JR West Osaka Loop Line, one circular trip from Tennōji Station

[Sacto1985]

YouTube member ato5kgyasetaito posted this interesting video of one trip around the JR West Osaka Loop Line:

 

 

It should be noted that JR West just made an announcement that they are planning major upgrades on the Osaka Loop Line, including rebuilding many stations and replacing the rapidly aging 103 and 201 Series EMU's. The press release is here:

 

http://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/2013/12/page_4978.html

[miyakoji]

Good video, and interesting information.  I'm looking forward to the renovated stations and new rolling stock.  Will it be based on the 321, or will it be something entirely new?  How will they number it?  323?  Unused as far as I know, but sounds very JR Tokai .  125 is unused, as are 13x and up, until 201.  And then the low 200s are available. 

[Sacto1985]

My guess: a 25-30 trainset order of 8-car 321 EMU's from Kinki Sharyo. Since the 321--like the E231/233 models used by JR East--are "tapered" to accommodate the 2,800 mm zairaisen loading gauge, they could work on the Osaka Loop Line. And the 321 production could start almost immediately to accommodate this order.

[miyakoji]

I'm sure that's a possibility, but they do have several more years of R&D knowledge now, I'd think they'd want to include that.  The 225 design says rapid service to me, I can't see an all-long-seat variant running around the loop, stopping at every station, but you never know, this could be the most practical way to get new cars into service.  Either way, it will be interesting to see new cars on that line.

[Sacto1985]

Another YouTube poster did this video of the same one trip on the Osaka Loop Line, this time with a 221 Series (?) EMU:

 

Edited December 28, 2013 by Sacto1985

[bronzeonion]

Damn! Knew it was only a matter of time before the 103s and 201s were to be replaced :(

[kvp]

Yes, sadly Osaka is the last area where they are used in full sets. Are they removing them just from the loop line or from everywhere else too? (like the higashi and sakurajima lines)

[miyakoji]

That's a good question. I'm going to guess that if they're removed completely from the Loop, they'll be removed completely from the Sakurajima Line, since the two seem to be operationally related (I'm not sure any services run only on the Sakurajima Line to Nishikujo, I think they all continue on the Loop to Osaka, Kyobashi, or somewhere).  On other lines, though, they might survive longer.

 

Wikipedia says:

• 224 201s are still in service (all with JR West, I think)
• 274 103s are still in service, specifically with JR West (54 more with JR Kyushu).

It doesn't say exactly where those are, but certainly there are a lot of these two models in Kansai.  Total replacement will take time.  Maybe they'll see which ones are in better condition, and then move those out to the Osaka East Line, Nara Line, Kansai/Yamatoji Line, etc, and continue to run them there.  It's JR West; I expect them to extract quite a bit of life from their rolling stock .

[Sacto1985]

While JR West has gotten a lot of life out of their 103 and 201 Series EMU's, their age and inefficient power usage compared to the modern 207/221/223/225/321 Series EMU's is why I expect both the 103 and 201 to head toward the scrapper soon, replaced mostly by new-build 321's. 

 

In fact, you may want to start shooting pictures and videos of the 115 Series EMU's in JR West service now--JR West has said they want to replace all the 115's with more modern models, and that could mean a sweeping retirement of the 115's based in Okayama and Hiroshima with an upgraded 225 variant.

[Sacto1985]

By the way, YouTube user naha478 posted an excellent zenmen tenbou video of this route, travelling in the clockwise direction from Tennoji to Tennoji:

 

 

EDIT: Note the large number of much more modern commuter EMU's travelling in the other direction on this route at the time this video was taken. I believe JR West was doing a test of compatibility of the 221/223/225 EMU's on the Osaka Loop with their three-door railcars (the 103 and 201 EMU's have four railcars).

Edited May 25, 2014 by Sacto1985

[kvp]

According to the wikipedia page, many outer suburban lines are terminating at various places on the loop, so maybe those trains are just from the other lines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka_Loop_Line

[Mudkip Orange]

I'd hope they at least develop another four-door design, rather than grabbing an off-the-shelf three door trainset.

[miyakoji]

I think the 323 series designation is available...

[kvp]

I'd hope they at least develop another four-door design, rather than grabbing an off-the-shelf three door trainset.

What is wrong with the 321 series? JR West designed them as replacements for the 201 series.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/321_series

[Sacto1985]

In the end, I think because the Osaka Loop Line can accommodate the 221/223/225 Series EMU, I wouldn't be surprised that JR West makes a big order for the 321 to completely replace all the 103 and 201 Series EMU's on the Loop Line.  

[Guest ___]

I would suspect that if a 22x/32x sereis were to replace the 103/201 series, it would be a varriation of what is currently out there now, but with four doors. From the rediculous amount of time spent on the loop line during rush hour, I can't see 3-door trains for full-local. the suburban set 3-door boarding/alighting is pretty bad during peak hours, and I can't help but waonder if JR-W would spend the time and resourses rewriting the timetables and time matrix charts to take in consideration of 3-door locals.

[Sacto1985]

That's why I think the trainsets that will replace the aging 103 and 201 EMU's will be the 321--the 321's have four doors per car, perfect for Osaka Loop Line service.