Saturday 4 January 2020

The 10th Anniversary of the Green Line

Set 16 (the 10th anniversary color) of the EMU Yokohama Municipal Subway 10000 series

I visited the Green line of the Yokohama Municipal Subway for the first time in about four years. What was new with this 2nd subway line in the city?

I found a special poster train celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Green line. On February 25th, 2018, the Yokohama City Transportation Bureau launched it using set number 16 of the EMU 10000 series. This special 4-car train is still operated even after nearly two years has passed since the celebration day. The outer design was taken from the oldest streetcar in Yokohama City, namely car number 523 of the 500 series, exhibited in Yokohama Tram Museum.

Incidentally, the Green line connects Nakayama on the JR East Yokohama line and Hiyoshi on the Tokyu Toyoko line. The operating length is 13.1 kilometers. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead. The gauge size is 1,435 millimeters. The section between Center-kita and Center-minami stations (900 meters) is an elevated track, NOT underground, so, it is popular among rail fans to take train photos. Needless to say, I am also one of them.

Just like the Toei Ooedo line, linear motor technology is adopted for the train driving system on this subway line. A linear motor is an electric motor that doesn't have a shaft. It moves in a straight line, while a conventional motor has a rotary movement. You can see a special box, a "reaction plate," between the rails. This technology allowed downsizing of the tunnel section.

EMU Yokohama Municipal Subway 10000 series (standard color) travels on the Green Line