185 series

The 185 series, sometimes branded the Express 185, is a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor company the East Japan Railway Company from March 1981 to March 2021 in regular service.
==History==
The 185 series was designed in 1981 to replace aging 153 series cars on Izu services, in addition to being able to act as a general-purpose train that could also serve on local services. The 185 series sets entered service on 23 March 1981. 
Some sets were originally based at Tamachi Depot, but those sets were transferred over to Ōmiya Depot from 16 March 2013 with the introduction of that year's revised timetable.
The 185 series is notable as being the last limited express electric multiple unit ever built for the JNR before it was privatized. However, it was not the last limited express electric multiple unit designed for the JNR; that honor would go to the 187 series, which was designed in 1985, but none were ultimately built due to a variety of reasons.
The trains were retired from regular service on 12 March 2021, making these the last JNR-era limited express trains to be retired. As of 2023, the 185 series sets are only used on special or temporary services, with two 6-car sets, C1 and B6, registered in JR East's rosters.
==Design==
The 185 series uses a traditional design with a white body and various accents based on the service the set is used on.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. End cars are 20.28 meters long while intermediate cars are just 20 meters long. Traction motors are resistor controlled, which was considered obsolete by then due to the introduction of the variable frequency drive; the traction motors are of the same type as used on the 117 series (which have never been operated by JR East).
A unique trait of the 185 series sets is that the doors are 1,000 millimeters wide as compared to the 700 millimeter-wide doors of most limited express train sets; this is due to an above specification stating that the 185 series should be able to act as a train that could serve on local services if necessary.
==Preservation==
The following 185 series cars have been preserved:
Car number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location 	Notes
KuHa 185-110	Nippon Sharyo	August 1981 	May 2013 	C5 	Ōmiya General Rolling Stock Center, Ōmiya, Japan	Cab only, not usually open for public viewing
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Tokyu Car locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives
Category:Built in 1983
Category:Built in 1982
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japan