583 series

Reliveried 583 series on a Kitaguni service in August 2005

The 581 / 583 series (581/583系) were limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train types introduced in 1967 by Japanese National Railways and later operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) on the through services express Kitaguni and other special trains until 2017.

The seats of the 581 and 583 series trains could be transformed into three-berth beds, enabling the trains to be used on both daytime and night train services.

As of 1 October 2016, just six cars remained in service, operated by JR East and based at Akita Depot for use on additional and charter services.^[1] This last trainset was withdrawn in April 2017.

Individual car types

• KuHaNe 581: Cab car with air compressor and motor-generator (150 kVA)
• KuHaNe 583: Cab car with air compressor and motor-generator (210 kVA)
• MoHaNe 580: Motored car with two pantographs (1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC 60 Hz)
• MoHaNe 581: Motored car coupled to MoHaNe 580
• MoHaNe 582: Motored car with two pantographs (1,500 V DC / 20 kV AC 50/60 Hz)
• MoHaNe 583: Motored car coupled to MoHaNe 582
• SaHaNe 581: Intermediate trailer car. All withdrawn.
• SaRo 581: Green (first class) intermediate trailer car. The seats cannot be converted into berths.
• SaRoNe 581: Converted from SaRo 581 in 1985 for Kitaguni services. The berths cannot be converted into seats.
• SaShi 581: Dining car. All withdrawn

• 
  Artist's impression of a KuHaNe 581 coach

Formations

(as of 1 July 2010)^[2]

JR East (Akita Depot)

JR East (Sendai Depot)

Set N1/N2:

JR West (Kyoto Depot)

Sets B04-06:

Interior

• 
  Seating arrangement in a 583 series coach
• 
  The interior of a Saro 581 Green seating car in 2010
• 
  The interior of a SaShi 581 dining car in 1985

History

The 581 series was introduced in 1967 on the Midori (Shin-Ōsaka - Kumamoto daytime limited express) and Gekkō (Shin-Osaka - Hakata night limited express).

The 583 series was introduced in 1968 on the Hatsukari (Ueno - Aomori via Tōhoku Main Line daytime), Hakutsuru (Ueno - Aomori via Tōhoku Main Line night), and Yūzuru (Ueno - Aomori via Jōban Line night).

These trains were subsequently used on other limited express services.

In 1982, when the Tohoku Shinkansen opened, many cars became surplus to requirements, and some were remodeled into 419 series and 715 series EMUs.

The last remaining trainset in service, a six-car set based at JR East's Akita Depot made its final run on 8 April 2017, on a charter service between Akita and Hirosaki.^[3]

Preserved examples

As of April 2016, four former 581 series cars are preserved statically.

• KuHaNe 581 8: Preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka (cosmetically restored from its previous identity as KuHa 715-1).^[4]
• SaHaNe 581 19: Preserved at the "Truck Kingdom" (トロッコ王国) in Bifuka, Hokkaido.^[4]
• SaShi 581 31: Preserved adjacent to the Hachinohe City Museum in Hachinohe, Aomori.^[4]
• KuHaNe 581 35: Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto since April 2016.^[5]

In February 2015, JR-West car KuHaNe 581 35, formerly stored at Suita Depot in Osaka, was moved to Kyoto for exhibition at the Kyoto Railway Museum opening in April 2016. It was returned from its previous Kitaguni livery to its original JNR blue and cream livery.^[6]

• 
  KuHaNe 581 8 at the Kyushu Railway History Museum
• 
  KuHaNe 581 35 at the Kyoto Railway Museum in May 2016

References

Further reading

• Fukuhara, Shunichi (28 February 2011). 581・583系物語 [The 581 and 583 series story]. Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 978-4533081569. 
• Teramoto, Mitsuteru (2014). よみがえる583系 [Recalling the 583 series]. Japan: Gakken Publishing. ISBN 9784054061095. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to JNR 583.

