Tobu Railway to introduce new limited express design

[bikkuri bahn]

It will be designated the 500 series. Eight 3 car sets will be built by KHI. Features include full active suspension on all cars and permanent magnet synchronous motors. The three car sets will be designed to couple/uncouple en route with other three car sets to expand/shrink consists depending on passenger demand and service patterns. Introduction scheduled for spring 2017. This is the first order for rolling stock by Tobu awarded to KHI since 1946.

http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/4c10174fc83e8d1045e7adde5e16c37a/150422.pdf?date=20150421135208

[railsquid]

※「TOBU FREE Wi-Fi」対応予定

訪日外国人観光客向け無料公衆無線LANサービス。

 

 

Dang, I guess I can't use their free Wifi then...

[kvp]

 

Dang, I guess I can't use their free Wifi then...

I think that just means the login page will be in english.

 

Other than that, the design is really interesting. It looks like an early 2000 JR high cab design, but in reality it's not and the interiors look like a really nice 70-ies to 80-ies JNR limited express, while the active suspension system looks to be pretty much the same as the one used on the newest shinkansens. This looks like an overall good design.

[trainsforever8]

Omg the train's design is amazing!

[Guest keio6000]

for the love of god no more ken okuyama designs please.  i'm really starting to hate his train designs. 
 

[ToniBabelony]

I need a model of this train.

[Sacto1985]

Alas, no zenmen tenbou videos from this train!

[bikkuri bahn]

Tobu will release information about proposed routes/schdules at a later date.  It will be interesting to see where the trains will be split/combined, I suppose much like the rapids are done at Shimo Imaichi Station.

[miyakoji]

Is this a high-cab design or not?  The windshields on either side of the gangway doors have wipers; is that the standard crew compartment, or are they Odakyu-style railfan seats?

[Densha]

It looks like the cabs are just next to the gangways. The wipers are obviously put there for that reason. The design also confused me initially, but it looks like there's only headlights on top.

[bikkuri bahn]

Amateur rendering of the trainset.  Front end a little higher than it will actually be, though.

http://sunshine233t31.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-532.html

[miyakoji]

Just wasn't sure if that black part above the doors was the driver's compartment or what.  Reminds me somewhat of the upcoming E353 (just a few more months!).

[Sacto1985]

Tobu will release information about proposed routes/schdules at a later date.  It will be interesting to see where the trains will be split/combined, I suppose much like the rapids are done at Shimo Imaichi Station.

 

I wouldn't be surprised one of the routes planned for the new 500 Series trainset is the Shimotsuke commuter limited express between Tobu-Utsunomiya and Tobu-Asakusa Stations.

[Jensen]

Really like trains design, can't wait to see it!

Those doors at the front are made connection trains? not an exit for the train driver?

[kvp]

Those doors at the front are made connection trains? not an exit for the train driver?

 

The last trains where the driver had to get out through the front windshield were the hungarian low floor subway cars in 1896.  :)  The new Tobu sets are made up of fixed 3 car small sets and will be used coupled in 6 and 9 car trains, so free passenger movement between the small sets is important. A similar approach is used by JRWest for their new suburban sets. This allows greater operational flexibility than using large fixed sets (JREast style) with minimal cost increase and capacity loss.

[bill937ca]

Tobu has announced new 500 Series limited express trains for its Asakusa to Aizu-Tajima route beginning in 2017.  This would mean fiscal 2017 after April 1, 2017.

 

Traffic News has a sketch of the train.

 

http://trafficnews.jp/post/50587/

[katoftw]

Aggressive contemporary design.  I like it.

[JR 500系]

It has a striking resemblance to the Meitetsu Centrair...

 

[bikkuri bahn]

It has a striking resemblance to the Meitetsu Centrair...

 

Indeed, as the feature function is identical- the center gangway design on the fronts allow mid-route making/breaking of trainset formations to serve multiple destinations, while allowing through access between all cars. 

 

earlier thread about this design:

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/9988-tobu-railway-to-introduce-new-limited-express-design/?hl=tobu

Edited April 22, 2016 by bikkuri bahn

[Densha]

earlier thread about this design:

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/9988-tobu-railway-to-introduce-new-limited-express-design/?hl=tobu

Yep, so I merged both threads. The train already appeared familiar. I wonder what the news value of yesterday's article is, since it doesn't say anything new compared to the original announcement by Tobu last year.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Densha

[ToniBabelony]

I estimate its operations will be little bit of a mixture between the current Rapid trains and the current Limited Express services. A merged Ltd. Express operation to both Nikko and the Kinugawa lines can be used optimally, instead of having two trains run separately.

 

Next to that, merging and splitting services from both Asakusa and Shinjuku can also merge and operate together on the section between Kurihashi (Tōbu Nikkō line + JR East Tōhoku Main Line) and Shin-Imaichi (Tōbu Nikkō line + Tōbu Kinugawa line) if needed, though traffic isn't as intense there as on the Skytree Line.

A very cool prospect indeed! I wonder however how the Rapid trains (6050 Series) will abide with the introduction of the 500 Series...

[bikkuri bahn]

The latest annoucement focuses on the line that goes past Kinugawa Onsen, the sections of the Yagan Rlwy and Aizu Railway.  These units will run as far as Aizu Tajima, thus opening up the region to more tourists who may want to visit the lineside onsen on the Yagan Rlwy line or sights in the Aizu Wakamatsu region (it is quite beautiful and green in summer).  That these units have front end gangways allows them to run in tunnels too, if that is an issue.

 

I also wonder about the future of the rapid services too.  I quite like them, especially their three section makeup, and they have quite a long history with Tobu.

Edited April 22, 2016 by bikkuri bahn

[Densha]

The first pics of the new Tobu 500 series:

https://twitter.com/Trainparazzo/status/790893018886791171

https://twitter.com/Trainparazzo/status/790899277979525125

[ToniBabelony]

Huh. It really looks like the renderings! No driver's cab on top, but just blind doors. It surely won't be popular to sit up front as a passenger with only half the front to see out of, but certainly an improvement over the Spacia in almost any aspect. It's an exciting model with exciting operational possibilities and I look forward seeing it on the tracks!

[kvp]

What i see on one photo is an instrument panel on the right side, so it might be a full cab design, with no transparent door from the passenger compartement into the cab.