Following the EMU 205 series, the 209 series will also disappear from the Nambu Line soon. On January 26th, JR East Yokohama Office issued a press release announcing that the 209 series will be retired from the Nambu Line by March 14th.
Currently, only one set of the 209 series remains on the Nambu Line. It is set NaHa 53 belonging to Nakahara Rail Yard. Set NaHa 53 was built by Tokyu-sharyo in 1994 under the name of set Ura 24. It was a 10-car train for the Keihin-Tohoku Line. 15 years later, it was transferred to the Nambu Line, since all the Keihin-Tohoku Line trains were replaced by the new model, E233-1000 series. Before moving to the Nambu Line, set Ura 24 was renamed NaHa 53, and reduced to 6 cars. 8 years have passed since set NaHa 53 started operation on the Nambu Line. I don't have a picture of set NaHa 53, so, I am going to show you the other set, NaHa 32, instead. Set NaHa 32 was retired from the Nambu Line one step ahead in March, 2015.
Who is a successor of the 209 series? It will be set Ao 670 of the E233 series from the Ome Line. It means that all commuter trains on the Nambu Line will be unified by the E233 series. Time moves very quickly. Nobody can go against the current of the time.
Sayonara (good-bye) and arigatou (thank you) the EMU 209 series on the Nambu Line.
