E653 series
Introduction The  is an AC/DC dual-voltage electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan on limited express services since 1997.Originally used on Joban Line ''Fresh Hitachi'' limited express services between  in Tokyo and , they were reallocated to  for use on ''Inaho'' limited express services from 2013 and on ''Shirayuki'' limited express services from 2015.
Variants * '''E653-0 series''': Original (eight 7-car and four 4-car) AC/DC sets built from 1997 for use on Joban Line ''Fresh Hitachi'' limited express services* '''E653-1000 series''': 7-car sets modified from E653-0 series between 2013 and 2014 for use on ''Inaho'' limited express services from September 2013* '''E653-1100 series''': 4-car sets modified from E653-0 series between 2014 and 2015 for use on ''Shirayuki'' limited express services from March 2015
Operations ===1997–2013 ''Fresh Hitachi''===From their introduction in 1997, the E653 series trains operated on ''Fresh Hitachi'' limited express services between  in Tokyo and  via the Joban Line as seven-, seven + four-, and seven + seven-car formations, but were withdrawn from regular scheduled services from the start of the revised timetable on 16 March 2013.===2013- ''Inaho''===From the start of the revised timetable on 28 September 2013, reformed E653 series sets displaced from ''Fresh Hitachi'' services by new E657 series sets were phased in on ''Inaho'' services operating between Niigata and Akita, replacing JNR-era 485 series EMUs and reclassified E653-1000 series. The ''Inaho'' fleet consists of eight seven-car E653-1000 series sets modified with the addition of a Green (first class) car and a new livery evoking images of the sunset, rice plants, and the sea.===2015– ''Shirayuki''===From the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2015, four-car E653-1100 series sets were introduced on new ''Shirayuki'' limited express services operating between  and .
Formations , the fleet consists of eight seven-car sets (U101 to U108) and four four-car sets (H201 to H204), all based at Niigata Depot.===''Inaho'' E653-1000 series 7-car sets U101–U108===The reformed seven-car ''Inaho'' E653-1000 series sets (U101 to U108) are based at Niigata Depot and formed as follows, with four motored ("M") cars and three non-powered trailer ("T") cars, and car 1 at the Akita (northern) end. Car No. 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Designation Tsc'  M1  M2  T  M1  M2  Tc Numbering KuRo E652-100x  MoHa E653-10xx  MoHa E652-10xx  SaHa E653-100x  MoHa E653-10xx  MoHa E652-10xx  KuHa E653-100x* Cars 2 and 5 each have one PS32 single-arm pantograph. * Cars 1, 3, 4, and 6 have toilets.===''Shirayuki'' E653-1100 series 4-car sets H201–H204===The reformed four-car ''Shirayuki'' E653-1100 series sets (H201 to H204) are formed as follows, with two motored ("M") cars and two non-powered trailer ("T") cars, and car 1 at the Arai end. Car No. 1  2  3  4 Designation T'c  M1  M2  Tc Numbering KuHa E652-110x  MoHa E653-110x  MoHa E652-110x  KuHa E653-110xCar 2 is equipped with one PS32 single-arm pantograph.===Original (''Fresh Hitachi'') 7-car sets K301–K308===The original ''Fresh Hitachi'' seven-car sets were formed as follows, with car 1 at the south (Ueno) end. Car No. 1  2  3  4  5  6  7 Designation T'c  M1  M2  T  M1  M2  Tc Numbering KuHa E652  MoHa E653  MoHa E652  SaHa E653  MoHa E653  MoHa E652  KuHa E653* Cars 2 and 5 each had one PS32 single-arm pantograph. * Cars 1, 3, 4, and 6 had toilets.===Original (''Fresh Hitachi'') 4-car sets K351–K354===The original ''Fresh Hitachi'' four-car sets were formed as follows, with car 8 at the south (Ueno) end. Car No. 8  9  10  11 Designation T'c  M1  M2  Tc Numbering KuHa E652-100  MoHa E653  MoHa E652  KuHa E653-100Car 9 was equipped with one PS32 single-arm pantograph.
