Monday 4 September 2017

EMU 1000 Series for the 1,000th Post

EMU Shizutetsu 1000 series travels on the Shizuoka-Shimizu Line

This is the 1,000th post in my trainspotting blog. It has been about six and a half years since I started writing. I know that many rail-fans have visited this site and sent comments to me, and I'm sorry if it has taken me a long time to respond or not respond to you, I have been very busy with my work.

In commemoration of the "1,000th" post, I am going to show the "1000" series electric car today. In Japan, many operators have "1000 series" trains, because this number is quite convenient. They are the Chiba Urban Monorail, Enoden, Fujikyu, Hakone-Tozan, Izu-Hakone, Keikyu, Keio, Odakyu, Tama Monorail, Tokyo Metro, Tokyo Monorail, Tokyu, Tsukuba Express, Yamaman, and the Yokohama New Transit in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Operators outside of Tokyo also have 1000 series trains such as Hanshin, JR Shikoku, Kobe Municipal Subway, Nagoya Rinkai Kosoku, and the Sendai Subway.

The 1000 series train on the Shizuoka Railway (Shizutetsu) may not be well known because Shizutetsu is a local private railway company in Shizuoka City, about 80 km west of Tokyo. Connecting Shin-Shizuoka and Shin-Shimizu, its operating length is only 11 km. The whole route is electrified double track.

The EMU Shizutetsu 1000 series is a stainless-steel commuter train launched in 1973. A total of 12 sets, 24 units, have been built so far by Tokyu Sharyo. Currently, the 1000 series are being replaced by the new model, the EMU A3000 series. According to the company, all the 1000 series will be retired by 2024.

EMU Shizutetsu 1000 series arrives at Shin-Shimizu Station