On August 24th, the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Tsukuba Express (hereafter the TX Line). To commemorate this milestone, the company is hosting a variety of events.
Let me start with a quick review of the TX Line. It’s a 58.3-kilometer route connecting Akihabara and Tsukuba. Akihabara, located in downtown Tokyo, is widely known as the “Otaku town.” Otaku is a Japanese word used to describe people who are deeply enthusiastic about anime, video games, computers, or other hobbies. In contrast, Tsukuba is the science city of the metropolitan area, home to numerous national and private research institutes. The TX Line opened in 2005 and plays the role of a "second Jōban Line“. Its track is double and fully electrified.
One of the anniversary highlights is the installation of special commemorative plates on the front of the trains. Please take a look at the photos. They show set numbers 2651 and 2667 of the EMU TX-2000 series. This model is a dual-system train capable of running on both DC and AC power, since the TX Line uses 1,500V DC between Akihabara and Moriya, and 20,000V 50Hz AC between Moriya and Tsukuba. Its maximum operating speed is 130 kilometers per hour.
Set number 2651, a first-batch train introduced in 2005, does not have a red stripe on the front. In contrast, set number 2667, a second-batch train introduced in 2008, features a red stripe. Please enjoy spotting these subtle differences between the two sets. I know you’re just as much of a trainspotter as I am. Congratulations to the TX Line on its 20th anniversary!
