Modern commuter trains and openable windows

[Kiha66]

On 3/13/2020 at 8:24 AM, railsquid said:

Feeling adventurous (I have been cooped up at home more than usual for the last three weeks with a Mystery Respiratory Ailment which has hopefully more-or-less gone away) I ventured out to Shinjuku and Takadanobaba this evening, both of which seemed reasonably crowded and busy, albeit with a visible lack of tourists. Put me in mind of later in 2011, after the need for daily power consumption and radioactivity forecasts had receded into the theoretical. Trains are running with the windows slightly open and the ventilation on "full blow" presumably in an attempt to remove any nasty viruses, though as it's still might-be-cold season this may be uncomfortable for some people.

 

What trains in the Tokyo area still have openable windows?  I would have thought they'd be all gone with the retirement of the 115/113s.

[railsquid]

4 hours ago, Kiha66 said:

 

What trains in the Tokyo area still have openable windows?  I would have thought they'd be all gone with the retirement of the 115/113s.

 

Check this video out from about 2:20:

 

 

 

[Kiha66]

Woah!  Do all 233s have this feature, or just a few?  I never noticed that before, I assumed they were all sealed windows.

[railsquid]

Yeah, not a lot of people know that. I first noticed on a warm summer evening a few years ago when I was mildly bemused to see a Yamanote Line E231 with a window which looked like a 209-series "T-on-its-side"-style window, and then realised it was because someone had pulled the window down.

 

I've never thought to check systematically, but I assume it's a widespread feature on modern commuter trains.

[bikkuri bahn]

I recall that sliding windows were retrofitted the 209 series, one of the first generation of decontented "disposable rolling stock', after incidents when the aircon was shut down after a stoppage on the line, and passengers were not allowed to evacuate due to safety issues.  Those cars quickly become saunas in the summer sun.  Now it is a standard feature on new rolling stock.  Here in Sapporo, the subway rolling stock is running with a couple of windows open in each carriage to ventilate- normally they run closed in the colder months (Sapporo's subways don't have air conditioning, relying on open windows and the Mitsubishi linedelier fans to cool in the summer season).

[Kiha66]

Do all windows on these trains open, or do only a select few?  If so, which are the ones that open?

[railsquid]

From memory, the 209s/E231/E233s (presumably E235s but haven't checked), the larger segment of the big two-segment windows is usually openable.  Not something I've every really actively taken notice of.

 

BTW there are still a few older-style trains with the classic two-part "sash" windows knocking around, certainly on the Seibu network, I imagine Tobu and Keisei might have some too.

 

Slightly related, a partial list of trains with windows which can be opened from the outside: http://www.mogiriya.com/mado/mado_e.html

[Kiha66]

Thanks for the info squid, this is blowing my mind.  I never would have thought they'd open, but as you describe, it makes sense in case of breakdowns or malfunctioning AC.  

 

I now have a sudden strong desire to go to Tokyo, just to try to open the window on a 233 series...  😁

[railsquid]

Every time I go on a train from now on I will have no option but to actively look at which windows open...

[RossDensha]

The Sotetsu 9000 series (probably the other sotetsu types too?) have powered windows!

 

[railsquid]

On 3/18/2020 at 4:34 PM, railsquid said:

Every time I go on a train from now on I will have no option but to actively look at which windows open...

 

Here you go, I even proved they can open (they need a strong pull though):

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by railsquid

[Welshbloke]

I might also wonder if they're intended as emergency exits. That horrible fire involving 63 Series stock may have been decades ago but the fact remains that many lives could have been saved by larger opening windows.

[railsquid]

Seibu's anti-coronavirus window opening strategy explained