Wednesday 23 July 2014

Undergoing Generation Change: The Yokohama Line

Old generation train, the EMU JR East 205 series on the Yokohama Line
 
As I reported before, JR East launched a new model, the EMU E233-6000 series, on the Yokohama Line on February 16th this year. The company plans to introduce 28 sets, 224 units, of the E233-6000 series by this August, which means that the entire existing 205 series will be retired from the Yokohama Line soon. I visited Nagatsuta Station last weekend to take photographs of the 205 series and to say "sayonara (goodbye)" to those old trains.

I stood and waited for the 205 series at the end of the platform, but only the new model trains came into the platform one after another. It started to rain after a period of time and there was no roof at the end of the platform. Rail fans indeed require patience.

One hour later, the rain stopped. The long-awaited train, set number H28 of the EMU 205 series, arrived at platform number 2 of Nagatsuta Station. It was nearly 6 o'clock in the evening. I could shoot the photographs just before sunset.

As of July 12th, 2014, it is said that half of the 205 series trains have already left Kamakura Rail Yard, the home depot of the 205 series. According to the media, 21 sets will be transferred to Jakarta to spend their "second life" on the tracks in Indonesia; while the others will be scrapped(?).

Sayonara the 205 series and welcome the E233-6000 series onto the Yokohama Line.

 
New generation train, the EMU JR East E233-6000 series on the Yokohama Line