323 series

The 323 series (323系, 323-kei) is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) on the Osaka Loop Line in Osaka, Japan, since December 2016. The trains replaced the ageing 103 series and 201 series trains.^[1]

323 series
Set LS21 on the Osaka Loop Line in December 2023
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo
Built at	Hyogo and Osaka
Replaced	103 series, 201 series
Constructed	2016–2019
Entered service	24 December 2016
Number built	176 vehicles (22 sets)
Number in service	176 vehicles (22 sets)
Formation	8 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers	LS01–LS22
Operators	JR West
Lines served	O Osaka Loop Line P Sakurajima Line
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel
Car length	20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in)
Width	2,950 mm (9 ft 8 in)
Height	3,630 mm (11 ft 11 in)
Doors	3 pairs per side
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Traction system	Variable frequency (SiC-MOSFET)
Power output	220 kW per motor
Acceleration	2.8 km/h/s (1.74 mph/s)
Deceleration	3.9 km/h/s (2.45 mph/s)
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC
Current collection	Overhead catenary
Bogies	WDT63C (motored) WT246I (trailer, driving cars) WT246H (trailer, intermediate cars)
Safety system(s)	ATS-SW2, ATS-P3 and Dead man's switch
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Design

The eight-car trains have stainless steel bodies, and the exterior livery features orange highlights.^[1] Each car has three pairs of sliding doors per side, unlike the 103 and 201 series trains which have four pairs per side.^[1]

Formation

The trains are formed of eight cars formed as follows, with all cars motored (only one motored bogie per car).^[2]

Car No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Designation	M'c	M	M'	M'	M5	M'	M'	Mc
Numbering	KuMoHa 322-xx	MoHa 323-xx	MoHa 322-xx	MoHa 322-xx	MoHa 323-5xx	MoHa 322-xx	MoHa 322-xx	KuMoHa 323-xx
Weight (t)	36.1	37.0	39.1	39.1	36.3	39.1	39.1	39.7
Capacity (total/seated)	139/43	153/49	153/49	153/49	153/49	153/49	153/49	140/35

Car 2 has two WPS28E single-arm pantographs, while cars 5 and 8 each have one.^[2]

Car 4 is designated as a women-only car.^[3]

• 
  KuMoHa 322-2 in January 2017
• 
  MoHa 323-4 in January 2017
• 
  MoHa 322-5 in January 2017
• 
  MoHa 323-503 in January 2017
• 
  MoHa 322-7 in January 2017
• 
  KuMoHa 323-2 in January 2017

Interior

Passenger accommodation feature longitudinal bench seating throughout, with priority seating at one end of each car, and a wheelchair/stroller space at the opposite end.^[4] The passenger saloons use LED lighting, with the lighting in car 4 (women-only car) adjusted to have a more orange "tungsten lighting" tinge to distinguish it from other cars.^[3] On car 8, the seats closest to the doors are removed to improve passenger circulation.^[5] Passenger information announcements are provided in two languages, and information screens are in four languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean), with pairs of screens over each door, and pairs at either end of the cars.^[4] WiFi service is also provided.^[4]

• 
  Interior of MoHa 322-2 in December 2016
• 
  Interior of a women-only car in December 2016
• 
  Bench seating in December 2016
• 
  Priority seats at the end of a car in December 2016
• 
  LCD passenger information screens above the doorways in December 2016

History

Details of the new trains on order were first announced by JR West in December 2014.^[1] A total of 21 eight-car sets (168 vehicles) were scheduled to be introduced between fiscal 2016 and 2019, entirely replacing the fleet of twenty-three 103 and 201 series trains.^[4] The first trainset, LS01, was unveiled to the press at the Kinki Sharyo factory in Osaka on 24 June 2016, and delivered to JR West on 30 June.^{[6] [7]} The trains entered revenue service on 24 December 2016.^[8][9]

Build details

The build details for the fleet are as follows.^[10]

Set No.	Manufacturer	Date delivered	Other
LS01	Kinki Sharyo	3 July 2016
LS02		25 October 2016
LS03		8 November 2016
LS04		22 November 2016
LS05		6 December 2016
LS06		22 December 2016
LS07		12 January 2017
LS08	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	18 May 2017
LS09	Kinki Sharyo	24 August 2017
LS10		7 September 2017
LS11		12 October 2017
LS12		9 November 2017
LS13	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	8 August 2018
LS14		19 September 2018
LS15		31 October 2018	Super Nintendo World
LS16	Kinki Sharyo	22 January 2019[11]
LS17		1 February 2019
LS18	Kawasaki Heavy Industries	4 March 2019
LS19	Kinki Sharyo	27 February 2019
LS20		15 March 2019
LS21		27 March 2019
LS22		29 August 2018[12]

Gallery

• 
  Set LS15 with a wrapped-over Super Nintendo World (Universal Studios Japan) advertisement
• 
  External destination board
•