#4616
123 series
🇯🇵 Japan ·built by Japanese National Railways· from 1986· Japanese single-car electric multiple unit train type
3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Kumoha 123-1: Kei365· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. JR West 123 series EMU 123-6 at Onoda Station. December 2025: Travelweb.au· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 3. JR West 123 series EMU 123-3 at Ubeshinkawa Station. December 2025: Travelweb.au· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The 123 series (123系, 123-kei) is a single-car electric multiple unit (EMU) train type introduced in 1986 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) through the conversion of former baggage cars for passenger service. JNR converted eleven cars which, upon the division and privatization of JNR on 1 April 1987, were transferred to East Japan Railway Company (JR East), Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), and West Japan Railway Company (JR West). JR Central converted a further 2 cars in March 1988.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 40 years ago, in 1986.
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1986
- in service from
- 1986
- number built
- 13
- kind
- Electric multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Japanese National Railways, Central Japan Railway Company
- operators
- Japanese National Railways, East Japan Railway Company, Central Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 1,500 V DC
- formation
- Single car
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q2512967, Wikipedia: 123 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.