Tobu 500 series

Tobu 500 series

An artist's impression published April 2015
In service Spring 2017 (scheduled)
Manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Number under construction 24 vehicles (8 sets)
Formation 3 cars per trainset
Capacity 161
Operator(s) Tobu Railway
Line(s) served Tobu Skytree Line, Tobu Urban Park Line, Tobu Isesaki Line, Tobu Nikko Line, Tobu Utsunomiya Line, Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line, Aizu Railway Aizu Line
Specifications
Car body construction Aluminium
Car length 20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in)
Width 2,870 mm (9 ft 5 in)
Electric system(s) 1,500 V DC
Current collection method Overhead line
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The Tobu 500 series (東武500系 Tōbu 500-kei), branded Revaty (リバティ), is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type on order by the private railway operator Tobu Railway for use on limited express services in Japan from spring 2017. Eight three-car sets (24 vehicles in total) are on order to be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[1]

Design

The new trains will be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, with exterior and interior styling overseen by Japanese industrial designer Ken Okuyama.[1] The driving cabs at each end of the three-car trainsets will include a gangway connection to allow trains to be coupled or split en route.[1]

The trains will have active suspension, a first for trains operated by Tobu, and use permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) traction motors.[1]

Naming

The trains are branded Revaty (リバティ), a name derived from the English words "Variety" and "Liberty".[2]

Operations

The trains will be used on the following services from spring 2017.[2]

Service name Between Line(s) used
Revaty Kegon Asakusa - Tobu Nikko Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line
Revaty Kinu Asakusa - Shin-Fujiwara Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line - Tobu Kinugawa Line
Revaty Aizu Asakusa - Aizu-Tajima Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line - Tobu Kinugawa Line - Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line - Aizu Railway Aizu Line
Revaty Ryomo Asakusa - Tatebayashi Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Isesaki Line
Skytree Liner Asakusa - Kasukabe Tobu Skytree Line
Urban Park Liner Asakusa - Omiya/Nodashi Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Urban Park Line
Urban Park Liner Omiya - Unga Tobu Urban Park Line

Exterior

The exterior livery will consist of "champagne beige" with "forest green" and "future blue" (Tobu's corporate colour) highlights around the windows.[1]

Formation

The fleet of three-car sets will be formed as follows, with two driving motor ("M") cars and a non-powered trailer ("T") intermediate car.

Designation Mc1 T Mc2

Interior

Each three-car set will have a seating capacity of 161 passengers. Seat pitch will be 1,000 mm (39 in). Interior lighting will use LED lighting.[1] Each trainset will include a universal access toilet, western-style toilet, and urinal. Wi-Fi and at-seat AC power sockets will also be provided.[1]

The automated on-board passenger announcements will use the voice of TV presenter Tomomi Kuno.[3]

History

Tobu Railway officially announced initial details of the new trains on 22 April 2015.[1] In April 2016, Tobu announced that the trains would be used on through services between Asakusa in Tokyo and Aizu-Tajima in Fukushima Prefecture via the Yagan Railway and Aizu Railway Aizu Line from spring 2017.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kusamachi, Yoshimasa (22 April 2015). 東武鉄道、新型特急「500系」2017年春導入へ…分割・併合運転に対応 [Tobu Railway to introduce new 500 series limited express trains in spring 2017 - To allow coupling/splitting en route]. Response (in Japanese). Japan: IID Inc. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 東武 新型特急車輌500系の愛称名「Revaty」に決定 [Brand name "Revaty" chosen for new Tobu 500 series limited express trains]. Tetsudo Hobidas (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  3. ↑ 東武鉄道　新型特急用車両500系の愛称は”Revaty”に決定 [Tobu Railway: New limited express trains to be named "Revaty"]. Tetsudo Daiya Joho Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45 no. 392. Japan: Kotsu Shimbun. December 2016. p. 72.
  4. ↑ 東武鉄道の新型特急車両「５００系」が２０１７年春より野岩鉄道・会津鉄道へ乗り入れます！ [New Tobu 500 series trains to inter-run on Yagan Railway and Aizu Railway from spring 2017] (pdf). News release (in Japanese). Japan: Tobu Railway. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2016.

External links

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