Tuesday 19 June 2018

GSE: New Odakyu Romance Car

EMU Odakyu 70000 series, Romance Car "GSE", passes through Shibusawa station

On March 17th this year, Odakyu Electric Railway Company launched a new luxurious train, the EMU 70000 series, "Romance Car GSE (Graceful Super Express)".

What is Romance Car? It is Odakyu's venerable train. Odakyu first launched a resort train in 1935 as the "hot spring express"; however, it was forced to stop operating due to World War II in the 1940's. After the war, Odakyu resumed the operation of the express in 1950 under the name of Romance Car. 

An epoch-making event occurred in 1957, when they launched the EMU 3000 series, Romance Car SE. This train reached 145 kilometers per hour; the world's fastest record of a narrow gauged railway at that time. Then, Odakyu launched new Romance Cars one after another. They are the EMU 3100 series (NSE), the 7000 series (LSE), the 10000 series (HiSE), the 20000 series (RSE), the 30000 series (EXE), the 50000 series (VSE), the 60000 series (MSE) and the 70000 series (GSE).

GSE has an upper-deck cockpit so that the passengers can enjoy the view ahead. It is the same as NSE, LSE, HiSE and VSE. On the other hand, GSE is not articulated cars but standard EMU (electric multiple unit). It is the same as RSE, EXE and MSE. In other words, GSE combines the features of two pre-existing types of Romance Cars.

The body color of GSE is "rose vermilion", which is outrageous for passengers. It is definitely my favorite color. The Odakyu Romance Car is going to a new stage.

EMU Odakyu 70000 series, Romance Car "GSE", passes through Ebina station

Official information about Odakyu Romance Car lineup:
Official movie about the EMU 70000 series, Romance Car "GSE":