The E721 series (E721系) is an AC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) on services in the Sendai area of Japan since February 2007.

E721 / SAT721 / AB900 series
E721-0 series (right) and SAT721 series (left), August 2007
ManufacturerKawasaki Heavy Industries, Tokyu Car Corporation, J-TREC (Niitsu and Yokohama)
Replaced455 series, 417 series, 717 series, 719 series
Constructed2006–
Entered serviceFebruary 2007
Number under construction36 vehicles (9 sets)
Number built146 vehicles (63 sets)
Number in service142 vehicles (61 sets)
Number scrapped4 vehicles (2 sets, tsunami damage)
Formation2/4 cars per set
Fleet numbersP1–P44, P501–P504, P4-1–P4-19, SA101–SA103
OperatorsJR East
Sendai Airport Transit (SAT721)
Abukuma Express (AB900)
DepotsSendai
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel
Car length20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in)
Width2,950 mm (9 ft 8 in)
Floor height950 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Doors3 pairs per side
Maximum speed120 km/h (75 mph)
Power output500 kW per motor
Electric system(s)20 kV AC (50 Hz) overhead catenary
Current collector(s)Pantograph
BogiesDT72 (motored), TR256 (trailer)
Safety system(s)ATS-Ps
Multiple working701 series
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Variants edit

  •    E721-0 series 2-car sets, since February 2007
  •    E721-500 series 2-car sets, since March 2007
  •    E721-1000 series 4-car sets, since November 2016
  •    SAT721 series 2-car sets, since March 2007 (owned by Sendai Airport Transit)
  •    AB900 series 2-car sets, since July 2019

Operations edit

Formations edit

As of 1 October 2015, the fleet consists of 42 two-car E721-0 series sets (P-2 to P-44), four E721-500 series two-car sets (P-501 to P-504), and three SAT721 series two-car sets (SA101 to SA103), formed as follows with one motored (Mc) and one trailer (Tc') car.[2]

E721-0 series edit

Designation Mc Tc'
Numbering KuMoHa E721-xx KuHa E720-xx

The KuMoHa cars have one PS109 single-arm pantograph. The KuHa cars have a toilet.[2]

E721-500 series edit

Designation Mc Tc'
Numbering KuMoHa E721-50x KuHa E720-50x

The KuMoHa cars have one PS109 single-arm pantograph. The KuHa cars have a toilet.[2]

E721-1000 series edit

The 19 four-car E721-1000 series sets (P4-1 to P4-19) are formed as follows, with two motored ("M") cars and two non-powered trailer ("T") cars.[3] The KuHa E720 is located at the southern end.[3]

Designation Tc' M T Mc
Numbering KuHa E720-10xx MoHa E721-10xx SaHa E721-10xx KuMoHa E7210-10xx
Weight (t) 34.3 32.0 37.2 39.1
Capacity (seated/total) 50/132 62/152 56/138

The two motored cars (KuMoHa and MoHa) each have one PS109 single-arm pantograph.[3] The KuHa cars have a toilet.[3]

SAT721 series edit

The two-car SAT721 series sets are formed as follows.

Designation Mc Tc'
Numbering SAT721-10x SAT720-10x

The KuMoHa cars have one PS109 single-arm pantograph. The KuHa cars have a toilet.[2]

AB900 series edit

The Abukuma Express AB900 series are derived from the E721-500 and SAT721 series used for JR East.

Sets are formed as follows.

Set Numbering
AB-1[4] AB901-1 AB900-1
AB-2[5] AB901-2 AB900-2
AB-3[6] AB901-3 AB900-3
AB-4[7] AB901-4 AB900-4
AB-5[7] AB901-5 AB900-5

History edit

The first E721-0 series sets were delivered from December 2006, and entered service on 1 February 2007 on Tohoku Main Line services.[2] The first E721-500 and SAT721 series sets were delivered from February 2006 and entered service on Sendai Airport services on 18 March 2007.[2]

Two sets, P-1 and P-19, were derailed and badly damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 while at Shinchi Station. Both sets were written off and scrapped.[2]

 
Intermediate cars for the first two E721-1000 sets on delivery from J-TREC Niitsu in September 2016

The first of a fleet of 19 new four-car E721-1000 sets (76 vehicles in total) was introduced on 30 November 2016[8] on Tohoku Main Line, Joban Line, and Senzan Line services, replacing older 719 series units.[9] The new trains are built by J-TREC, with construction shared between the company's Yokohama and Niitsu factories.[9] These trains feature LED interior lighting.[9]

The first four E721-1000 series intermediate cars were delivered from J-TREC's Niitsu factory to its Yokohama factory in September 2016 to be combined with driving cars built there.[10]

In order to replace their 8100 series trains, Abukuma Express announced the order of new AB900 series trains in summer 2018.[4] They are based on the E721 series,[11] and are the first new trains for Abukuma Express since 1988.[12] The first AB900 series set was delivered in February 2019.[4] It entered service on 1 July 2019.[12]

Fleet/build details edit

The manufacturers and delivery dates for the fleet are as shown below.[2]

