Series 115 Finale?

[bill937ca]

Its March with the March 31st fiscal year end coming up again the time when train lines and rolling stock are traditionally retired in Japan. I am reading that there are just ten days to for the Series 115. Is this just JR East Series 115 trains or all Series 115 trains in Japan?

 

Video by North Railway.

 

 

[miyakoji]

Based on the video description it might just be the last of Takasaki depot's 115s.  Definitely doens't apply to JR West, they'll have 113/5s until at least 2025, along with their KIHA40s

[Socimi]

It definitely is the last 115 series train on the Ryomo Line. I think this last run announced in an another thread. 

 

JR East still uses 115 series trains in the Niigata Area, while JR West, as miyakoji said, will use 115 series trains for a long time to come. 

[Sacto1985]

6 hours ago, Socimi said:

It definitely is the last 115 series train on the Ryomo Line. I think this last run announced in an another thread. 

 

JR East still uses 115 series trains in the Niigata Area, while JR West, as miyakoji said, will use 115 series trains for a long time to come. 

 

I'm not so sure. The new E129 has replaced the Niigata-region 115's on most of its routes (especially the longer ones like Niigata to Naoetsu, Nagaoka to Minakami and Niigata to Murakami), so if there's any 115's still running around the Niigata region, they're pretty rare. By the way, there has been some suggestion that the Shinano Railway may also replace the 115's fairly soon, and the natural choice would be an E129 variant.

[Densha]

Yeah, I also don't expect any remaining JR East 115s to last much longer. Particularly JR West will keep on using 113/115 series for now, as does JR Shikoku with their modified 113 series sets, and JR Kyushu with their design-wise derivative 415-0 series. I'm not familiar enough with Shinano Railway to comment on them.

[Socimi]

Shinano railway owns 15 3-car sets and 7 2-car sets of the series 115, for a total of 59 veichles, all either inerithed from JR East with the ownership transferral of 1997 or transferred from other JR East depots (for example some were previously used by JR East on local services on the Chuo Main Line past Mitaka).

 

The Sankei Shimbun recently reported that Shinano Railway was indeed searching for an alternative due to steadily increasing ridership on the line (a rare thing for a third-sector railway) and due to the lack of spare parts for their stock (production stopped 35 years ago).

It said that during the search for new rolling stock, the E129 series came out as the favourite candidate, however nothing is decided yet.

Shinano railway plans to replace it's 115 series stock on regular services starting in 2019 and ending by 2030, while one 115 series, the "Rokumoon" tourist train will continue operations for many years to come.

 

http://www.sankei.com/economy/news/180124/ecn1801240022-n1.html

 

https://news.mynavi.jp/article/railwaynews-106/

 

JR East still uses 115 series in the Niigata, Nagano, Matsumoto and Utsunomiya areas, for a total of 495 veichles, out of the original 1186 (in 1990), wich means that the 41% of the fleet is still in service.

 

JR West on the other hand, due to a smaller network and a less wealthy status than JR East, operates 442 veichles out of the original 590 (also in 1990), wich means the 75% of the fleet is still in service, on local services around Hiroshima, Okayama, Fukuchiyama and Shimonoseki.

 

 

[Sacto1985]

I believe that JR West has started to phase out 113/115 operations east of Himeji. Even the Kusatsu Line from Kusatsu to Tsuge has pretty much switched to the 221, 223 and 225 Series trainsets. The last stand east of HImeji could be 113 operations from Kyoto to Ōmi-Imazu on the Kosei Line.

[Sacto1985]

Speaking of 115 Series retirements, JR West a few weeks ago announced they are buying a number of 227 Series trainsets (28 two-car trainsets) for use on the Nara to (likely) JR Namba run via the Sakurai Line and on the Wakayama Line from Oji to Wakayama, along with (likely) additional sets to replace the 113 Series on the Kosei Line local service from Kyoto to Omi-Imazu Station. This could be a precursor to the replacement of the aging 113/115 Series trainsets on the San'yō Main Line west of Himeji all the way to Shimonseki with new 2-car and 3-car 227 Series trainsets.

[bill937ca]

Thank you 115 series Shinetsu main line trip.  Video by Express.

 

 

 

[JR 500系]

So glad to have rode this on the Ryomo line back in 2015!

 

A really nice ride for someone with sleep disorders... the seats rock you to sleep!

 

 

 

Missed riding on the 107 series behind though,....

