Propulsion Changes to the E231s

[984smurf]

Recently returned from a trip to Japan. Realised that E231s are receiving propulsion changes to their motors.

 

I do understand that doing that to the E231-1000s will allow them to be more efficient in their long-haul trips, and for the other E231s, it is to prepare for the redeployment of E231-500s to the Chuo-Sobu Line and E231-0s to the Musashino Line, which marks the end of the (201s and) 205s operated by JR East in Tokyo.

 

Just wondering, when did they begin to conduct the propulsion change, and when will they complete it?

Edited January 1, 2017 by 984smurf

[Sacto1985]

I'm actually kind of surprised they are moving the E231-500's to Chūō-Sōbu Line services. The E231-500's have been hard-worked on Yamanote Line services and they may be too physically worn out to run on the frequent-stop Chūō-Sōbu Line service. You'd think JR East to replace them with a variant of the new E235 trainset.

[Suica]

I'm actually kind of surprised they are moving the E231-500's to Chūō-Sōbu Line services. The E231-500's have been hard-worked on Yamanote Line services and they may be too physically worn out to run on the frequent-stop Chūō-Sōbu Line service. You'd think JR East to replace them with a variant of the new E235 trainset.

JR East needs trains for the 2020 Olympics. The Yamanote line is the first one to get those. Using the excess trainsets on other lines makes sense. And don't make those frequent stops the Chuo-Sobu quite similar to the Yamanote?

Considering JR's maintenance I'm pretty sure these units are far from physically worn out after "just" 14 years of service. The 103 series trains were in service on the Yamanote for 25 years, which still isn't even that much compared to other trains and lines.

Edited January 1, 2017 by Suica

[kvp]

What gets worn out are mostly the bogies, the traction equipment and the seat cover materials. All are easy to replace during maintenance.

[medusa]

I watched a JRJ episode where they explained not the material but the workhours are the main thing which makes maintenance for old cars expensive.

In that episode it was their explanation why relatively new-looking car sets were sold to Indonesia.

[kvp]

A full stripdown and reassembly could help that if they use new parts for everything. A traction system change gets most things replaced under the floor, while an interior upgrade swaps everything inside, maybe even the pa system. What is left is the hvac and roof equipment and the doors. Also the upgraded 231s should be easier to maintain than the 205s jre plans to replace. Imho they could get another 6 years or so of service out of them, which is 2 years after the olympics.

[JR 500系]

I thought the Chuo line are using the E233-0s and the Sobu line using the 209-500, 231-0 and former Yamanote line 231-500 series? Are they also changing off all the older 209-500 series on the Sobu line?

 

As for the Musashino line, the E231-0 is a good change for the aging 205 series... The Musashino line always seems to be missing out on the newer trains, they have been using the 205 and 209 series for sometime now...

[railsquid]

IIRC (and don't quote me on this, I'm no expert) the E23x series were designed to be more modular than previous generations of trains, to make it easier/cheaper to change the bits which wear out more quickly. The Yamanote line ones externally don't seem to be "worn out" in any way and all run nice and fine, so I assume with decades of experience in running trains JR East will know what they're doing with their stock (more than armchair internet posters, including myself).
 

I thought the Chuo line are using the E233-0s and the Sobu line using the 209-500, 231-0 and former Yamanote line 231-500 series? Are they also changing off all the older 209-500 series on the Sobu line?

 

 

That's my (unqualified) suspicion, i.e. the older 209s will be replaced. I must consult the Japanese internet when I get a moment...

[Sacto1985]

I think the question is how fast can J-TREC's Niitsu assembly line build the E235's? if they can build large numbers of them, it's likely we could potentially see new E235's on the Chūō-Sōbu Line service by 2020, especially now that the E233 production is just about complete so there is probably now production space to build E235's for other lines besides the Yamanote Line.

 

The E231-500's for Yamanote Line service were built between 2002 and 2005, and have been pretty hard-worked given they start and stop some 29 times per hour. Frequent start-stop operations and carrying a lot of passengers per day put a lot of physical stress on the entire trainset, and one really wonders are the E231-500 trainsets reaching the end of their useful lives by the 15th year of operation.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Sacto1985

[katoftw]

You may wonder.  But others do not.  I'm happy to believe the team from JR East know what they are doing.

[984smurf]

Wanted to know if anyone was aware of the propulsion change? Also, when did it begin?

[railsquid]

Which propulsion change do you mean there anyway?

[HantuBlauLOL]

anything other than the main chassis are replaceable.