The Red List of Trains in Japan has been updated with six new articles, namely:
Moreover, some new articles have been up to date, such as 211 series in Nagoya and Tokyu 9000 series in Tokyo.
On Saturday 18 March 2023, two new lines were added to Tokyo's railway network: Sotetsu and Tokyu Shin-Yokohama lines. Sotetsu Shin-Yokohama line was extended from Hazawa yokohama-kokudai (hereinafter referred to as Hazawa YK) to Shin-Yokohama, while Tokyu Shin-Yokohama line was opened from Shin-Yokohama to Hiyoshi. There are now hundreds of through-services every day from Sotetsu to Tokyo via Tokyu lines and vice versa.
As the biggest railway project in more than a decade has been completed at last, it is expected that Shin-Yokohama, an interchange station of Tokaido Shinkansen high-speed rail, will be even more convenient and easier to access for people not just in Kanagawa Prefecture but also western part of Greater Tokyo.
However, when I visited the new stations on the very first day, I found that the new through-services are confusing and even chaotic as described below.
This is a route map on a wall. It covers all stations managed by SEVEN railway companies that the new through-services would call at: namely Sotetsu lines as well as JR Saikyo line, Tokyu Meguro and Toyoko lines, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin and Namboku lines, Toei Mita line, Saitama Railway Saitama Stadium line and Tobu Tojo line. It is extremely hard to find one's destination without help.
Destination displays show confusing information as well. In Japan, trains that call at every station are generally written as "Local" with white (or black) letters. But this display is so colourful that it is not easy to comprehend what do they mean. Displays on trains also adopt the same colour patterns. Apparently not a good idea for those with colour vision deficiency.
The colourful displays indicate routes of each train, as (hopefully) the map above shows. Since trains for Tokyu Toyoko line and others for JR Saikyo line run towards the same direction, it is vital to make it clear which line does the train go. For example, there are trains for Ikebukuro via Tokyu Toyoko and Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin lines and others via JR Saikyo line. The most confusing ones can be observed in the weekend morning: a train departing Hazawa YK at 7:51 is for Kawagoe via Saikyo line, while another one at 7:55 is for Kawagoeshi via Toyoko, Fukutoshin and Tobu Tojo lines. Both trains call at Ikebukuro despite they run completely different lines. Not a few passengers will certainly take a wrong train and thus pay 140 yen more than what was supposed to be.
Any timetable revision always causes a certain level of misunderstanding and confusion, but the Sotetsu-Tokyu through-services are hard for everyone. Generally speaking, a new railway is something to be welcomed, but these new ones are quite tricky.
Turning 60 has a special meaning in East Asian culture. It is called jiazi in Chinese, hwangap in Korean and kanreki in Japanese (please leave a comment what is it called in other Asian countries, if it exists). Countries in East and Southeast Asia use traditional zodiac calendar, and it is well known that there is a 12-year cycle. In addition, there is another cycle with five different elements and attached to the 12-cycle. It means that the traditional sexagenary cycle is consisted of sixty patterns in total (twelve times five). Thus, the cycle completes every 60 years so that people celebrate either the 60th or the 61st birthday.
Being 60 years old or more is not rare in these days as life expectancy is far longer today than in the past, but kanreki is still regarded as something to celebrate. Hence, we should celebrate some trains in Japan which turn 60 this year and wish their longevity.
First of all, JNR 103 series. It was developed by Japanese National Railways and it was the most numerous train in Japanese history, with roughly 3,500 carriages were introduced in total to various commuter rails in major cities in Tokyo and Osaka areas. Many famous railways in Japan such as Yamanote line were once served only by the 103 series.
The first unit of the 103 series was introduced in March 1963, but it is hard to believe now that this commuter train was once predominant on JNR or JR network, as only a few units remain in Hyogo Prefecture today. There are also several units on Chikuhi line in Fukuoka Prefecture, but they do not look like genuine 103 series, as if being completely a different type.
JNR 113 series was once the most successful suburban train in Japan. The first unit was registered for mainline use in December 1963. The 113 series was mass-produced and introduced to various lines in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka areas amid sharp increase in demand.
JR East, Central and Shikoku have already withdrawn all trains, but JR West still uses more than 20 four-carriage units in Kyoto and Okayama areas. However, the number those in Kyoto (Kusatsu and Kosei lines) will be dramatically declined or even they will possibly retire in March 2023, as redundant 223 series trains are gradually reallocated from Hanwa line to Kyoto area. Those in Okayama are also subject to be replaced with brand new 227 series from later this year.
