The is a DC

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 o ...

(EMU) train type formerly operated by

Japanese National Railways The , abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pre ...

(JNR), and currently operated on local services by

West Japan Railway Company , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

(JR West) in Japan since 1981. They were also formerly operated by

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

(JR East).

Overview

The 105 series was introduced in 1981 to replace early EMU types operating on the

Fukuen Line The is a railway line in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It connects Fukuyama Station in Fukuyama to Miyoshi Station in Miyoshi. Stations Former connecting lines * Sankō Line The ...

Ube Line The is a railway line in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line connects Shin-Yamaguchi Station in Yamaguchi and Ube Station in Ube. Stations All stations are in Yamaguchi Prefecture. ...

, and

Onoda Line The is a railway line in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). The line connects Ube-Shinkawa Station in Ube and Onoda Station in San'yō-Onoda. The , which runs from Suzemeda to Motoyama, is part ...

in western Japan. The rural nature and low line speed of these lines meant that

101 series The was a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type introduced in 1957 by Japanese National Railways (JNR), and formerly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR-West). The last remaining tra ...

103 series The is a DC electric multiple unit (EMU) commuter train type introduced in 1963 by Japanese National Railways (JNR), and currently operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). They were also operate ...

commuter EMUs would have been unnecessarily over-powered with their high proportion of motored cars, and so the 105 series was designed with one motored car per two cars. The first sets introduced were 105-0 series two-car sets which were newly built in 1981 with three pairs of doors per side. 105-500 series two-car sets were later introduced, converted from former

EMU cars, with four pairs of doors per side. As of 1 April 2012, 56 2-car sets are operated by JR-West, based at Hineno, Okayama, Shimonoseki, and Hiroshima depots.

105-0 series

60 105-0 series vehicles were built in 1981, formed as two-car sets for use on the

and

, and four-car sets for use on the

. Initially, these sets were not equipped with air-conditioning.

Formations

These were originally formed as follows.

4-car sets

The KuMoHa and MoHa cars were each equipped with one lozenge-type pantograph.

2-car sets

The KuMoHa cars are equipped with one lozenge-type pantograph.

Interior

Seating accommodation consists of longitudinal bench seating throughout each car. File:1987-3-31-kuha104-6.JPG, A non-air-conditioned 105-0 series set in Fukuen Line livery in 1987

105-500/600 series

The 105-500/600 series variant was introduced from October 1984, coinciding with the electrification of the

Nara Line The is a commuter rail line in the Osaka–Kobe–Kyoto metropolitan area, operated by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West). Its official termini are Kizu Station in Kizugawa and Kyōto Station in Kyoto, within Kyoto Prefecture; however ...

between Kyoto and Nara, and the

Wakayama Line The is a railway line that links Nara Prefecture to Wakayama Prefecture, both in the Kansai region of Japan, operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West). It connects Ōji Station on the Yamatoji Line to Wakayama Station on the Hanwa Line ...

between Wakayama and Gojō. Budget restraints prevented the construction of new trains, and instead, former

Jōban Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The line officially begins at Nippori Station in Arakawa, Tokyo before the line officially ends at Iwanuma Station in Iwanuma, Miyagi. However, following ...

103-1000 series EMU cars made surplus by the introduction of

203 series The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan between 1982 and 2011 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and currently operated by KAI Commuter and Philippine National Rail ...

EMUs were modified with the addition of new cab ends to form 2-car 105-500 series sets.

Senseki Line sets

In March 1987, four former 103 series air-conditioned driving cars were converted to become 2-car 105 series sets for use on the

Senseki Line The is a railway line in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Aoba-dōri Station in Sendai to Ishinomaki Station in Ishinomaki, and provides access to the central coast areas of ...

in the Sendai area. These sets retained the original non-gangwayed 103 series cab ends.

References

{{JR-West rolling stock Electric multiple units of Japan East Japan Railway Company Train-related introductions in 1981 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan