Arigato, My Memorable Trains in Indonesia

The 8500 series (left) and 203 series (right) EMUs exhibited at Jakarta Kota Station

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

I recently received some news from an Indonesian railfan. My thanks go to Faris Fadhli, who kindly sent me his recent photos.

On November 11th, PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) held a farewell event for the 8500 series, 7000 series, and 203 series EMUs at Jakarta Kota Station.

I knew this day would come sooner or later, but it has finally arrived. These EMUs are unforgettable trains for me—both in Indonesia and in Japan. The 8500 series is the former Tokyu 8500 series, the 7000 series is the former Tokyo Metro 7000 series, and the 203 series is the former JR East 203 series. They were transferred from Japan to Indonesia between 2006 and 2011. After nearly 20 years of service in Indonesia, they have now reached their final chapter.

As I have written several times, I was stationed in Jakarta from 2007 to 2011 as an exploration geologist for a petroleum and natural gas company, living away from my family. Even when work was tough, nothing made me happier than spending weekends enjoying the railways with local railfans. These trains truly gave me energy. Thank you. Terima kasih. Arigato!

I also would like to express my gratitude to Indonesian railway employees and railfans. I was moved to see the EMUs beautifully decorated with farewell stickers. On top of that, I was surprised and touched that the above railfan, Faris Fadhli, and his friend Adam held an exhibition inside an 8500 series EMU. Their enthusiasm really impressed me.

From the next post, I will introduce the trains that were exhibited, along with my own memories. To be continued…

A precious historical photo taken by Faris Fadhli, exhibited inside the 8500 series

(Photo: Faris Fadhli)

Special Wrapped Train on the Blue Line

GREEN×EXPO 2027 wrapped train, Set 3321 of the 3000N series EMU

This is a continuation of my previous post. On my way back home from Seseragi Park, I happened to come across a special wrapped train at Nakamachidai Station on the Blue Line of the Yokohama Municipal Subway.

Please take a look at the photo above. Here it is — the GREEN×EXPO 2027 special wrapped train, Set 3321 of the 3000N series EMU. GREEN×EXPO 2027 is the International Horticultural Exposition to be held in Yokohama City in 2027. The event aims to propose solutions to global environmental challenges and to explore ways to create sustainable future societies. This wrapped train is designed to support and promote this forthcoming major event.

I was captivated by the colorful design of the train. Please also look at the photo below — the interior is just as vibrant. In the center, you can see the EXPO’s mascot character, Tunk Tunk, with its cute pink, heart-shaped face. Along with Keio’s former Sanrio Characters Wrapping Train and Tobu’s Ikebukuro–Kawagoe Art Train, this GREEN×EXPO 2027 train has become one of my favorite wrapped trains in recent years.

For your reference, the Yokohama Municipal Subway 3000N series EMU made its debut in 1999 to enhance transport capacity on the Blue Line. A total of seven sets, comprising 42 cars, were built. The train is equipped with an IGBT variable-frequency drive system. If you have a moment, please take a look at my previous post, where I introduced Set 3321 as the Hamarin Poster Train in 2016.

It was a pleasant surprise to encounter this special train by chance on my way home. Encounters like this always remind me that even an ordinary journey can bring small moments of delight.

Interior of the GREEN×EXPO 2027 wrapped train, with Tunk Tunk in the center

(photographed on another day)

News release by Transportation Bureau, City of Yokohama (in Japanese):

https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/city-info/koho-kocho/press/green/2025/1028train.files/0002_20251028.pdf

Autumn Colors on the Blue Line

Yokohama Municipal Subway 3000R series EMU arriving at Nakamachidai Station

Autumn is deepening in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The leaves on the city’s trees have just started to turn shades of red, yellow, and brown. I recently visited Seseragi Park in Yokohama City and enjoyed a peaceful stroll. The name “Seseragi” means murmuring in Japanese, and as the name suggests, small streams gently flow through the wooded area.

Please take a look at the photo below. Here it is—the former Uchino Family House. This wooden house with a copper-clad roof was built sometime between the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s not a famous tourist attraction, but it has a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by the soft colors of autumn leaves.