This is JNR 115 series , and the first set of trains was introduced in January 1963. Unlike the 113 series, the 115 series was designed for railways with steep slopes and tight curves, but both series look almost the same. The 115 series was also introduced to various lines in the Greater Tokyo Area (mostly north Kanto region), Niigata, Nagano, Okayama and Hiroshima areas, as well as a few lines in Shizuoka Prefecture. The 115 series had been known until the early-2010s, as one of the most common rolling stock developed by JNR as JR companies were reluctant to invest in suburban trains in areas with fewer population than Tokyo and Osaka.
However, the number sharply declined in the 2010s as both JR East and West replaced the 115 series with newer trains. Today, JR West uses more than 150 carriages in Okayama and Yamaguchi areas. They are also subject to replacement in the next few years, but unlike other old trains, some 115 series units are likely to remain for a while as they are handy. Shinano Railway also has a few trainsets, and they are scheduled to be replaced with SR 1 series by no later than 2027.
Tobu 8000 series should not be forgotten. The 8000 series entered service on 1 November 1963 and used on the entire Tobu network except unelectrified Kumagaya line (closed in 1983) and freight lines. The series was known for the most numerous rolling stock in history of Japanese private railways.
The 8000 series dwindled in the 2000s and 2010s, but still many of them are operational on Noda line and other branch lines. The company will introduce brand new trains to Noda line from around 2024, but those on small branch lines might remain until the late-2020s.
These four types of trains have turned or will turn 60 this year. However, it must be noted that all of them were mass-produced for about 20 years. It means that when it comes to the youngest trains, only 40 years have passed since introduction (though still pretty old enough). As noted above, many trains have already been withdrawn so that one might think that operational trains are in fact not 60 years old.
That is mostly right. Here are the oldest operational carriages of the four types aforementioned:
| Carriage no. | Date of built | |
|---|---|---|
| 103 series | KuHa 103-247 | 19 Jul 1973 |
| 113 series | KuHa 111-5703 | 4 Jun 1974 |
| 115 series | MoHa 114-316 | 4 Oct 1974 |
| 8000 series | 8111 | 30 Nov 1963 |
 |
| Unit no. 8111 (preserved 8000 series) |
8111 (and three more carriages in the same trainset) is the oldest, and it is likely to turn 60 in November. This is going to be the genuine kanreki train within months. However, this unit is a preserved train owned by Tobu Railway Museum so that it might not be fair to refer to it. When it comes to a train that is currently for passenger use, 8750 and another carriage in the same trainset are the oldest as they were registered on 23 April 1969.
Finally, while kanreki is something to celebrate, I must say that those railway companies are unlikely to hold any kind of event at present…what a shame!
50 years have passed since introduction of London Underground 1972 stock. It entered service on 26 June 1972, and still used on Bakerloo line today. It is now the oldest rolling stock in the country except heritage trains, and Transport for London conceded that their replacement would be in the late-2030s or even in the 40s. There might be mixed views on the stock: some people (mostly railway enthusiasts) love this traditional design dating back to the 1960s, while others (commuters) mourn a bumpy ride and a lack of air-conditioning.
Is there any train for regular service that has been in use for more than 50 years in Tokyo? Yes, it is Tobu 8000 series. It entered service on 1 November 1963, so nearly 60 years have passed since introduction. They were mostly withdrawn from major commuter lines by the 2010s, but there are a few units formed of two coaches on small branch lines in Tokyo, namely Tobu Daishi and Kameido lines. More fleets are used in nearby prefectures like Chiba and Saitama, and they are likely to remain in service for several more years.
There were several more trains until a few years ago such as JNR 115 series (1963-2015), Tokyo Metro 6000 series (1968-2018) and Keikyu 1000 series (1959-2010), but currently Tobu 8000 series is the only one.
There is one more type that will certainly be 50 years old soon: Keisei 3500 series. The 3500 series was first introduced in 1972, and the very first fleet, which was registered on 26 December 1972, is still operational. Since their retirement is not imminent, they will certainly become 50 years old later this year.
Many foreign tourists describe trains in Japan always-shiny, but there are a few old-fashioned trains. Not a few daily users dislike out-of-date rolling stock with weak air conditioning and no information monitor above doors, though some railway enthusiasts like those trains.
