(one-half life cycle, one-half weight and one-half price)
1 Development Process of System 209 Futuristic Commuter Train
Key concepts in East Japan Railway Company's development of the futuristic, turn-of-the-century commuter train are "half the life cycle", "half the weight" and "half the price".
I shall now discuss how the System 209 train was developed.
Car maintenance was in need of technological reform because it involved too much labor. As a result, in April 1987 development began on System 209. The Committee for Modernizing Car Maintenance was formed, and the entire company worked on System 209.
In April 1991 30 System 901 cars were produced. These mass production cars were initially experimental. We received diverse opinions from customers who used them. In March 1993 126 System 209 cars made their debut. Since November 1996 about 600 cars of System 209 have been commercially operating, with good results.
(1) Historical changes in commuter train
In 1967 System 101 was produced in 1957 by what was then JNR. It was an advanced train featuring a parallel cardan drive for hollow shaft and multi-phase control. Its brake system was for the most part reliable, and its bogie was built with a weight reducing press welding structure.
This train is considered the true prototype of the present commuter train.
In 1964 System 103, seen in the photograph, was produced. It was more economical in that it lowered the ratio of electric motor rail cars which comprise the largest number of trains in East Japan Railway Company.
In 1979 System 201 was produced. This train featured an all-new chopper control to make the main circuit contact-free and energy saving. It also featured a rust preventative to make the car body maintenance-free; and for the first time a brake that regenerates electricity.
