TS Japan Rail Japan Rail Enthusiasts Updates & News – June / July 2025

JNR / JR East 185 series is no more!

On June 18th, the last remaining 185 series unit (C1) was transferred from Omiya to Nagano for scrapping. Although they had been withdrawn from regular service in March 2021, they had been used on many excursion trains far longer than had been expected.

The 185 series was introduced by JNR in 1981 for use both on Limited Express services and commuter services. The Limited Express services it was mainly used on the Limited Express Odoriko between Tokyo and the Izu Peninsula and also on some Limited Express services going north of Tokyo. 185s were also used on some commuter express services.

Rinkai Line (東京臨海高速鉄道 りんかい線 Tokyo Wan Kousoku Railway Rinkai Line) 70-000 trains to replace JR Kyushu’s aging 103 series train

Tokyo Rinkai Kousoku Railway is in the process of upgrading its rolling stock by replacing its 70-000series trains (based on JR East 209 series) with 701-000 series (based on JR East E233 series).

Some of the eight 70-000 units (below) will be acquired by JR Kyushu to replace the aging 103 EMUs (left) used on the Electrified sections of the Chikuhi Line & Karatsu Line (Meinohama~Nishi Karatsu). This line is electrified at 1,500 volts DC rather than 20KV AC used by JR Kyushu on their other electrified lines.

It has been reported that the 2 driving car of unit Z8 have already been shipped to JR Kyushu’s Kokura Works.

[the first 21-000 series unit has been delivered from J-Trec Niitsu and is due to enter service after the summer 2025 (currently undergoing testing and driver training). The full replacement of 70-000 units is scheduled to be completed by March 2028]

Japan Railfan Club (Nihon Tetsudo Tomo no Kai) announces winners of its prestigious annual 2025 Blue Ribbon and Laurel awards.

The Japan Rail Fun Club, or to use its official name Nihon Tetsudo Tomo no Kai 日本鉄道友の会) which is made up of personal members and railway industry sponsors have been awarding these prestigous prices since 1958 (Blue Ribbon Prize) and 1961 (Laurel Prize) for the best new trains introduced in the previous year. All types of trains are eligible for the awards.

Each year a panel of railway experts draws up a short list of what they think are the best trains and then individual members of the Japan Rail Fan Club vote for their choice. Ceremonies are held for the winners and a plague is attached (normally inside by the cab) to the award winning trains.

This years winners are:

Blue Ribbon Prize – JR West’s E287 Limited Express Yakumo – replacing the ex JNR 381 series

Laurel Prize Kintetsu 8A series – the first new non Limited express / tourist train introduced by Kintetsu in 24 years. These trains with their distinctive fronts will bring a big upgrade to Kintetsu’s passenger comfort and facilities eventually throughout the Kintetsu network.

Laurel Prize Fukuoka City Subway 4000 series running on the Hakozaki and Airport Lines the main theme here is also upgrading passenger comfort and reducing maintenance costs.

JR East to introduce a new Night Express Train

JR East has announced that it will introduce a new Night Express Train in spring 2027. An existing E657 dual voltage limited express will be converted. All accommodation with Green Car private berths (catering for 1~4 persons with a total capacity of around 120 people. It will travel between the Kanto and Tohoku regions. The actual services that the train will operate have not been announced yet.

New Train Updates

• JR Kyushu has announced that it will introduce a variant of its YC1 Hybrid Diesel Electric 2 car units that will operate on its lines in Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures. These units which will be introduced from 1st July 2025 will replace the last of JR Kyushu’s legacy KiHa47 units (except for converted KiHa47s used for tourist trains.
• JR East has taken delivery of its first HB-E220 Diesel Hybrid units that will replace KiHa100 and KiHa110 diesel rail cars initially in the Takasaki area (Hachiko Line Takasaki~Komagawa) and Morioka area (mostly Kamaishi Line, & Hanawa Line). The trains are similar to the GV-E400 series but with the addition of batteries to give them hybrid capability. The trains will also have 3 single leaf doors. 32 units will be introduced (8×2 car sets for Hachiko Line and 6 x 2 car and 4×1 car for the Morioka area)

• Meitetsu has announced new trains on the Toyota Line. A new 500 series replacing the 100 series trains currently used on the line. Toyota Line trains run through to the Nagoya Subway Tsurumai Line and thru to the Meitetsu Inuyama Train. These will be the first new (Meitetsu) trains on the Toyoda Line in 48 years and it is planned they will start operations in Fiscal 2027 (April 2027~March 2028)
• Tokyu’s new 6020 series 5 car local Train debuts

Tokyu’s Oimachi Line has started operating its new 5 car 6020 series train, which will eventually replace the 9000 & 9020 series trains used on this line. The 9000 & 9020 series trains will be acquired by Seibu.

