The was an AC

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 operated by

Hokkaido Railway Company The is one of the constituent companies of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group), and is often referred to by its official abbreviation: . It operates intercity and local rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart ...

(JR Hokkaido) on

Sapporo is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in the southwest of Hokkaido, it lies within the alluvial fan of the Toyohira River, a tributary of the Ishikari River. Sapporo is the capital ...

area suburban services in

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

, Japan, from 1968 until March 2015. It was the first AC EMU train to be operated in Japan by the former

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). The last remaining trains in service were withdrawn on 13 March 2015.

Fleet

By 1 October 2014, 36 vehicles (12 sets) were still in service, all based at Sapporo Depot.

Formations

The 711 series trains were formed as three-car sets with one motored intermediate car and two non-powered driving trailer cars, as shown below. Car 2 was fitted with one N-PS785 single-arm pantograph.

Former prototype sets S901/902

The former prototype sets, S901 and S902 were formed as shown below.

Interior

Seating consisted of a mixture of transverse seating bays and longitudinal bench seating. File:Kuha711 210inside01.JPG, Interior of KuHa 711-210 (set S-110) in October 2011 File:Kuha711 210inside02.JPG, A four-person seating bay in KuHa 711-210 (set S-110) in October 2011

History

Prototype sets

Two prototype two-car sets, numbered KuMoHa 711-901 + KuHa 711-901 and KuMoHa 711-902 + KuHa 711-902, were delivered in February 1967 for test running ahead of the start of electric suburban services between and from 1968. Both sets were based on the KiHa 22 diesel multiple unit design, but set 901 had opening two-pane windows and featured two sets of four-leaf folding doors per side, whereas set 902 had sealed double-glazed windows, as used on the subsequent full-production sets. The two sets were modified to full-production standards in 1968 and 1970, but set 901 retained its opening windows.

Full-production sets

The first full-production three-car sets were delivered from August 1968. A third, centre, door was added to some of the KuHa 711 cars from 1987. All cars became no-smoking from 1 July 1992. Priority seating was added from 1 October 1997. Air conditioning was added to the two-door sets between 2001 and 2002. The original scissors-type pantographs were replaced with N-PS785 single-arm pantographs between 2004 and 2005. File:JNR-711EMU S107.jpg, Set S107 in original livery in 1982 File:JNR 711 series EMU 073.JPG, Set S-111 with three-door end cars, November 2009

Repainted sets

In 2011, set S-110 was repainted into its original

JNR 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 ...

all-over crimson livery, and this was followed in May 2012 by a second similarly repainted set, S-114.

Withdrawal

711 series 24 series Jinyamachi Rinkai Yard 20150703

The last remaining sets in service were withdrawn on 13 March 2015.

Preserved examples

, three 711 series vehicles have been preserved, as follows. * KuHa 711 29: Preserved in

Chitose, Hokkaido is a city located in Ishikari Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan, and home to the New Chitose Airport, the biggest international airport in Hokkaido and closest airport to Sapporo, as well as the neighboring Chitose Air Base. As of February 1, 2024 ...

, and used as the "Cafe Garden Station" restaurant * KuHa 711 103 + KuHa 711 203: Preserved outside in

Iwamizawa, Hokkaido is a Cities of Japan, city in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of Sorachi Subprefecture. As of July 31, 2023, the city had an estimated population of 75,949 and the population density, density of 158 persons per km2. Th ...

File:JNR711 S-103 Aguri Station 20151003.jpg, Preserved cars KuHa 711 103 + KuHa 711 203 in October 2015