# 255 series

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Japanese train type

"Boso View Express" redirects here. For the train simulator, see [BVE Trainsim](/source/BVE_Trainsim).

255 series Bōsō View Express A 255 series EMU on a Shiosai service in June 2021 In service 2 July 1993 – 2024 (regular service) Manufacturers Kinki Sharyo, Tokyu Car Family name Bōsō View Express Replaced 183 series Constructed 1993–1994 Entered service 2 July 1993 Number built 45 vehicles (5 sets) Number in service 9 vehicles (1 sets) Number retired 36 vehicles (4 sets) Successor E259 series (Shiosai) Formation 9 cars per trainset Fleet numbers Be01 – Be05 Operator JR East Depot Makuhari Lines served Keiyo Line Sōbu Main Line Sotobō Line Uchibō Line Yokosuka Line Specifications Car body construction Steel Car length 21,000 mm (68 ft 11 in) (end cars) 20,500 mm (67 ft 3 in) (intermediate cars) Width 2,946 mm (9 ft 8.0 in) Height 3,785 mm (12 ft 5.0 in) Doors 1 sliding door per side Maximum speed 130 km/h (80 mph) Traction system Variable frequency (IGBT) Power output 95 kW x 16 = 1,520 kW Electric system 1,500 V DC overhead Bogies DT56E (motored), TR241E (trailer) Safety systems ATS-P, ATS-SN Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The **255 series** ([Japanese](/source/Japanese_language): 255系), branded **Bōsō View Express** (房総ビューエクスプレス), is a [DC](/source/Direct_current) [electric multiple unit](/source/Electric_multiple_unit) (EMU) train type operated by [East Japan Railway Company](/source/East_Japan_Railway_Company) (JR East) in Japan. It was introduced into commercial service on 2 July 1993,[1] and was specifically designed to be used on [limited express](/source/Limited_express) services from Tokyo to the [Bōsō Peninsula](/source/B%C5%8Ds%C5%8D_Peninsula).

## Design

The trains were built jointly by [Kinki Sharyo](/source/Kinki_Sharyo) and [Tokyu Car](/source/Tokyu_Car),[2] with a steel body design based directly on the earlier [253 series](/source/253_series) EMUs built for *[Narita Express](/source/Narita_Express)* services, although the window height was increased by 100 mm.[3] It is the first JR East limited express rolling stock to feature [VVVF](/source/VVVF) [Gate turn-off thyristor](/source/Gate_turn-off_thyristor) traction control systems, based on the results of trials with the prototype [209 series](/source/209_series) commuter EMUs.[3]

DT56E [bogies](/source/Bogie) are used on motored cars, and TR241E bogies are used on trailer cars.[3]

## Operations

### Sōbu Main Line

- *[Shiosai](/source/Shiosai)*: Tokyo – [Chōshi](/source/Ch%C5%8Dshi_Station) (since 10 December 2005)[4]

### Sotobō Line

- *[Wakashio](/source/Wakashio)*: [Awa-Kamogawa](/source/Awa-Kamogawa_Station) – Tokyo

- *Shinjuku Wakashio*: Shinjuku – [Awa-Kamogawa](/source/Awa-Kamogawa_Station)

## Formations

The five 9-car sets, numbered Be01 to Be05, are formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Tokyo end. Trains consist of four motored "MoHa" and five "KuHa", "SaHa", and "SaRo" trailer cars.[1][3]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Designation Tc' M2 M1 Ts T2 T1 M2 M1 Tc Numbering KuHa 254 MoHa 254 MoHa 255 SaRo 255 SaHa 254 SaHa 255 MoHa 254 MoHa 255 KuHa 255 Weight (t) 31.1 35.7 33.6 29.2 28.1 27.3 35.7 33.6 31.7 Seating capacity 64 64 68 42 58 64 64 68 52

Cars 2 and 8 are each equipped with one PS26A scissors-type pantograph.[1]

### Passenger facilities

- Green (first class) car: Car 4

- Toilets: Cars 2, 4, 5, 7, 9

- Wheelchair space: Car 5

- Telephone: Car 4

## Interior

Seating is arranged 2+2 abreast in both standard class and Green class, with a seat pitch of 970 mm (38 in) in standard class, and a seat pitch of 1,160 mm (46 in) in Green class.[3]

		- Green car (SaRo 255-1) interior view

		- Green class seating

		- Standard class car (MoHa 254-2) interior view

		- Standard class seating

## History

A 255 series set on a *Sazanami* service in March 2008, with original front-end skirt design

The first two sets, Be01 and Be02, were delivered in March and April 1993, entering revenue service from 2 July 1993 on *View Wakashio* and *[View Sazanami](/source/View_Sazanami)* limited express services.[4] Three more sets, Be03 to Be05, were delivered in October and November 1994.[4]

From the start of the revised timetable on 12 December 2000, the Green car (car 4) was made entirely no smoking.[4]

The destination indicators on the sides of cars were changed from the original [roller blind](/source/Roller_blind) type to LED indicators between October and November 2005.[4]

From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, *View Wakashio* and *View Sazanami* services were renamed simply *Wakashio* and *Sazanami*, and 255 series sets were also introduced on *Shiosai* services.[4] All cars were made no-smoking from this date.[4]

The front-end skirt design was modified during 2010.[1]

From 2014, the 255 series sets were retrofitted with [IGBT](/source/IGBT)-based traction control systems.[5]

