#3328
101 series
🇯🇵 Japan ·built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries· from 1957· Japanese electric multiple unit train type
2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. 1987-8-kumoha101-205: TRJN· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2. 阪和線1978-19: Gohachiyasu1214· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The 101 series (101系, 101-kei) 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 The last remaining trains were withdrawn in November 2003.
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 69 years ago, in 1957.
- 20 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 57 years (1957–2014).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1957
- in service from
- 1957
- retired
- 2014
- status
- retired
- number built
- 1,535
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- builders
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Nippon Sharyo, Kisha Seizo, Japan Transport Engineering Company, Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing
- operators
- Japanese National Railways, East Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company, Chichibu Railway
- top speed
- 100 km/h
- power
- 100 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- electric system
- 1,500 V DC overhead catenary
- formation
- 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 or 10 cars per trainset
- length
- 20 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q4546344, Wikipedia: 101 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.