251 series

The 251 series, branded Super View Odoriko (SVO), was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company from April 1990 to March 2020.
==History==
Branded the Super View Odoriko or SVO, the 251 series has been used on Super View Odoriko services, a special variant of the Odoriko service, and Home Liner Odawara services among others. The 251 series is the recipient of the 1991 Laurel Prize (an award for vehicles that entered service the previous year having the most outstanding functional and design features) presented annually by the Japan Railfan Club, with a formal ceremony being held at Shinagawa Station on 1 March 1992.
Only four ten-car sets were produced, designated RE1 to RE4; a refurbishment program was started for the entire fleet in Decmeber 2002, with the scope of refurbishment being new seating and the repainting of the fleet. Refurbishment ended in March 2004 after the last set was fully refurbished. With the refurbishment, the 251 series sets also began to be used on weekday morning Ohayō Liner Shinjuku 26 and weekday evening Home Liner Odawara 23 services as of the 13 March 2004 timetable revision. The sets were retired on 13 March 2020 with the introduction of the E261 series; no 251 series cars have been preserved.
==Design==
The 251 series uses a somewhat streamlined design with a Universe white body and Emerald green accents with a light blue band. The original color scheme of the 251 series sets was azure blue with futura gray accents.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. Each car is 21 meters long. Traction motors were resistor controlled, which was considered obsolete by then due to the introduction of the variable frequency drive; the traction motors are of a similar type as used on the 651 series.
A unique trait of all 251 series sets is that the first and last two cars from each end are bilevel cars, with the remaining six cars being single level cars. The front windscreen is extremely large with the driver's compartment being placed fairly low, allowing passengers a commanding view of the tracks ahead.
The 251 series is equipped with an early version of a musical horn that is standard on most of JR East's limited express fleet. The musical horn is usually blasted when a set is about to depart.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
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Category:Electric trainsets
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Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives