Shinano Rlwy 169 series to be retired from regular service this April (2013)

[bikkuri bahn]

Shinano Rlwy. announced Tuesday that its remaining three 169 series trainsets (3 car formation, S51~S53) will be retired from regular service on April 29, 2013. There will be special farewell "arigato" runs involving all three trainsets on April 27~29, in conjunction with the 125th anniversary of the Shinetsu Line.

http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2012/12/05/036/

 

some special runs with extended consists:

[Sacto1985]

I'm not surprised given that most of Shinano Railway's trainsets are rebuilt "hand me down" 115 Series trainsets that used to be in JR Group/JNR service. Given that some 1,921 115 Series units were built, there are plentiful spares to keep the 115 Series units in Shinano Railway service for a long time to come. The 169's are only run on the Shinano Railway, and that makes them "orphans" when it comes to maintenance and spare parts.

[miyakoji]

Yeah I saw this, too bad, the 169s look good in Shinano's livery.  Any mention of new stock to replace these?

[bikkuri bahn]

Probably surplus 115 series stock, a whole slew of them are scheduled to be retired next year.

[Sacto1985]

Probably surplus 115 series stock, a whole slew of them are scheduled to be retired next year.

 

That's if JR West doesn't grab them first. JR West still runs 115 Series trainsets on the San'yō Main Line from Banshū-Akō Station in the small town of Akō all the way west to Shimonoseki in both express and local passenger service extensively; I wonder has JR West thought about ordering a whole new group of 225 Series trainsets from Kawasaki and Kinki Sharyo to finally replace all the aging 115 trainsets in Chūgoku region service over the next decade or so.

[bikkuri bahn]

As JRW and JRE are different companies, that scenario is highly unlikely. As you say, they will replace with modern stock.

[miyakoji]

On the Japanese wiki page I was surprised to find that in 2016 Shinano plans to get 3 new 2-car sets.  I'll be interested to see what they are, maybe something related to whatever JRE is building at the time?

 

Sacto, regarding JR West, I think their whole policy on replacing rolling stock is based on a sort of hand-me-down distribution of trains from Osaka out to the more remote areas of their territory.  When all the 115s have to go, they'll build more 225s or its successor for special rapid service and take all 223s and put them only on rapid service or local service on the edge of the Urban Network area.  Whatever 221s that displaces, they go out to Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi.

[bikkuri bahn]

On the Japanese wiki page I was surprised to find that in 2016 Shinano plans to get 3 new 2-car sets.  I'll be interested to see what they are, maybe something related to whatever JRE is building at the time?

 

An updated E127?

[Sacto1985]

Only one thing though: I'm not sure if JR West has enough 221 Series trainsets to replace the 115's on local/limited express services on the San'yō Main Line west of Aioi Station.

[miyakoji]

On the Japanese wiki page I was surprised to find that in 2016 Shinano plans to get 3 new 2-car sets.  I'll be interested to see what they are, maybe something related to whatever JRE is building at the time?

 

An updated E127?

 

I guess that's pretty likely isn't it.  Maybe it'll be something closer to express rolling stock.  Wiki says that they use the 115s for local services and the 169s for rapid and liner services.  For a while they won't have any express-style cars, if that works out, maybe it will be basically an E127, if not, maybe an E127 with fewer doors and nicer seats.

 

Only one thing though: I'm not sure if JR West has enough 221 Series trainsets to replace the 115's on local/limited express services on the San'yō Main Line west of Aioi Station.

 

That's a good point, there are 113s and 115s left right and center.  If I've added it up correctly, between those two series JR West has 1016 cars in service.  There are only 474 221 series cars total.  I hope they have a replenishment plan!

[westfalen]

Only one thing though: I'm not sure if JR West has enough 221 Series trainsets to replace the 115's on local/limited express services on the San'yō Main Line west of Aioi Station.

 

That's a good point, there are 113s and 115s left right and center.  If I've added it up correctly, between those two series JR West has 1016 cars in service.  There are only 474 221 series cars total.  I hope they have a replenishment plan!

I hope it's not time for some service reductions.

[Sacto1985]

Here's my guess: the Shinano Railway will buy a bunch of heavily-refurbished 115's with upgraded traction motors and totally new interiors to replace the 169's.

 

Given that JR West has over 1,000 113/115's on their roster, why do I have this feeling that they'll just cycle them through another rebuild program with more modern interiors (e.g., better soundproofing and upgraded seating), improved traction motors, upgraded suspensions and switching to external LED signage to display destinations?