Interior ===E653-0 series===All cars in the original E653-0 series sets were standard class with 2+2 seating and  seat pitch.File:E653 Fresh Hitachi 20100124.JPG|Original E653 series interior view (standard class) in January 2010File:Seat of JR E653.JPG|Original E653 series standard class seating===E653-1000 series===The Green (first class) cars in E653-1000 series sets have 2+1 seating, arranged with pairs of seats on the seaward side and single seats on the landward side. Seat rows are aligned with the windows, giving a seat pitch of , double that for standard class, and additional privacy is added by partitions between each seat row. The Green car seats 18 passengers.File:JREastE653SeriesGreenSeat1.JPG|The interior of an E653-1000 series Green carFile:JREastE653SeriesGreenSeat2.JPG|Green car seatingFile:JREastE653SeriesGreenSeatLounge.JPG|The mini-lounge area in a Green car
History E653 series were introduced from 1 October 1997.The refreshment vending machines were discontinued from 31 March 2008.From 17 March 2012, the E653 series trains were gradually phased out from ''Fresh Hitachi'' services with the introduction of new E657 series ten-car EMUs. Original plans were for some E653 series sets to be reassigned to new limited express services operating on the Joban Line between  and , with three four-car sets due to be repainted into a new  blue livery for use on services between Iwaki and Sendai and the rest of the fleet transferred elsewhere. These plans were abandoned following the suspension of services north of Iwaki on the Joban Line after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.From the start of the revised timetable on 28 September 2013, reformed E653-1000 series seven-car sets were introduced on ''Inaho'' services, operating between Niigata and Akita. Set U102 was the first E653-1000 series to enter revenue service, being used on a special  charter service between Niigata and Sakata on 14 September 2013.The sub-fleet of four four-car sets were renumbered as E653-1100 series sets for use on new ''Shirayuki'' limited express services operating between  and  from the start of the revised timetable on 14 March 2015.These sets received a new livery consisting of ivory white with vermillion and blue stripes intended to evoke an image of the sunset over the Sea of Japan. The interiors were refitted with new seat covers, similar to those used in the E7 series and W7 series shinkansen trains.===E653-1000 series livery changes===The fleet of E653-1000 series sets used on ''Inaho'' services is undergoing a programme of reliverying beginning in 2017, with sets each receiving different colour liveries. Set U106 received an all-over ultramarine livery, returning to service in October 2017, and set U107 received an all-over deep pink () livery, returning to service in December 2017.
Fleet histories The manufacturers and build dates for the fleet are as shown below.===7-car sets=== Set No. Original set No. Delivered Manufacturer Original colour Conversion date Notes U101 K301 22 July 1997 Hitachi  Red 25 June 2013   U102 K302 4 August 1997  Blue 28 August 2013   U103 K303 7 August 1997 Kinki Sharyo  Yellow 31 October 2013   U104 K304 26 August 1997 Tokyu Car  Green 9 January 2014   U105 K305 4 November 1998 Hitachi  Red 18 March 2014   U106 K306 18 November 1998 Kinki Sharyo  Yellow 19 June 2014  Reliveried in all-over ultramarine in October 2017.U107 K307 24 November 1998 Tokyu Car  Green 1 September 2014  Reliveried in all-over deep-pink in December 2017.U108 K308/K354 25 November 1998 Hitachi  Blue 26 March 2015 Reformed from 4 cars of former set K354 and 3 intermediate cars (4–6) of former set K308.===4-car sets=== Set No. Original set No. Delivered Manufacturer Original colour Conversion date Notes H201 K351 18 November 1998 Kinki Sharyo  Orange 26 February 2015 H202 K352 24 November 1998 Tokyu Car 26 February 2015 H203 K353 25 November 1998 Hitachi 4 March 2015 H204 K308 27 February 2005 26 February 2015 Formed from cars 1–3 and 7 of former set K308File:E653 K305 Tomobe 20080524.JPG|Red livery 7-car set K305 in May 2008Jreast 653.jpg|Blue livery 7-car set K302 in April 2003File:JR East E653yellow.jpg|Yellow livery 7-car set K303 in April 2006File:JREast-E653-K304.jpg|Green livery 7-car set K304 in May 2008File:JREastE653K352.JPG|Orange livery 4-car set K352 in March 2007File:E653-1000 Inaho 5 Sakamachi 20140322.jpg|7-car E653-1000 series EMU set U101 in March 2014File:E653-1100 H202 20150302.jpg|4-car E653-1100 series set H202 in March 2015
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