On September 26th, Seibu Railway made a press release announcing that approximately 100 units of trains will be transferred from Tokyu Railways and Odakyu Electric Railway. That was shocking news not only among rail-fans but also the general public.
Let me review Seibu Railway to start. Seibu is one of the major private railway companies in the metropolitan area. It was established in 1912, and currently owns a total of 176.6-kilometer-long railway network in the northwestern part of Tokyo Metropolis and Saitama Prefecture. "Laview" is famous for Seibu's flagship train on the Ikebukuro line.
Let's head to the main topic. According to media, 60 units of the Tokyu 9000 series and 40 units of the Odakyu 8000 series will be transferred to Seibu starting the fiscal year 2024. It will save not only the manufacturing cost of new trains, but also the maintenance cost for train operation. As you may know, these two models have variable frequency drive electric control systems, which save electricity consumption. In Japan, many small-and-medium-sized railway companies purchase secondhand trains from major railway companies; however, it's very unusual that a major railway company purchases secondhand trains from the other major railway companies. As a rail-fan, I have mixed feelings of happiness and sadness. I'm looking forward to seeing ex-Tokyu and ex-Odakyu trains on the Seibu lines. On the other hand, I'm sad that a major railway company gave up on introducing their own new model, and just buys secondhand trains from their rival companies.
Hang in there, Seibu!