Edited March 27, 2018 by JR 500系

[bill937ca]

Great horn! Takasaki 115 series good-bye driving (forwarding) @ Takasaki Station.Video by k to miss

 

 

 

[Sacto1985]

Well, it appears that it will be "curtains" for the 115 Series east of Himeji. According to this Japanese news blog:

 

http://blog.livedoor.jp/hanwa0724/archives/52206626.html

 

The Shinano Railway will start phasing in new train sets based on the JR East E129 design starting July 2020, with the last 115 Series trainset in Shinano service to retire in 2026.

[bill937ca]

Takasaki T1040 heading for the scrapper.  Video by TTC

 

 

[Sacto1985]

Unfortunately, now that Shinano Railway will order new train sets based of the JR East E129 Series, the Nagano Comprehensive Vehicle Center is going to getting a lot of 115 Series trainsets to dismantle. 

[bill937ca]

Some remaining sets. 115 series Hiroshima renewal color & Shonan color Simultaneously entering Okayama station  Video by ayokoi

 

 

Edited June 15, 2018 by bill937ca

[railsquid]

Having missed the demise of the Takasaki area 115s, I am hatching a cunning plan to do the Shinano Railway with the Squidlet this summer so (if he grows up to care about these things) he can at least say he's experienced some.

[Densha]

For real 113/115 action you should venture to JR West territory, but I can imagine that's a bit too far from Tokyo...

[railsquid]

This year at least...

[Sacto1985]

On 6/15/2018 at 5:32 PM, Densha said:

For real 113/115 action you should venture to JR West territory, but I can imagine that's a bit too far from Tokyo...

 

Primarily between Himeji and Itozaki and west of Iwakuni on the San'yo Main Line. Between Itozaki and Iwakuni, the new 227 Series are starting to rapidly replace the 113/115 Series.

 

Even then, you never know if JR West announces another big 227 Series order in early 2019, which will really mean the end of 113/115 Series operations in western Honshu.

[Socimi]

1 hour ago, Sacto1985 said:

 

Even then, you never know if JR West announces another big 227 Series order in early 2019, which will really mean the end of 113/115 Series operations in western Honshu.

 

JR west has actually ordered on the 7th march of this year a new batch of 227 series trainsets, due to enter service in 2019-2020, but they are intended to replace 105 and 117 series trains on the Wakayama, Sakurai, Kishine and Nara lines, so for at least 5 years more the 115s are save.

 

https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2018/03/page_12012.html

Edited June 17, 2018 by Socimi

[Suica]

On 6/16/2018 at 2:32 AM, Densha said:

For real 113/115 action you should venture to JR West territory, but I can imagine that's a bit too far from Tokyo...

Shinano Railway is probably the closest to Tokyo you can get.

Also, I wonder how long the D-Sets on the Sanyo Main Line have left. They seemed more heavily modernized than others in that they even have LED destination signs.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Suica

[Densha]

Yeah, I know Shinano Railway is the closest to Tokyo. Was just pointing out that JR West still has a lot of them in service too.

 

Although they are starting to get replaced gradually, you will still find JR West 113/115 series on the Kusatsu Line, Kosei Line, Maizuru Line, Sanyo Main Line west of Himeji, Ako Line, Uno Line, Honshi-Bisan Line, Hakubi Line, Fukuen Line and Kure Line. Mind you, I am just pointing out where they are currently still in service. On some of these lines just a few runs per day are left for 113/115 series. Replacement by new rolling stock will happen sooner or later.

[Sacto1985]

3 hours ago, Socimi said:

 

JR west has actually ordered on the 7th march of this year a new batch of 227 series trainsets, due to enter service in 2019-2020, but they are intended to replace 105 and 117 series trains on the Wakayama, Sakurai, Kishine and Nara lines, so for at least 5 years more the 115s are save.

 

https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2018/03/page_12012.html

 

Speaking of which, I wonder what train sets will JR West use to replace the really-aging 113 Series train sets on the Kosei Line local service between Kyoto and Omi-Imazu.

 

While recent refurbishment of a number of 113/115 train sets have extended their lives one last time operating in western Honshu, there is still a question of their eventual replacement. Given that JR West did do test running of a short 225 Series train set all the way as far west as Shimonoseki before the 227's were ordered for Hiroshima area operations, that's why I've personally thought some time in 2019, JR West will announce a big order of new 227's to finally purge the aging 113/115 train sets, phased in over 5-7 years.

[Densha]

Apparently you can still see this sight in Nagano.

 

[Sacto1985]

You still see KuMoYa/KuMoNi 143's around major service yards in Japan, for example the JR East Nagano Comprehensive Vehicle Center and the JR West Yonago Comprehensive Vehicle Center. You see them used to tow disabled commuter and limited express train sets to service yards.