Series 185 What's Going On Here?

[bill937ca]

Are the Series 185 being retired?

 

[Sacto1985]

I don't think so. The 185's are still being used for Home Liner services in the Kantō region--this may have been an equipment move.

[miyakoji]

Unfortunately I think a lot of them that were replaced by 651s on some -liner and express services in the March schedule revision will be scrapped.  Here's a vid of Omiya set B1 on the scrap line in Nagano:

 

 

The set was driven there under its own power:

 

 

Neither the English nor Japanese wikipedia seem to be updated with 2014-2015 roster information.  At least a few sets are still in service, whether or not those will survive the March 2015 (or earlier?) schedule changes, I have no idea.

[Sacto1985]

If the 185's are being scrapped en masse, then I know the reason why: they're too slow. If the Wikipedia information is correct, the top speed of an 185 trainset is only 110 km/h (68 mph), well below the 130 km/h (81 mph) found on many of the more modern commuter and limited-express EMU's. As such, the 185's are being replaced by 651's on Home Liner and certain limited express services.

[Guest ___]

The last time I was on one in 08, it seemed like it was in pretty sorry shape, and I can't imagine that they were long for the world.

[bill937ca]

Thanks for the info.

[kvp]

It's sad to see completly good and operational trains broken up. At least they could just move them to an unused siding and let them rest in peace until they rust away (or someone needs an old train). Or at least retrive all the equipment to be used on the surviving sets. Not to mention the 185 series were designed to be used on local (slow) services when not needed as an express. Why didn't they move them to this job for a few years before scrapping? Does JRE really have so many surplus trains that i can scrap whole fleets?

 

This is what i call retired and not scrapped:

http://iho.hu/img/vasut/1402/140219__121300/csikeria/223/IMG_2000__140227_Istvantelek__415061_415062_M44401__k.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib1j3l24h0k/TqioS3sM_pI/AAAAAAAACiM/4Ajb8NGxd3k/s1600/GGG_2593.jpg

(the first photo is made at the maintenance center upon arrival of the first new flirts, the 2nd is one of the disused sheds further back with a bunch of railfans)

[bill937ca]

The issue in Japan is the lack of space.  Japan is about the size of California.  Of that 80% is mountains and 67% is forests. If you clear cut there are floods and landslides.  Crammed into the remaining 20% of the land are 126 million people --roughly half the population of the United States.

Edited May 22, 2014 by bill937ca

[bikkuri bahn]

The door configuration of these units makes them poor for local services, with long dwell times, as well as making them inappropriate for DOO type services.  I reckon they don't keep them sitting around rusting away for accounting/tax purposes as well.

[Sacto1985]

I think the 185's--like the 117's JR Central retired in 2013--are being phased out because of this one issue: the top speed is only 110 km/h (68 mph). That's just too slow for Home Liner and other limited express services, especially when 651's that have been displaced by E657's on the Hitachi limited express service are now available to replace them. JR East will retain a few trainsets, primarily for for Odoriko service from Tokyo to the Izu Peninsula.

[ToniBabelony]

IIRC, the 185 series are now being used to replace the rapidly aging 183 series. They are also used on the Moonlight Nagara trains at the moment, penetrating deep into JR Central and JR West areas they have never been before.

 

 

 

They were also used on some local trains on the Izu peninsula, but are already retired from that service I think.

 

 

They are also used in irregular express trains, like the Hama Kaiji and rental trains (e.g. school runs).

[Mudkip Orange]

JR East will retain a few trainsets, primarily for for Odoriko service from Tokyo to the Izu Peninsula.

 

I was going to ask about that. If they were to get rid of the 185 Odoriko, there would be a gap in service. The logical step would be to cascade the SVO trainsets and introduce some newer, flashier, EMU with a similar theater seating configuration.