On October, 20th, Odakyu made a press release, announcing that a new "romance car" model, the EMU 70000 series will debut in March, 2018.
The romance car is Odakyu's representative express train. Historically, Odakyu first launched a resort train to Hakone Mountain in 1935 under the name of "hot spring express"; however, it was forced to stop the operation due to WWII in the 1940's. After the war, Odakyu resumed the operation of the resort train in 1950 under the new name of "romance car".
An epoch-making event occurred in 1955, when they launched the new romance car, EMU 3000 series (SE) with articulated bogies. This train established 145 km per hour, which was the world's speed record of narrow gauge tracks at that time. Odakyu, then, launched new romance car models one after another. They are the 3100 (NSE), the 7000 (LSE), the 10000 (HiSE), the 20000 (RSE), the 30000 (EXE), the 50000 (VSE) and the 60000 (MSE) series. Currently, LSE, EXE, VSE and MSE are operated on the track.
According to Odakyu, the new model, EMU 70000 series, has an upper-deck cockpit, so passengers can enjoy the view ahead. It is the same as NSE, LSE, HiSE and VSE. The 70000 series is a 7-car train. It is the same as RSE, which had standard bogies. Different from the previous models, the 70000 series has baggage spaces for inbound tourists.
The Odakyu romance car is going to a new stage.
The romance car is Odakyu's representative express train. Historically, Odakyu first launched a resort train to Hakone Mountain in 1935 under the name of "hot spring express"; however, it was forced to stop the operation due to WWII in the 1940's. After the war, Odakyu resumed the operation of the resort train in 1950 under the new name of "romance car".
An epoch-making event occurred in 1955, when they launched the new romance car, EMU 3000 series (SE) with articulated bogies. This train established 145 km per hour, which was the world's speed record of narrow gauge tracks at that time. Odakyu, then, launched new romance car models one after another. They are the 3100 (NSE), the 7000 (LSE), the 10000 (HiSE), the 20000 (RSE), the 30000 (EXE), the 50000 (VSE) and the 60000 (MSE) series. Currently, LSE, EXE, VSE and MSE are operated on the track.
According to Odakyu, the new model, EMU 70000 series, has an upper-deck cockpit, so passengers can enjoy the view ahead. It is the same as NSE, LSE, HiSE and VSE. The 70000 series is a 7-car train. It is the same as RSE, which had standard bogies. Different from the previous models, the 70000 series has baggage spaces for inbound tourists.
The Odakyu romance car is going to a new stage.
Official information about the EMU Odakyu 70000 series (in Japanese):