Yamanote 50th anniversary 103 Series train unveiled.

[ToniBabelony]

Today, JR East unveiled a special livery commemoration train for the Yamanote line to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 103 Series introduction. This was the first train to give the Yamanote line its world famous bright green signature colour.

 

 

The train is a standard E231 Series with a full, all grass green (ugiusu-iro) wrapping livery that harkens back to the days 103 Series ruled the Tokyo inner city ring line. On the inside, the train has also a special gallery on the hand straps.

 

This train will run until December the 20th, so there are enough chances to see and ride it when you're planning to visit Japan this year.

 

Sauce:

- http://www.tetsudo.com/news/779/

- NHK news

[Densha]

Haha! Awesome! Makes you also realize that except for some slightly curvy lines the design of modern commuter trains is still the same from back then.

[Martijn Meerts]

N-scale model please, don't care which brand ;)

[bronzeonion]

Wow, that does look good!

 

If only JR East ran an actual 103 series on the line till 20th December!

[cteno4]

Ohhh yea model please!

 

Jeff

[Ochanomizu]

The bright green of Yamanote Line is one of my favorite colors.

[Sacto1985]

Wow, that does look good!

 

If only JR East ran an actual 103 series on the line till 20th December!

 

That'll be great until you realized JR East retired them many years ago.... :( I remember riding them in 1985 and 1986 and most of them had added air conditioning and automatic doors--features not normally found on 103's running in other parts of Japan, if I remember correctly.

[bronzeonion]

That'll be great until you realized JR East retired them many years ago.... :( I remember riding them in 1985 and 1986 and most of them had added air conditioning and automatic doors--features not normally found on 103's running in other parts of Japan, if I remember correctly.

 

Yes I know that, I am surprised they do not have a set which they keep for special events like the 115 series and the 183 series they keep at Omiya. There is of course no chance JR West could let JR East borrow one.

[Jcarlton]

Every Christmas for the last few years the NYC transit museum brings out their set of IND r1-9s and puts them in to  service on weekends. It's become an event with jazz music and people dressing up in period clothing for one weekend a year.   I suppose JR east could do something like that, if they had a set of 103s from the museum. 

Edited January 16, 2013 by Jcarlton

[Sacto1985]

Yes I know that, I am surprised they do not have a set which they keep for special events like the 115 series and the 183 series they keep at Omiya. There is of course no chance JR West could let JR East borrow one.

 

Alas, even JR West has begun to phase out the 103 Series. I don't expect any 103 Series on any JR West line within the next few years. :(

[KenS]

N-scale model please, don't care which brand ;)

 

Oh yeah, somebody's got to model that, and I'll be ordering one.

[ToniBabelony]

Oh yeah, somebody's got to model that, and I'll be ordering one.

Kato Roundhouse is your man:

 

http://ngi.blog.eonet.jp/n_gauge/2013/02/kato2013-55ac.html

[cteno4]

Cool! But ouch over $300. Seems even though I collect a lot less now I want the pricier models.

 

Jeff

[KenS]

Well, at 29,400 yen (US$317 at today's rate) it's not that much more (33% or US$79) than the full-length standard Kato Yamanote at 22,050 yen (US$238), and it is an 11-car train.  I think that's reasonable for what's likely to be a limited-run collectible model.  My big fear is that they'll sell out as soon as they come out for reservations, and I want one!

 

May isn't up on Kato's production schedule yet (nor does Roundhouse's own list go that far out), but I'm going to be watching HS closely for the next few weeks.

 

From the blog post though they haven't finalized the license with JR East yet, so someone else could still beat them to it.

[cteno4]

I know not that bad, mainly the yen now and me wanting more expensive trains at that. At least I'm not collecting euro trains...

 

Jeff

[Martijn Meerts]

Note that the Roundhouse release often use old tooling.. For example, my Roundhouse D51-498 orient express (the original one, before the newer Kato branded one) uses an old frame, motor in the cabin, and doesn't have any lights at all..

 

Not saying the 50th anniversary Yamanote is going to be old tooling as well, but I like to be extra careful with Roundhouse..

[Densha]

Only the 2012 release of the E231-500 is the correct version with only 4 doors per car, so they will have to take detours if they are using older models as a basis.