JR Shikoku 2600 & 2700 series

[Densha]

With little fanfare, JR Shikoku has placed an order at Kawasaki Heavy Industries for new 2600 series DMUs. These 2-car DMUs with a maximum speed of 130 km/h will probably replace the remaining KiHa 185 series DMUs running on Shikoku.

 

The first completed 2600 series DMU has already been spotted at a Kawasaki plant: https://twitter.com/_mercury__/status/821616296819310593

[miyakoji]

Really nice design.  I wonder if its styling is primarily by Kawasaki, JR Shikoku, or a third party.  If this and the two monogatari cruise trains are by their own people, JR Shikoku has some talented folks.

[Densha]

I believe the main body of the 2600 series is largely based on that of the 8600 series.

 

The front looks rather JR West 225 series-ish though...

[HantuBlauLOL]

253系 + 227系 lol

[ToniBabelony]

Wow! These actually look very very nice! :O

[Densha]

According to this article (https://trafficnews.jp/post/64029/), the 2600 series is apparently intended to replace the 2000 series on the Yosan Line, Dosan Line and Kotoku Line.

 

I think this means that although the 2600 series will replace the 2000 series on those lines, the 2000s will probably replace the KiHa 185 now running on other lines, which will still make it an indirect KiHa 185 replacement. I also think the TSE and maybe some early 2000 series cars will also be scrapped if JR Shikoku actually places a larger order of 2600 series at some point.

[Sacto1985]

It'll be interesting to see if the new 2600 Series trains now switch to bilingual announcements. Just about all the new trainsets in Japan can do this or have provisions to do this. 

[Densha]

The two 2600 series sets started doing public runs from 11 August:

 

 

[Densha]

JR Shikoku announced that the 2600 series will start doing regular runs on the Uzushio limited express service between Takamatsu and Tokushima from 2 December. All public runs up until now were only special seasonal services.

 

Unlike the 2000 series, that uses a body-mounted pendulum mechanism to tilt through curves, the 2600 has a bogie-mounted pneumatic (air-based) tilting system. Amongst others, advantages of the pneumatic system are that it is less complicated and thus cost reducing. Test runs have however pointed out that running on the curvy Dosan Line resulted in a very high air consumption, which could lead to air capacity problems. Because of that, future JR Shikoku limited express DMUs will use the 2600 series design together with the pendulum tilting system.

 

Source: https://response.jp/article/2017/09/25/300209.html

[Densha]

A few days ago these pictures taken at a manufacturing facility of the successor to the experimental 2600 series popped up.

 

[Sacto1985]

I wonder were those pictures taken at the Kawaski Hyogo plant, much of its operations are visible from street level? After all, the two 2600 Series trainsets were built by KHI, and the 2700 Series (which may have a pendulum-type tilting system) is probably also being built there.

[Densha]

The first moving footage of an almost-finished 2700 series has appeared. The base design is very similar to the 2600 series, although the livery now also features a green stripe. An awful decision in my opinion. It looks like an ugly baby of a 2600 and 8600 series.

 

[JR 500系]

It looks much like a 227 series or a 323 series too... Nevertheless, I would love to have a model of either this or the 8600 series...

[Gryphr]

I'd still love a model of this, I hope someone will release one of it. Maybe they didn't want their train displaying the german flag? 😄

[trainsforever8]

Quick question regarding the Odakyu cars at 3:24, are they new 4000 series? I didn't know Odakyu was still recieving them. 

[Gryphr]

Even "older", these cars belong to the 3000 series and were newly built to extend some of the 8 car sets to 10 cars.

[trainsforever8]

5 minutes ago, Gryphr said:

Even "older", these cars belong to the 3000 series and were newly built to extend some of the 8 car sets to 10 cars.

That's quite surprising, I wonder when will Odakyu start replacing their older rolling stock. 

[Ochanomizu]

Hello,

 

The lime green stripe just kills it for me.  The other colours are classy though.

[bill937ca]

December 25 is just a normal work day in Japan (and a normal railfan day).  Video by  Dr.YELLOW movie by charonzoom

 

 

[miyakoji]

The green stripe may not be fantastic, but it's not that bad.  Think of it as a nod to the JR West Fresh Green 0 and 100 series 🙂

[Sacto1985]

For those interested, YouTube member nagomi view just posted a zenmen tenbou video of a trip on a JR Shikoku 2600 Series train on the Uzushio service from Takamatsu to Tokushima:

 

 

[miyakoji]

I saw this one, but it seems like none of JR Shikoku's rolling stock is good for producing unobstructed front view videos from the passenger compartment (I mean pfft what were they thinking right? 😉 ).  High quality, clear video of JR Shikoku lines is still something I'm looking out for.

[Densha]

Clear images of the 2700 series have finally appeared... along with a strange green X.

 

 

[cteno4]

Another one feeling insectiod looking.

 

jeff

[Densha]

The 2700 series has been officially revealed on 23 January. Revenue service will commence this Fall on Nanpu/Shimanto services. These videos give a quick overview of how the train looks and works like.