A couple Tokyo-area commuter rail questions

[korat]

Hi all. I have a couple of quick questions on Tokyo-area commuter train operations that I've looked into for a while, but haven't been able to find answers to, here or elsewhere. (I apologize if these have been answered here; at the very least I couldn't find them searching and browsing.)

 

1. Do Odakyu 3000 6-car sets operate on all 3 Odakyu lines?

2. It seems that JR East E233-0s through run onto the Fujikyuko line. Is this restricted to a particular length (e.g. 4-car sets, which seem show up in relevant photographs a lot?)

3. From what I gather, prior to 2013 on Toyoko-Hibiya-Isesaki/Skytree services, Tokyu 1000s did not go north past Kita-Senju onto Tobu lines, and likewise Tobu 20000s did not go south past Naka-Meguro, while Tokyo Metro 03s served all 3 sections. Was there a technical reason?

 

Thanks.

 

Edit: It seems that I've found an answer (yes) to #1 through Google image searching in Japanese. Interesting to see them coupled to 4-car 1000/8000? series sets.

Edited August 2, 2015 by korat

[miyakoji]

Korat, I started to answer 1 and 2 yesterday but got side tracked ( :)).  I don't know much about Odakyu, but as far as I got looking through Japanese wikipedia, I thought the 3000s only operate on the Odawara Line.  Toni might know more about this.

 

As for #2, Fujikyu's own trains are not very long formations; I think 3 cars is the longest they have.  However, I think it's coincidence that you've seen 4-car E223s in their territory.  Other JR East through-services, namely the Holiday Rapid Fujisan linked below, are operated with 6-car trains.  The article lists 6-car formations of E233s, 189s, and the 485-series based joyful train New Nanohana.  It also says 5-car E257 trains are used.

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9B%E3%83%AA%E3%83%87%E3%83%BC%E5%BF%AB%E9%80%9F%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E5%B1%B1

Edited August 3, 2015 by miyakoji

[ToniBabelony]

I don't know much about Odakyu, but as far as I got looking through Japanese wikipedia, I thought the 3000s only operate on the Odawara Line.  Toni might know more about this.

 

3000s operate on all lines as 6-car formations. Usually only as Locals, but you can see them on the entire Enoshima line regularly as Express trains in 6-car formation as well in the weekend (even the 1st wide door versions). These are however limited from Sagamiōno to Katase-Enoshima and offer no through service on the Odawara line. Two however run one station further to Machida in the early morning on weekends.

 

All locals on the Enoshima line are 6-car formations, as stations for locals, don't allow for longer trains. All express services are 10-car formations. The 2000 Series is thus never seen on the Enoshima line, as this is a 8-car formation only series.

 

The Tama line sees all formations of the 3000s in all kind of services, except the Tama Express, which is ran either by Tōkyō Metro rolling stock or Odakyū 4000 Series.

 

It's very normal to see 3000s (both 4 and 6 car formations) combined with 1000 and 8000 Series. 8-car trains however are never combined, as there is a 10-car limit on the Odakyū network and there are no 2-car formations of any type. 8-car trains (like the entire 2000 Series) are thus used on locals and off-peak faster services.

 

3. From what I gather, prior to 2013 on Toyoko-Hibiya-Isesaki/Skytree services, Tokyu 1000s did not go north past Kita-Senju onto Tobu lines, and likewise Tobu 20000s did not go south past Naka-Meguro, while Tokyo Metro 03s served all 3 sections. Was there a technical reason?

 

This is possibly because the Tōkyō Metro 03 Series is equipped with safety equipment for all three networks (don't take my word for it). This is the same case with the Odakyū Odawara Line - Tōkyō Metro Chiyoda Line - JR East Jyōban local line where Tōkyō Metro stock (6000, 16000 and 06) run on all networks, but JR East (E233-2000 and 209-1000) and Odakyū trains (4000) stick to their own networks and the Chiyoda line only because they have incompatible safety equipment. This will however change in the near future, as both JR East and Odakyū trains will receive safety equipment for through running on all networks.

[korat]

Thanks to both of you for the help, very informative.