• "Kitaguni 583 series (JR Odekake net)". Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 2010-01-06. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) (in Japanese)

Electric multiple units of Japanese National Railways
DC commuter/suburban	12 52 63 72 101 103 105 111 113 115 117 119 121 123 201 203 205 207 211 213 301
DC express/limited express	80 151 153 155 157 159 161 165 167 169 181 183 185 189 381
AC/DC commuter/suburban	401 403 413 415 417 419 421 423
AC/DC express/limited express	451 453 455 457 471 473 475 481 483 485 489 581 583
AC commuter/suburban	711 713 715 717
AC limited express	781
Non-revenue/experimental	141 143 145 147 193 443 591 791
This list shows all JNR EMUs, both active and withdrawn. Shinkansen types are omitted.

Multiple units of Hokkaido Railway Company
Current / active	Shinkansen AC EMU H5 Conventional lines AC EMUs 721 731 733 735 785 789 DMUs KiHa 40 KiHa 54 KiHa 141 KiHa 150 KiHa 183 KiHa 201 KiHa 261 KiHa 281 KiHa 283 H100
Retired / withdrawn	Conventional lines AC/DC EMUs 485 583 AC EMUs 711 781 DMUs KiHa 22 kiHa 45 KiHa 56 KiHa 80 KiHa 130 KiHa 285 Non-revenue       DMUs KiHa 160 DMV

Multiple units of East Japan Railway Company
Current / active	Shinkansen       AC EMUs E2 series E3 series E4 series E5 series E6 series E7 series Conventional lines (Narrow- gauge) DC EMUs 107 115 E127 E129 205 209 211 215 E217 E231 E233 E235 185 189 251 253 255 E257 E259 E351 E353 AC/DC EMUs 415 E501 E531 485 651 E653 E655 E657 AC EMUs 701 719 E721 E751 BEMUs EV-E301 EV-E801 DMUs KiHa 40 KiHa 58 KiHa 100/110 KiHa E120 KiHa E130 KiHa 141 Hybrid MUs E001 KiHa E200 HB-E210 HB-E300 Non-revenue AC EMU E926 DC EMUs 143 145 E491 DC BEMU E995
Future	Shinkansen AC EMU ALFA-X Conventional DMU GV-E400
Retired / withdrawn	Shinkansen       AC EMUs 200 series 400 series E1 series Conventional lines DC EMUs KuMoHa 12 101 103 105 113 123 201 203 207 301 E331 157 165 167 169 183 AC/DC EMUs 401 403 417 451 453 455 457 483 489 583 AC EMUs 715 717 DMUs KiHa 20 KiHa 35 KiHa 37 KiHa 38 KiHa 45 Non-revenue AC EMUs 925 STAR21 Fastech 360 KuMoYa 740 KuMoYa 743 DC EMUs KuMoYa 90 193 901 E993   AC/DC EMUs KuMoYa 441 443 KuYa 497 E991 DMU KiYa 191 Hybrid MU KiYa E991

Multiple units of West Japan Railway Company
Current / active	Shinkansen       AC EMUs 500 700 N700 W7 Conventional lines (Narrow- gauge) DC EMUs 103 105 113 115 117 123 125 201 205 207 213 221 223 225 227 321 323 281 283 285 287 289 381 AC/DC EMUs 413 415 521 455 475 681 683 DMUs KiHa 40 KiHa 120 KiHa 121/126 KiHa 122/127 KiHa 187 KiHa 189 Non-revenue EMU 923-3000 145 443 DMU KiYa 141 KiYa 143
Future	Conventional lines     Hybrid MU 87 (Under manufacture, test, and commission)
Retired / withdrawn	Shinkansen       AC EMUs 0 100 300 Conventional lines DC EMUs KuMoHa 42 KuMoNi 83 101 211 165 167 183 AC/DC EMUs 419 457 471 485 489 583 DMUs KiHa 33 KiHa 35 KiHa 37 KiHa 45 KiHa 52 KiHa 58 KiHa 65 KiHa 181 Non-revenue EMU 922-20 WIN350 KuMoYa 90 KuMoYa 91 KuMoYa 441 DMU KiYa 191