### Withdrawal

Initially, the 255 series sets were slated to be withdrawn from *Wakashio*, *Sazanami*, and *Shiosai* services before the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2024,[6][7] however, their withdrawal from regular service was deferred until June 2024 with the last regularly scheduled *Sazanami* and *Wakashio* services using this series taking place on 28 and 29 June respectively.[8] They have since remained in limited operation for special services.[7] Set Be05 was withdrawn from service in June 2024,[8] followed by set Be01 in July 2024.[9]

## See also

- [E257 series](/source/E257_series), also used on Bōsō limited express services

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-jrr2012_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-jrr2012_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-jrr2012_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-jrr2012_1-3) JR電車編成表 2012冬 [*JR EMU Formations – Winter 2012*]. Japan: JRR. October 2011. p. 50. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4-330-25611-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4-330-25611-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dj359_2-0)** Saka, Masahiro (March 2014). JR第1世代の車両・現況と概要 [JR 1st-generation rolling stock: Current situation and overview]. *Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine* (in Japanese). **43** (359): 22.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-journal321_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-journal321_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-journal321_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-journal321_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-journal321_3-4) Nomoto, Hiroshi (July 1993). 255系特急形直流電車 [255 series DC limited express EMU]. *Railway Journal* (321): 82–89.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-jrr2009_4-6) JR電車編成表 2009夏 [*JR EMU Formations – Summer 2009*]. Japan: JRR. June 2009. p. 48. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-4-330-06909-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-4-330-06909-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [「E」のつかない特急型は2系式に JR東日本初期に登場した車両の現在と今後は？](https://rail.hobidas.com/feature/455908/) [Only two limited express types without "E" exist. What is the current status and future of the vehicles that appeared during the early days of JR East?]. *RM News*. Japan: Neko Publishing. 11 April 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2024BosoExp_6-0)** ["2023【ダイヤ改正日】 2024年3月16日（土） - JR東日本"](https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2023/chiba/20231215_c01.pdf) [2023[Timetable revision date] Saturday, March 16, 2024 - JR East] (PDF) (in Japanese). JR East. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_7-1) [JR東日本255系、特急「ビューさざなみ」「ビューわかしお」9月運転](https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20240612-2964462/) [JR East to operate 255 series EMUs on limited express "View Sazanami" and "View Wakashio" services from September]. *Mynavi News* (in Japanese). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Endrs_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Endrs_8-1) ["【詳報】2024年3月ダイヤ改正からの延長運用～特急「わかしお」「さざなみ」の255系定期運用終了"](https://rail.hobidas.com/rmnews/501237/) [[Details] Extended operation from March 2024 timetable revision - End of regular operation of 255 series limited express trains “Wakashio” and “Sazanami”]. *RM News* (in Japanese). Neko Publishing. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 2 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["255系Be-01編成が郡山へ"](https://railf.jp/news/2024/07/18/082000.html) [255 series set Be-01 to Koriyama]. *Japan Railfan Magazine Online* (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [JR East 255](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:JR_East_255).

- [255 series *Shiosai*/*Wakashio*/*Sazanami*](https://web.archive.org/web/20080923235945/http://www.jreast.co.jp/train/express/255.html) (in Japanese)

v t e Multiple-units of East Japan Railway Company Current / active Shinkansen AC EMUs E2 E3 E5 E6 E7 E8 Conventional lines (Narrow- gauge) DC EMUs Commuter E127 E129 E131 205 209 211 E231 E233 E235 Limited express 253 255 E257 E259 E261 E353 AC/DC EMUs Commuter E501 E531 Limited express E653 E655 E657 AC EMUs Commuter 701 719 E721 Limited express E751 BEMUs DC EV-E301 AC EV-E801 DMUs Diesel KiHa 40 KiHa 100/110 KiHa E120 KiHa E130 KiHa 141 Diesel-electric GV-E400 Hybrid MUs Commuter KiHa E200 HB-E210 HB-E220 Resort/deluxe trains E001 HB-E300 Non-revenue AC EMUs E926 "East-i" E956 DC EMUs 143 145 AC/DC EMUs E491 E493 DMUs Diesel KiYa E193 KiYa E195 Diesel-electric GV-E197 Future Shinkansen AC EMUs E10 Conventional lines AC EMUs E723 Fuel cell EMUs FV-E991 Retired / withdrawn Shinkansen AC EMUs 200 400 E1 E4 Conventional lines DC EMUs Commuter KuMoHa 12 KuMoHa 40 101 103 105 107 113 115 123 201 203 207 E217 301 Limited express 157 165 167 169 183 185 189 215 251 E351 AC/DC EMUs Commuter 403 415 417 453 455 457 Limited express 483 485 489 583 651 AC EMUs 715 717 DMUs KiHa 20 KiHa 30 KiHa 35 KiHa 37 KiHa 38 KiHa 45 KiHa 52 KiHa 58 KiHa 59 Non-revenue AC EMUs 925 STAR21 KuMoYa 740 KuMoYa 743 DC EMUs KuMoYa 90 193 901 E331 E993 AC/DC EMUs KuMoYa 441 443 KuYa 497 E991 DMU KiYa 191 Hybrid MU KiYa E991 DC BEMU E995 Experimental Fastech 360 E331

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [255 series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/255_series) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/255_series?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.