Although the Oimachi Line received new 6000 series and 6020 series trains for its local services, this will be the first new train for local trains since the 1970s. (the 9000 & 9020 series trains were cascaded from Tokyu’s Toyoko and Denentoshi Lines respectively).

JR East suffers more Shinkansen troubles

JR East’s new Yamagata Shinkansen E8 trains have been affected by technical problems leading to the suspension of through services between the Tohoku Shinkansen and Yamagata Shinkansen, causing passengers to have to change trains at Fukushima.

On the 17th June, an E8 unit operating as a single unit came to a standstill on the Tohoku Shinkansen line after losing power between Utsunomiya and Nasushiobara stations in Tochigi Prefecture. The line was blocked causing suspension of services for 5 hours.

Three other E8 shinkansen trains also suffered similar malfunctions on the same day. Two in service trains had problems at Oyama Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen and Sasakino Station on the Yamagata Station and one out of service train at Koriyama (Tohoku Shinkansen).

Damage has been identified with the auxiliary power unit that feeds power to a cooling device on a main converter that in turn feeds power to the trains motors. The cause of the damage has not yet been identified. A possible cause is the high temperatures on the day (35C and above). JR East and the train manufacturer (Kawasaki Heavy Industries) are continuing to investigate.

JR East has suspended operation of the E8 shinkansen when travelling as a single unit, which means they can only operate on the Tohoku Shinkansen line (between Fukushima and Tokyo) when coupled to either an E2 or E5 unit (which is how most services operate between Fukushima and Tokyo) and E3 units being used between Fukushima~Yamagata~Shinjo. Only around 80% of services on the Yamagata Shinkansen are currently operated. [JR East Press release (Japanese)]

Yamanote Line Power Line trouble causes suspension of the Yamanote Line and partial suspension of the Keihin Tohoku Line

On the evening of May 22nd the Yamanote Line was suspended after a train crew noticed unusual sparking from a Yamanote Line outer loop train pantograph near Shimbashi Station.

The cause turned out to be a broken overhead line, the cause of that is thought to be a faulty installation. Yamanote line inner and outer loop trains were suspended until well into the morning of the following day affecting 176 trains and 249,000 passengers. The Keihin Tohoku Line was also suspended between Shinagawa and Higashi Jujo.

The overhead line breakage caused damage to the pantographs of 20 trains (out of a total of 50 units).

[JR East Press Release (Japanese)]

Other News

• JR Tokai plans to provide premium seats on the Tokaido Shinkansen. JR Tokai plans to provide premium seating on some (about 30%)  of  its N700S shinkansen trains used on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line.
  • Six semi private seats will be installed in car 10 of some N700S trains. These will be introduced in Fiscal year 2027, and are aimed at business travellers, couples or small groups
  • Two fully private rooms. Aimed primarily at business travellers requiring privacy for meetings or calls, but could also be used for other passengers wanting privacy. These are expected to be rolled out in the Autumn of 2026.
  • Exact details including service, route and fare information will be published later.
• Isumi Tetsudo announces that  train services will not restart until the fall of 2027 Isumi Tetsudo on the 2-Jun-2025 announced that following the derailment on the 4th October 2024 that line between Ohara and Otaki has been filly surveyed with help from JR East and others and repairs are underway, however the company does not expect to restore train services until the Autumn of 2027. The deterioration of the track and track bed was severe. the cost of repairs will be in the region of ¥1.45 billion and Isumi Tetsudo is asking Chiba Prefecture and city / town governments for financial help. There is no date for restoration of services between Otaki and Kazusa Nakano.
• Oigawa Railway to sell some of its series 12 carriages. Oigawa Railway is probably the closest Japan has to a “heritage railway”, although it is a fully functional and licensed railway, which like many rural railways financially struggles. In May 2025 it announced that it would be selling several series 12 carriages it had acquired from JR West and previously used on the SL Yamaguchi service as well as some other carriages. The price of each car is in the range of ¥1mln~¥1.5mln with buyer responsible for the removal and transportation costs. Cars also need to be removed by August 2025.
  

Recent articles on our main site of interest to rail enthusiasts

Banetsu East & Banetsu West Lines – “Mountains, Forests, Water & steam trains ” A favourite for both rail enthusiasts and travellers…

This article looks at the two Banetsu Lines that cross Honshu from Iwaki to Niigata going through Fukushima Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture. The Banetsu West Line, which is one of the most scenic lines in Japan is famous with rail enthusiasts because of the SL Banetsu Monogatari.

https://tsjapanrail.net/blog/2025/06/19/banetsu-east-banetsu-west-lines