The is an electric multiple unit

Electric multiple unit

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

 (EMU) train used for commuter services operated by East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East). Only one trainset has been built, and it differs significantly from other JR commuter EMUs in having articulated

Articulated vehicle

An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivoting joint in its construction, allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply. There are many kinds of articulated vehicles, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains...

 cars with shared bogies and using direct-drive

Direct drive mechanism

A Direct drive mechanism is one that takes the power coming from a motor without any reductions .-Advantages:* Increased efficiency: The power is not wasted in friction...

 motors.

Formation

The lone set (AK1) is formed as follows, with car 1 at the Tokyo end.

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Designation	Tc'	M	T2	M	T	M	T4	T3	M	T2	M	T	M	Tc
Numbering	KuHa E330-1	MoHa E331-6	SaHa E331-502	MoHa E331-5	SaHa E331-2	MoHa E331-4	SaHa E331-1001	SaHa E330-1	MoHa E331-3	SaHa E331-501	MoHa E331-2	SaHa E331-1	MoHa E331-1	KuHa E331-1

Cars 3 and 10 (SaHa E331-502 and SaHa E331-501) are each fitted with one PS37 single-arm pantograph.

Interior

Cars 2 to 13 have longitudinal seating, while the end cars 1 and 14 have transverse seating bays which can be rotated and rearranged longitudinally.

History

Incorporating new technology tested on the earlier experimental E993 series "AC Train", the E331 series was delivered to JR East in March 2006. Cars 1 to 7 were built by Tokyu Car Corporation

Tokyu Car Corporation

is a manufacturer of heavy rail cars in Japan. The company is based in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Japan, and a member of Tokyu Group. Tokyu Car manufactures rail vehicles not only for Tokyu Corporation but for other Japanese operators, including various Japan Railways Group companies and...

 in Yokohama

Yokohama

is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

, and cars 8 to 14 were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....

 in Kobe

Kobe

, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...

.

Following extensive test running, the set entered revenue service on the Keiyō Line

Keiyo Line

The is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company .It provides the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center...

between Tokyo and from the start of the revised timetable on 18 March 2007. It was soon removed from service on 26 March for modifications. The set was returned to service on 23 December 2008.

The set was again removed from revenue service in May 2009, returning to service on 3 April 2010.

External links

• JR E331 series