Tuesday 12 May 2015

EMU 1800 Series: Red Evergreen Train

Set number 1819F of the EMU Tobu 1800 series arrives at Tochigi Station

Tobu is one of the major railway companies in Tokyo. They operate the largest private railway network in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It covers the northern part of Kanto District including Tokyo Metropolis, Saitama, Chiba, Tochigi and Gumma prefectures.

As you may know, Tobu gears up for the promotion of tourism to Nikko, a World Heritage Site, by their luxury flagship train, limited express "Spacia". Along with Spacia, Tobu also have a standard express train, the EMU 1800 series to the Nikko area. It also has a strong appeal to rail fans.

The 1800 series was launched in 1969. A total of 9 sets, 54 units, have been manufactured for 19 years. Most of them have already been scrapped or modified to other models; however, set number 1819F is still operated with its original style. Currently, the 1819F is commissioned as a special train during the holiday season. The operation frequency is only several times per year; therefore, plenty of rail fans flock to stations or tracks to see this rare train, when the 1819F is operated.

The 1800 series is definitely my favorite. It has a bright red colored body with a white colored stripe. The classic frontal design is also attractive. Furthermore, silver colored side window frames are good accents. Although its specification is rather old, the sound of the DC motors is very nostalgic and comfortable.

The EMU 1800 series... it is a "red evergreen train".
 
EMU Tobu 1800 series stands at Tochigi Station on the Tobu-Nikko Line
 
More information about rolling stock on the Tobu Railway (in Japanese):