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| Set Y-138 of the EMU JR East E217 series travels on the Yokosuka line On June 14th, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that this year's rainy season had begun in Tokyo. From mid-June to mid-July, the Tokyo metropolitan area has a hot and humid rainy season called Tsuyu. Although it's a gloomy period before midsummer, I enjoy seeing beautiful hydrangea flowers in this season. There are many famous places with hydrangeas in the Tokyo metropolitan area. I recently found a small, but beautiful spot in Yokosuka City in Kanagawa Prefecture. It was located in the premises of Yokosuka Art Museum. Along the border between the museum garden and the mountains behind, I could see full-blown hydrangeas like a corridor. They were blue, purple and rose-colored, and fitted well in the green garden. To visit this rainy season spot, you should go there by bus from Yokosuka station on the JR East Yokosuka line. Taking this opportunity, I'm going to update the train on the Yokosuka line. After introducing the new model, the EMU E235-1000 series, last year, retirement of the old model namely the E217 series has begun. 13 sets, 94 units, have already been retired and scrapped. Existing E217 series will be replaced by the new model within several years. The E217 series was debuted in 1994 to replace an old EMU 113 series. It's a typical commuter train with eight doors per unit. Long seats are equipped; but cross seats are also allocated for long distance passengers in several cars. Most trains are directly operated onto the Sobu Rapid line via Tokyo station.  |