Choshi Electric Railway 3000 series

The Choshi Electric Railway 3000 series (銚子電鉄3000形, Chōshi Dentetsu 3000-gata) is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the private railway operator Choshi Electric Railway in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, since March 2016. The sole two-car set was converted from former Iyotetsu 700 series EMU cars, which were themselves converted from former Keio 5000 series EMU cars, and was introduced to replace the Choshi Electric Railway's 1000 series EMU car number 1001, which was withdrawn in February 2016.[1][2]

Choshi Electric Railway 3000 series
The 3000 series set at Nakanocho Depot in May 2016
In service26 March 2016 –
Replaced1000 series
Constructed1963
Refurbished2015
Number in service2 vehicles (1 set)
Formation2 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers3001
Capacity130
OperatorsChoshi Electric Railway
DepotsNakanochō
Specifications
Car body constructionSteel
Car length18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Doors3 sliding doors per side
Electric system(s)600 V DC
Current collector(s)Overhead wire
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Formation edit

The two-car set is formed as shown below, with one motored ("DeHa") car and one non-powered trailer ("KuHa") car, and the DeHa 3000 car at the Choshi (i.e. northern) end.[3]

Designation Mc Tc
Numbering DeHa 3001 KuHa 3501

External livery edit

Following conversion, the train was repainted into a livery consisting of light blue upper body and dark blue lower body separated by a thin white stripe. This livery was based on that applied to the line's former Yu 101 open-sided special-event car nicknamed Miotsukushi.[4]

History edit

The two cars were built in 1963 for Keio Corporation in Tokyo, and resold to the Iyo Railway in Ehime Prefecture in 1988.[1] They were withdrawn from service by the Iyo Railway in June 2015.[1]

The two cars (713 and 763) were purchased from the Iyo Railway at a cost of 1.3 million yen, and shipped to Choshi, arriving at Choshi Port on 15 September 2015.[5] Shipping and conversion work cost an estimated 75 million yen, funded partially by grants from the national government, Chiba Prefecture, and the city of Choshi.[5]

Individual car histories edit

Car No. Keio numbering Iyo numbering
DeHa 3001 DeHa 5103 MoHa 713
KuHa 3501 KuHa 5854 KuHa 763

The train entered service on 26 March 2016.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c 海越え四国・松山から銚子へ 来春にも運行開始 伊予鉄道から購入の2両 [By sea from Matsuyama in Shikoku to Choshi - 2 cars purchased from Iyo Railway to enter service next spring]. Chiba Nippo (in Japanese). Japan: Chiba Nippo Co., Ltd. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  2. ^ Ueshin, Daisuke (3 February 2016). 銚子電鉄デハ1001「新型車両3000形の導入」で引退へ - 2月末に記念イベント [Choshi Electric Railway DeHa 1001 to be withdrawn and replaced by new 3000 series - Special event at end of February]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). Japan: Mynavi Corporation. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  3. ^ Terada, Hirokazu (August 2016). 他社へ転じた大手私鉄の車両たち 平成27年度分、28両を解析 [Major private railway rolling stock transferred to other operators: An analysis of the 28 cars transferred in fiscal 2015]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 56, no. 664. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 74–75.
  4. ^ 澪つくしカラーで親しみ 銚子電鉄 【新型車両デビュー】 [New Choshi Electric Railway train debut - much-loved Miotsukushi livery]. Chiba Nippo (in Japanese). Japan: Chiba Nippo Co., Ltd. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b 銚子電鉄の更新車両“水揚げ” 伊予鉄道から購入、銚子漁港に到着 千葉 [Replacement Choshi Electric Railway train unloaded - arrived at Choshi Port after purchase from Iyo Railway]. Sankei News (in Japanese). Japan: The Sankei Shimbun & Sankei Digital. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  6. ^ 銚子電鉄3000形が営業運転を開始 [Choshi Electric Railway 3000 series enters revenue service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.

External links edit