JRC 2021 Blue Ribbon Prize and Laurel Prize

May 26, 2021

Japan Railfan Club, President Hiroshi Suda, approximately three thousand members, awarded 2021 Blue Ribbon Prize to Kinki Nippon Railway Company type 80000 EMU nicknamed as《Hinotori》used as the express train between Osaka (Nanba) and Nagoya as the most excellent rolling stock.

Also, East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) type E260 EMU nicknamed as《Saphir》and Central Japan Railway Company (JR-Central) type N700S EMU have chosen 2021 Laurel Prize as excellent rolling stock.

These awards were decided by the Blue Ribbon Prize & Laurel Prize Selection Committee of JRC (BR&LPSC).  Also Blue Ribbon Prize chosen based on the club member’s vote as the best rolling stock, while Laurel Prize chosen by discussion of BR&LPSC members as recognizing excellence equipment.

“The 64^th” Blue Ribbon Prize
Kinki Nippon Railway Company type 80000 EMU

“The 61^st” Laurel Prize
East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) type E261 EMU
Central Japan Railway Company (JR-Central) type N700S EMUBlue Ribbon Prize

Blue Ribbon Prize
Kinki Nippon Railway Company type 80000 EMU

Kinki Nippon Rwy. Co. type 80000 EMU is the new express train for replace of type 21000 EMU & type 21020 EMU that had operated between Osaka (Nanba) and Nagoya since 1994, and started revenue service on March 2020 as the nicknamed train《Hinotori》.

Body structure of this train made by steel adopts lowered the floor level of passenger cabin and minimized the step of floor and platform, and the top part of this train adopts the structure of shock absorption. And the body painting stacks the clear layer on the metallic layer and finishes it.

This train consists with regular(standard) class and premium(upper) class. The leading car named as《premium car》is premium class and has the raised floor structure and situated deluxe three row seat made by leather, and the café-spot is set at the passenger deck. The middle car set regular class is equipped with one row 4 seats using the antibacterial deodorant seat cloth with the function. This accommodation realizes the comfortable trip by train.

For the driving unit, main driving motor is the 3 phase own cold expression basket form induction motor of the PG sensorless structure and latest VVVF inverter control unit, and the energy saving and the reduction of the maintenance are realized.

Type 80000 EMU has realized the relaxing comfort and the moving space of the high quality and high-performance, and furthermore has responded to various use such as sightseeing or business. The BR&LPSC evaluated this extreme-highly completeness of them and chose it in Blue Ribbon Prize.

 

Laurel Prize
East Japan Railway Company (JR-East) type E261 EMU

East Japan Rwy. Co. type E261 EMU is produced as the new rolling stock for sightseeing express train between Tokyo area and Izu peninsula zone (sightseeing district) for replacement of type 251 EMU debut in 1990, and started revenue service on March 14, 2020 as express《Saphir Odoriko》.

The formation of this EMU is composed all green-class (first-class) car, and the first car is especially accommodated as the premium green-class car with duel one row seat arrangement. The second & third car are the private room type green-class car and the fourth car is cafeteria car.

For the technical characteristic, INTEROS (INtegrated Train communication networks for Evolvable Railway Operation System) is adopted as the express train of JR-East.

The body is made of the double-skin structure of aluminum alloy, and the ceiling windows of all cars create bright cabin space.

The bogie truck adopts the bolsterless air suspension system that make riding comfort.

Type E261 EMU has realized the relaxing comfort and the moving space of the high quality as the sightseeing train, the BR&LPSC chose it in Laurel Prize.

Laurel Prize
Central Japan Railway Company (JR-Central) type N700S EMU

Central Japan Rwy. Co. type N700S EMU is produced after 13 years interval for the full model changed Tokaido Shikansen EMU, continued type 700 EMU, type N700 EMU and type N700A EMU, and started revenue service on July 1, 2020.
The character“S”of N700S means《Supreme》and for realizing this supreme Shinkansen EMU, the development has been continued since 2016.

As the big refinement of type N700S EMU, the constitution of flexible car quantity of the train set is enable by pushing forward reducing the size and weight of the under floor equipped apparatus and reexamining the placement of the apparatus.

Concerning outside view of this EMU, traditional blue & white color scheme of Tokaido Shinkansen and symbol initial S (means supreme) is painted. As mentioned above the realization of the high technical concept and comfortable passenger accommodation, BR&LPSC chose this N700S EMU as Laurel Prize.