JR East announced on November 18, 2022 that some of the E657 series limited express trains on the Joban Line would revive the five colors of the former E653 series trains
*The “Green Lake” has started running since December 26, 2022.
*The “Scarlet blossom” has started running since February 12, 2023.
*The “Yellow Jonquil” has started running since April 29, 2023.
*The “Blue Ocean” has started running since June 10, 2023.
*The “Orange Persimon” has started running since October 6, 2023.
The E657 series is a dual-voltage Japanese limited express electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company since March 2012.
The E657 series was first announced by JR East in December 2010 as a train that would eventually replace aging 651 and E653 series cars on the Jōban Line. The first set, K1, was supposed to be delivered to JR East’s Katsuta Depot in April 2011, but due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that year, delivery was postponed to May; the set was delivered on 27 May 2011, with more sets delivered over the following years.
The first set entered service on 3 March 2012 on a special Hula Girl Limited Express service; seven sets had been delivered by 17 March 2012 with the introduction of the revised timetable, with more sets entering service with the introduction of said timetable. The goal of the E657 series’ introduction was achieved on 16 March 2013 with the introduction of the revised timetable; the sets completely replaced all 651 and E653 series sets on Super Hitachi services on that date, with all sixteen sets of the initial order in service.
A total of nineteen sets were built; all are based at Katsuta Depot.
The E657 series uses a streamlined design with a pale pink body with lavender and red accents; the design of the sets’s end cars are based on the 651 series’s end cars, while the red accents are used to evoke an image of the ume plums around the area.
Five sets have been repainted into liveries reminiscent of the E653 series sets they replaced on Fresh Hitachi services between December 2022 and 2023 as part of the Ibaraki Destination Campaign; K1 received the Blue Ocean livery, K2 the Yellow Jonquil livery, K12 the Scarlet Blossom livery and K17 the Green Lake livery. The Orange Persimmon livery was the last of the five to be applied, being applied to K3 in September 2023.
Construction is of an aluminum alloy. End cars are 21,100 meters long while intermediate cars are 20 meters long. The train’s traction system consists of insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives manufactured by Hitachi which make a wooshing sound as the train accelerates from idle.
The E657 series is equipped with a later version of a musical horn that is standard on most of JR East’s Limited Express fleet. The musical horn is usually blasted when a set is about to depart.
Ryotaishi Bridge, Taito, Tokyo, Japan
Photo Taken: April 05, 2024
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