Of course, I can’t end this post without mentioning the railway side of things—since this is a railway blog, after all! To reach Seseragi Park, the nearest station is Nakamachidai on the Blue Line of the Yokohama Municipal Subway. The Blue Line was opened in 1972 as the city’s first subway route. Today, it stretches 40.4 kilometers between the Shonandai and Azamino terminals. The track gauge is 1,435 millimeters, and the line is electrified at 750 volts DC using a third-rail system.

The EMU 3000R series (see the photo above) is one of the main train types operating on the line. It was introduced in 2004 and is equipped with an IGBT variable-frequency drive and a pure electric braking system. You can see the Yokohama Transportation Bureau’s mascot, Hamarin, on the front of the train, along with another large round sticker reading “Green × Expo 2027”. I’d like to introduce a special wrapped train to promote this forthcoming event in my next post. To be continued…

Former Uchino Family House in Seseragi Park

Yo 5000 Series: A Preserved Caboose Car

Unit Yo 14740 of the Yo 5000 series caboose preserved in Setagaya Park

Today, I’d like to share a quiet, low-key topic. Do caboose cars still run on railways in your country? In Japan, they are extremely rare. They remained in operation until 1984, but today they have almost completely disappeared.

Take a look at the photo above. Here it is—Unit Yo 14740 of the 5000 series caboose. It was originally built in the 1950s as part of the Japanese National Railways’ Yo 3500 series. In the 1960s, it was modified into the Yo 5000 series, featuring a two-stage link-type suspension system designed for smoother, faster operation. After roughly 30 years of service, it was retired around 1984, when caboose cars were largely abolished. Today, Yo 14740 is preserved in Setagaya Park, Tokyo.

When I was a child, I often saw cabooses on the Tokaido Line, coupled to the end of freight trains. The job of conductors aboard these cars might have seemed easy—they didn’t have to operate passenger doors or make announcements. In reality, they were kept busy ordering the coupling and uncoupling of each freight car at stations and writing reports while on the move. A potbelly coal stove was installed, but it must still have been cold in winter (see the photo below). It looks like it was an uncomfortable ride.

The Japanese freight system has changed significantly. Before 1984, freight trains often stopped at stations to couple and uncouple cars. Today, freight trains mostly run directly between terminals, improving efficiency.

Yo 14740—thank you for your decades of service. Now you rest, preserved as a silent witness to Japan’s railway history.

Interior of Yo 14740

Revival-colored Train: The Beginning of the End？

Revival-colored train, Set 7728 of the Keio 7000 series EMU

On October 28, Keio Electric Railway brought back one set of its 7000 series EMU in the original color scheme. I’d like to share this topic and look into it a bit deeper today.

Please take a look at the photo above. Here it is—the revival-colored train, Set 7728 of the Keio 7000 series. The paint has been changed from the familiar double red-and-blue stripes to a single dark red stripe. In addition, the car number plates and company logo have been restored to their original designs.

For your information, the 7000 series debuted in 1984 to increase transport capacity on the Keio Line. A total of 190 cars were built. The trains were originally equipped with a field chopper control system, which was later replaced by a variable frequency drive with induction motors as part of a modernization program.

Why did Keio decide to bring back the original colors now? According to the company, “many passengers expect the 7000 series to return to its original color scheme.” That’s probably true—but I can’t help feeling there may be a deeper meaning behind this decision.

Let’s take a look at similar cases by other railway companies. Odakyu revived the original colors of its LSE Romancecar in 2012; six years later, it was retired. Keikyu also repainted its 800 series in the classic livery in 2016; three years later, it too was withdrawn from service. These examples suggest that a revival color train might sometimes mark the beginning of the end.

I sincerely hope the 7000 series will continue to run on the Keio Line for many more years.

Side view of Set 7728

News release by Keio (in Japanese):

https://www.keio.co.jp/news/update/news_release/news_release2025/pdf/nr20250925_keio7000.pdf