E721-0 series edit

Set No. Manufacturer Date delivered Date withdrawn
P-1 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 28 November 2006[13] 12 March 2011[Note 1]
P-2 17 January 2007  
P-3  
P-4  
P-5 Tokyu Car 18 December 2006  
P-6  
P-7 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 15 January 2007  
P-8 6 February 2007  
P-9  
P-10 23 February 2007  
P-11  
P-12 Tokyu Car 15 January 2007  
P-13  
P-14 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 28 February 2007  
P-15  
P-16 8 March 2007  
P-17  
P-18 23 March 2007  
P-19 23 March 2007[13] 12 March 2011[Note 1]
P-20 23 March 2007  
P-21  
P-22 17 April 2007  
P-23  
P-24 27 April 2007  
P-25  
P-26  
P-27  
P-28 31 May 2007  
P-29  
P-30  
P-31  
P-32 6 July 2007  
P-33  
P-34 Tokyu Car 30 August 2007  
P-35  
P-36 26 September 2007  
P-37  
P-38 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 2 November 2007  
P-39  
P-40 13 September 2010  
P-41  
P-42  
P-43  
P-44  
  1. ^ a b Destroyed by tsunami on 11 March 2011.

E721-500 series edit

The delivery of E721-500 series cars are as follows:[citation needed]

Set No. Manufacturer Date delivered
P-501 Kawasaki Heavy Industries 17 February 2006
P-502 30 September 2006
P-503
P-504 Tokyu Car 25 October 2006

E721-1000 series edit

All manufactured by J-TREC.

Set No. Date delivered
P4-1 21 October 2016[14]
P4-2 26 October 2016[14]
P4-3 11 November 2016[14]
P4-4 16 November 2016[14]
P4-5 28 November 2016[14]
P4-6 1 December 2016[14]
P4-7 6 December 2016[14]
P4-8 14 December 2016[14]
P4-9 27 December 2016[14]
P4-10 26 December 2016[14]
P4-11  
P4-12  
P4-13  
P4-14  
P4-15  
P4-16  
P4-17  
P4-18  
P4-19  

SAT721 series edit

 
The three SAT721 series units being delivered in November 2006

All sets are manufactured by Kawasaki and delivered as of 20 November 2006.[citation needed]

Set No.
SA101
SA102
SA103

AB900 series edit

All sets are manufactured by J-TREC.

Set No. Date delivered
AB-1 21 February 2019[4]
AB-2 February 2020[5]
AB-3 25 January 2022[15]
AB-4
AB-5

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ 磐越西線でE721系の運転開始 [E721 series enter service on the Banetsu West Line]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 9 March 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h JR電車編成表 2016冬 [JR EMU Formations – Winter 2016] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. 18 November 2015. p. 28–29. ISBN 978-4-330-62315-3.
  3. ^ a b c d One, Akihiro (February 2017). E721系1000番台 [E721-1000 series]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 57, no. 670. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. p. 50–53.
  4. ^ a b c d "阿武隈急行AB900系が登場" [Abukuma Express AB900 series appeared]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 21 February 2019. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  5. ^ a b "【JR貨】【阿武隈急行】AB900系第2編成を甲種輸送" [(JR freight) (Abukuma Express) Transport of the second AB900 series set]. rail.hobidas.com (in Japanese). Neko Publishing. 20 February 2020. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  6. ^ "阿武隈急行AB900系AB-3編成が甲種輸送される". railf.jp. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "阿武隈急行AB900系4・5号車、3/18運行開始 - フリー乗車券限定発売" [Abukuma Express AB900 Series 4 and 5 Cars Commence Operation on March 18 - Unlimited Ticket Release]. MyNavi Corporation (in Japanese). 16 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  8. ^ E721系1000番台が営業運転を開始 [E721-1000 series enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 9 December 2016. Archived from the original on 4 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  9. ^ a b c E721系1000 代新造車両の投入について [Details of introduction of new E721-1000 series trains] (PDF). News release (in Japanese). Japan: East Japan Railway Company Sendai Division. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  10. ^ E721系1000番台中間車が甲種輸送される [E721-1000 series intermediate cars transported]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 23 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  11. ^ "阿武隈急行の新型車両AB900系電車が完成 JR貨物の「金太郎」にけん引されて福島へ" [Abukuma Express' new vehicle, the AB900 series train, is completed. Towed by JR Freight “Kintaro” to Fukushima]. excite.co.jp (in Japanese). Excite Japan Co., Ltd. 21 February 2019. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  12. ^ a b "『新型車両』始動!AB900系 阿武隈急行、開業以来初導入" ["New vehicle" started! AB900 series Abukuma Express, first introduced since its opening]. minyu-net.com (in Japanese). The Fukushima Minyu Shimbun. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  13. ^ a b JR電車編成表 2010夏 [JR EMU Formations – Summer 2010] (in Japanese). Japan: Kotsu Shimbunsha. May 2010. p. 25. ISBN 978-4-330-14310-1.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j JR車両のうごき [JR rolling stock changes]. Tetsudo Daiya Joho Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 46, no. 395. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. March 2017. p. 127.
  15. ^ "阿武隈急行AB900系AB-3編成が甲種輸送される" [Delivery of Abukuma Express AB900 series set AB-3]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 March 2023.

External links edit