383 series

The 383 series, branded Wide View, is a tilting Japanese limited express electric multiple unit operated by the Central Japan Railway Company since April 1995.
==History==
Jointly built by Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Nippon Sharyo, seventy-six cars were built from 1994 to 1996 to replace aging 381 series cars on Shinano services. The first sets were introduced on 29 April 1995 on Wide View Shinano Limited Express services and have plied that service ever since.
The trains are normally used on Wide View Shinano services, though they also ply the Home Liner Nakatsugawa and Home Liner Tajimi services.
All seventy-six cars are in service and are based at Jinryō Depot. The sets normally operate in six-car formations, though auxiliary two- or four-car sets, numbered A201 to A204 and A101 to A103 respectively, can be coupled to the main six-car sets to increase capacity. 
Due to its outstanding functional and design features, it was awarded the 1996 Laurel Prize.
==Design==
The set uses a design language that is very similar to that of the 373 series with a design harkening back to the panoramic end cars of the 381 series used on Shinano services.
The sets have two cab ends; one panoramic and one gangwayed. The gangwayed cab cars resemble those as seen on the 373 series sets.
==Specifications==
Construction is of stainless steel. The sets use a gate turn-off thyristor variable frequency drive as its traction system which produces a melodic wail when the train accelerates from idle. This same traction system is also used on the 383 series sets.
The trains use a bearing guide tilting system to help eliminate problems with the older tilting system as used on the 381 series sets; the tilting system helps it to tilt around curves and to maintain high speeds around said curves.
The 383 series sets were one of the first JR trains to use single-arm pantographs.
==Gallery==
383 A4 2023.jpg|Gangwayed end of set A4 in August 2023
File:383 A2 Shinano Shimamoto 2010.jpg|383 series set A2 on a Wide View Shinano service at Shimamoto Station on the Kyoto Line in April 2010.
File:383 A202 Gangway Shinonoi 2010.jpg|Set A202 on the Shinonoi Line in August 2009, showing off the gangwayed cab end. Note the tilt of the trailing cars.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Tilting trainsets
Category:Locomotives
Category:3 foot 6 inch gauge
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge
Category:Japan
Category:Japanese locomotives