Tobu 500 series explained

Tobu 500 series
Revaty
Service:2017–present
Manufacturer:Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Factory:Kobe, Hyogo
Replaced:300 series
Yearconstruction:2016–
Yearservice:21 April 2017
Numberbuilt:33 vehicles (11 sets)
Numberservice:24 vehicles (8 sets)
Formation:3 cars per trainset
Capacity:161
Operator:Tobu Railway
Lines:Tobu Skytree Line, Tobu Urban Park Line, Tobu Isesaki Line, Tobu Nikko Line, Tobu Utsunomiya Line, Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line, Aizu Railway Aizu Line
Carbody:Aluminium
Carlength:20000mm
Width:2870mm
Height:4035mm
Doors:1 sliding door per side
Acceleration:2.3km/h/s
Traction:TM-16 (190 kW) × 8 per set
Poweroutput:1.520NaN0 per set
Electricsystem:1,500 V DC
Collectionmethod:Overhead line
Safety:TST-ATS

The, branded, is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway on limited express services in Japan since 21 April 2017. 11 three-car sets (33 vehicles in total) have been built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Design

The trains were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, with exterior and interior styling overseen by Japanese industrial designer Ken Okuyama.[1] The driving cabs at each end of the three-car trainsets includes an automatically extending gangway connection to allow trains to be coupled or split en route.[1]

The trains have active suspension, a first for trains operated by Tobu, and use permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) traction motors.[1]

Naming

The trains are branded, a name derived from the English words "Variety" and "Liberty".[2]

Operations

, the trains are used on the following services.[3]

Service name Between Line(s) used
Revaty Kegon - Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line
Revaty Kinu - Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line - Tobu Kinugawa Line
Revaty Aizu - Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Nikko Line - Tobu Kinugawa Line - Yagan Railway Aizu Kinugawa Line - Aizu Railway Aizu Line
Revaty Ryomo - Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Isesaki Line
Skytree Liner - Tobu Skytree Line
Urban Park Liner - / Tobu Skytree Line - Tobu Urban Park Line
- Tobu Urban Park Line

Exterior

The exterior livery consists of "champagne beige" with "forest green" and "future blue" (Tobu's corporate colour) highlights around the windows.[1]

Formation

The fleet of three-car sets are formed as follows, with two driving motor ("M") cars and a non-powered trailer ("T") intermediate car.[4]

DesignationMc1T Mc2
NumberingMoHa 50x-1 SaHa 50x-2 MoHa 50x-3
Capacity (seated/total)56/112 87/136 56/112
Weight (t)40.5 35.1 40.4

The two motored cars each have one single-arm pantograph.[4]

Interior

Each three-car set has a seating capacity of 161 passengers. Seat pitch is 1000mm. Interior lighting is LED lighting.[1] Wi-Fi and at-seat AC power sockets are provided.[1]

The automated on-board passenger announcements use the voice of TV presenter .[5]

Toilet facilities

Each trainset includes a universal access toilet, western-style toilet, and urinal, located in the centre car.[4]

History

Tobu Railway officially announced initial details of the new trains on 22 April 2015.[1] In April 2016, Tobu announced that the trains would be used on through services between in Tokyo and in Fukushima Prefecture via the Yagan Railway and Aizu Railway Aizu Line from spring 2017.[6]

The first three sets, 501 to 503, were delivered from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe in December 2016.[7]

The 500 series "Revaty" trains were a recipient of the 2018 Laurel Prize from the Japan Railfan Club.

Sets 509, 510, and 511 were delivered in September 2020. These sets' delivery was the final working on the Chichibu Railway Mikajiri Line before its closure.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kusamachi . Yoshimasa . 22 April 2015 . ja: 東武鉄道、新型特急「500系」2017年春導入へ...分割・併合運転に対応 . Tobu Railway to introduce new 500 series limited express trains in spring 2017 - To allow coupling/splitting en route . http://response.jp/article/2015/04/22/249586.html . https://web.archive.org/web/20150424235844/http://response.jp/article/2015/04/22/249586.html . 24 April 2015 . 22 April 2015 . Response . IID Inc. . Japanese . Japan.
  2. Web site: http://rail.hobidas.com/news/info/article/_500revaty.html . ja: 東武 新型特急車輌500系の愛称名「Revaty」に決定. Brand name "Revaty" chosen for new Tobu 500 series limited express trains. 27 October 2016. Tetsudo Hobidas. Neko Publishing Co., Ltd.. Japan. Japanese. https://web.archive.org/web/20161027145951/http://rail.hobidas.com/news/info/article/_500revaty.html. 27 October 2016. live . 27 October 2016.
  3. Web site: http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/b71449315c885fe96933bd12d8f48b8a/170118_1.pdf?date=20170118121527. ja: 2017年4月21日(金)ダイヤ改正を実施! . Revised timetable to be introduced on Friday 21 April 2017. 18 January 2017. News release. Tobu Railway. Japan. Japanese. pdf. https://web.archive.org/web/20170119052620/http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/b71449315c885fe96933bd12d8f48b8a/170118_1.pdf?date=20170118121527 . 19 January 2017 . 19 January 2017.
  4. ja: 東武鉄道500系 . Tobu Railway 500 series . . 57. 674 . 80–84 . Koyusha Co., Ltd. . Japan . Japanese . June 2017.
  5. ja: 東武鉄道 新型特急用車両500系の愛称は"Revaty"に決定. Tobu Railway: New limited express trains to be named "Revaty". Tetsudo Daiya Joho Magazine . 45. 392 . 72 . Kotsu Shimbun . Japan . Japanese . December 2016.
  6. Web site: http://www.tobu.co.jp/file/pdf/bd704e38cd530a64f1fdfb5b10031ebf/160421_2.pdf. ja: 東武鉄道の新型特急車両「500系」が2017年春より野岩鉄道・会津鉄道へ乗り入れます!. New Tobu 500 series trains to inter-run on Yagan Railway and Aizu Railway from spring 2017. 21 April 2016. News release. Tobu Railway. Japan. Japanese. 21 April 2016.
  7. Web site: http://railf.jp/news/2016/12/04/201500.html. ja: 東武鉄道500系が甲種輸送される . Tobu 500 series delivered . 4 December 2016. Japan Railfan Magazine Online. Koyusha Co., Ltd.. Japan. Japanese. https://web.archive.org/web/20161205104352/http://railf.jp/news/2016/12/04/201500.html . 5 December 2016. live . 6 December 2016.
  8. Web site: 2020-09-29 . ja:秩父鉄道三ヶ尻線で最後の甲種輸送 . The last class-A transport on the Chichibu Railway Mikajiri Line . 2022-12-21 . Japan Railfan Magazine Online . Koyusha Co., Ltd. . ja . Japan.