713 series

The 713 series, branded Sunshine Miyazaki or simply Sunshine, is a Japanese suburban electric multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor the Kyushu Railway Company since February 1984.
==History==
The 713 series sets were constructed in 1983 to supplement the 583 series sets, as the JNR felt that refurbishing the 583 series sets was not going to be of much use. Four sets were built by Hitachi and Tokyu Car Corporation; the first two sets were built by Tokyu Car Corporation while the other two were built by Hitachi.
The sets entered service on 1 February 1984 with the introduction of the revised timetable, and with their introduction, became the first AC-only electric multiple units to operate in Kyushu. When originally introduced, the 713 series sets were known as the 713-900 series sets due to their somewhat experimental nature and the rather glaring fact that these sets were never produced in volume.
In 1996, the sets went through extensive life-extension refurbishment coinciding with the opening of the Miyazaki Airport Line; similar refurbishments happened in 2003 and 2010, with the largest changes occurring with the 1996 refurbishment, with the sets receiving a new red paint scheme. The sets were reclassified as the 713-0 series sets in 2010 and were renumbered from LK901 – LK904 to LK1 – LK4. All four sets are in service and are based at Miyazaki Depot.
==Design==
The 713 series' body design is very similar to trains of the era, such as the 413, 415, 417, 711 and 717 series sets. Externally, the 713 series sets are finished off in a very distinctive red livery with blue and green accents, with Sunshine Miyazaki logos adorning the sides and front of the 713 series cars; however, this is not their original livery, with their original livery being "Cream No. 1" with "moss green" accents, mirroring the 715 series sets.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. Each car is 20 meters long. The 713 series sets use an experimental thyristor drive system incorporating elements from normal field excitation control systems and the 711 series' thyristor drive systems. The sets' refurbishment in 1996 was rather major, with the sets receiving new paint schemes and new rotating and reclining seats on the insides, which could be rotated to face the direction of travel. The sets were refurbished again in 2003, with modifications made to allow them to work on wanman services. The sets were refurbished yet again from 2009 to 2010, with the sets receiving new single-arm pantographs and standardized electrical equipment across all four sets.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Tokyu Car locomotives
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Built in 1983
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japan
Category:3 foot 6 inch gauge
Category:Narrow-gauge
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives