583 series
The 581/583 series are a class of limited express electric multiple unit introduced in 1967 by Japanese National Railways and later operated by East Japan Railway Company and West Japan Railway Company on the through services express Kitaguni and other special trains until 2017.
The seats of the 581 and 583 series trains could be transformed into three-berth beds, enabling the trains to be used on both daytime and night train services.
, just six cars remained in service, operated by JR East and based at Akita Depot for use on additional and charter services. This last trainset was withdrawn in April 2017.
Individual car types
- KuHaNe 581: Cab car with air compressor and motor-generator
- KuHaNe 583: Cab car with air compressor and motor-generator
- MoHaNe 580: Motored car with two pantographs
- MoHaNe 581: Motored car coupled to MoHaNe 580
- MoHaNe 582: Motored car with two pantographs
- MoHaNe 583: Motored car coupled to MoHaNe 582
- SaHaNe 581: Intermediate trailer car. All withdrawn.
- SaRo 581: Green intermediate trailer car. The seats cannot be converted into berths.
- SaRoNe 581: Converted from SaRo 581 in 1985 for Kitaguni services. The berths cannot be converted into seats.
- SaShi 581: Dining car. All withdrawn.
Formations
JR East (Akita Depot)
JR East (Sendai Depot)
Set N1/N2:| Car No. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Numbering | KuHaNe 583 | MoHaNe 582 | MoHaNe 583 | MoHaNe 582 | MoHaNe 583 | KuHaNe 583 |
JR West (Kyoto Depot)
Sets B04-06:Interior
History
The 581 series was introduced in 1967 on the Midori and Gekkō.The 583 series was introduced in 1968 on the Hatsukari, Hakutsuru, and Yūzuru.
These trains were subsequently used on other limited express services.
In 1982, when the Tohoku Shinkansen opened, many cars became surplus to requirements, and some were remodeled into 419 series and 715 series EMUs.
The last remaining trainset in service, a six-car set based at JR East's Akita Depot made its final run on 8 April 2017, on a charter service between and.
Preserved examples
, six former 581 series cars are preserved statically.- KuHaNe 581 8: Preserved at the Kyushu Railway History Museum in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka.
- SaHaNe 581 19: Preserved at the "Truck Kingdom" in Bifuka, Hokkaido.
- SaShi 581 31: Preserved adjacent to the Hachinohe City Museum in Hachinohe, Aomori.
- KuHaNe 581 35: Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto since April 2016.
In August 2017, JR East announced the donation of two former intermediate 583 series cars, which will be preserved at the National Taiwan Museum in Taiwan. The 583 series is known to be the first sleeper EMU introduced in Japan in the late 1960s.