 1992 to March 2021.

History

Branded The Double Decker Liner or DDL, the 215 series has been used on Shōnan Liner and Acty services among others ever since its entry into service on 4 April 1992.

Only four ten-car sets were produced, designated NL1 to NL4. The entire fleet was eventually taken out of service from Tōkaido Main Line Acty services in December 2001 and were later mainly used for a small number of weekday Home Liner workings and the occasional holiday weekend workings such as the Holiday Rapid View Yamanashi. The sets were based at Kōzu Depot; prior to this, they were based at the now-inactive Tamachi Depot.

With the Shōnan Liner being abolished with the 2021 timetable revision, the 215 series sets ended operations on 12 March 2021, the day before the revisions were slated to take place. No special events were marked to commemorate their withdrawal. No 215 series cars have been preserved.

Design

The 215 series was designed using a "gentle and noble" design language, which led to the car's white body with red accents. The cab cars are semi-streamlined; they are not completely streamlined as seen with cars like the 251 series.

Specifications

Construction is of stainless steel. Each car is 20 meters long. Traction motors are resistor controlled, which was considered obsolete by then due to the introduction of the variable frequency drive; the traction motors are of the same type as used on the 211 series. Due to their lack of snow resistant equipment, the sets were not used during the winter and only during the spring through autumn periods.

A notable trait about the 215 series was that each set consisted of only bilevel cars, hence the Double Decker Liner moniker.

Trivia

• Railfans often gave the sets the disparaging nickname of "NEET liner" due to them often being moved between Shinagawa and Kōzu as an out-of-service train.

References

• Wikipedia.org