Osaka Loop Line

[Guest ___]

A couple loose ends that's bugging me. First let me ask, what is the difference between new 207 & 321 on Kyoto line? Neither of these were in service in early 2005 when I was there last. From what I have gathered from some J-railfans is that the new trains went in to service in the middle to late 2005. Both look like the current 231, but have blue and orange striping. Both the new 231's and the 207's look identical?

 

Second question is when did 223 go to rapid service Loop line? On my last trip, I do not recall any rapid service for the Osaka loop line. If there was they were the old orange suckers, and not the 223's as they were all assigned to the Kyoto Line, and Hanwa lines.

 

BTW: I hit a major 20min delays on loop line on Thursday. It took me nearly an hour to get from Tenoji to Osaka just to go back to Shinosaka. Had I know about the delays I'd've just gone on the Midosuji Line, and said to hell with the scenic route or taking pix at the modern transportation museum.

[bikkuri bahn]

Shashinka hope you're enjoying your holiday.  As for the first question, the 321 series  (introduced 2005) is an updated version of the 207 series (introduced 1991).  Fourteen years is an awfully long time in railway tech development (at least in Japan) and technology has progressed over those years.  Also, the 201 and 205 series needed replacing, as well as the wrecked 207 unit in the Fukuchiyama crash.  JR West commuter rolling stock is a pretty complicated field with its various subclasses, so I won't attempt to describe them here, but one of the most obvious non-cosmetic changes is the replacement of the GTO thyristors used on the 207's with IGBT's on the 321 series.  Thus the 321 series is quieter on starting, with a toned-down inverter whine.

 

gto thyristor inverter sound (207/1000 series):

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:JRW207_1000andJRW223_0vvvf.ogg

 

igbt inverter sound (207/2000 series- similar to 321 series equipment):

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:207-2000H.ogg

[Guest ___]

I think part of what really confused me was I knew the JR-E 207s, which through a loop in my thinking. I was quick to notice the thyristor sound on the 207's. I recalled that I hadn't seen the 321's back in March of 05 and figured they were new. There sure were plenty of them running on the line when I Was in Osaka. Didn't see nearly as many of the 207's. I was still amazed to see as many 201's and 103's in service on JR-W.

[bikkuri bahn]

I was still amazed to see as many 201's and 103's in service on JR-W.

 

That's why I like Kansai railways, and I prefer the new stuff there over the E series lineup of JR East.