The 415 series was introduced in 1971, and has since spawned six variants, as listed below.
415-0 series
415-100 series
415-500 series
415-700 series
415-800 series
415-1500 series
The 415 series is descended from the 401, 403, 421 and 423 series.
401/421 series
The 401 series in 1960 and produced until 1966. They were introduced on the Jōban Line. They were equipped with MT46B motors with 100kW of power output. The last 401 series trains were withdrawn in 1991, while the last 421 series trains operated byJR Kyushu remained and withdrawn from service until 1996.
403/423 series
The first 403 series set was introduced in 1965, along with the similar 423 series. The 403 series was capable of running on railway lines with 1.5kV DC and 20Kv AC 50Hz, while 423 series is capable of 1.5kV and 20Kv AC 60Hz railway electrification. The last 423 series was withdrawn in 2001, while the 403 series remained in service until 2008.
415-0 series
This was the original version of the 415 series train, and was manufactured from 1971 to 1974, and had air-conditioners installed in 1977. The Jōban Line and Mito Line trains were withdrawn in March 2007 in favour of the new E531 series trains, but 415-0 series were still in operation with JR Kyushu as of January 2013.
Kyushu
The first 415-0 series sets allocated to Kyushu were 4-car units delivered in December 1974. These were formed KuHa 411-300 + MoHa 415 + MoHa 414 + KuHa 411-300. Originally delivered in the JNR livery of brick red with cream warning panels on the cab ends, these sets were repainted between 1986 and 1987 into a new livery of white with blue bodyside stripe, carried up until the present day. Some sets later received life-extension refurbishment with transverse seating replaced by longitudinal seating.
Livery variations
JR Kyushu set FM5 was re-painted in the old JNR livery in 2000 to commemorate the millennium celebrations in Japan. It operated in this livery until it was withdrawn in 2012.
415-100 series
This subseries was introduced in 1978, and most of the trains are operated by JR Kyushu, although a few trainsets were operated by JR East on the Jōban Line. The 415-100 series trainsets were built in the same exterior style as the 113-2000 series trains, but the seat pitch for transverse seating was increased from 1,420 mm to 1,490 mm, and toilets were fitted only in the KuHa 411-200 cars.
Kyushu
The first 415-100 series sets allocated to Kyushu were 4-car units delivered from September 1978. These were formed KuHa 411-100 + MoHa 415-100 + MoHa 414-100 + KuHa 411-200. Some sets later received life-extension refurbishment with transverse seating replaced by longitudinal seating.
415-500 series
The 415-500 sub-series was introduced from January 1982 on the Jōban Line, based at Katsuta Depot. These units had all longitudinal seating. Five 4-car sets were transferred to Minami-Fukuoka Depot in 1987 for use on Kagoshima Main Line duties, but these were all transferred to Kagoshima Depot by March 2007. A further two 4-car sets were transferred from JR East to JR Kyushu, entering service in March 2009.
415-700 series
Only seven cars were manufactured, and from 1985 to 2007 was operated as part of the 7+4+4-car formations on the Jōban Line. It was withdrawn in March 2007 and scrapped in July 2008.
Introduced in February 1986, the stainless steel bodies 415-1500 series trainsets look externally similar to the 211 and 213 series trains, and can be operated in 4- or 7+4+4-car formations. These trains can be coupled with the 415-500 and 415-700 series trains, and are lighter than previous variants. An experimental bi-levelcab car was built by Nippon Sharyo in 1991. The car, designated as Kuha 415-1901, had a capacity of 156 passengers. It was scrapped in 2006.
Kyushu
12 4-car 415-1500 series sets were delivered to Kyushu between September 1986 and February 1987. Set F1501 was also later transferred from JR East to JR Kyushu in 2009, allocated first to Minami-Fukuoka Depot, and later to Mojiko Depot.
