Tokyo area trains- random thoughts

[bikkuri bahn]

Just some notes on the back of a timetable...

*On the Odakyu Line, the few 5000/5200 series left are in four car formations (the six car formations were retired earlier this year, gmat reported this IIRC), coupled to newer units, they are always on the up (Shinjuku direction) side.  The couple of times I have been on the line, have not been able to catch such a train, they are getting really thin on availability.  These are some of the last units with the "pure" Odakyu look, unadulterated with inverter upgrades and still in proper cream and blue stripes.

*Rode a 203 series on the Chiyoda Line today.  I　must say the interiors are a bit dingy by Japanese standards, in the West they would be average I guess.  The bogies really rattle and sqeak, especially on the underground portions with the sharp curves and sudden acceleration and braking.  However, I like these units, mainly becaise they have a good traction motor sound- when really let out and allowed to stretch their legs, these units put out a sound akin to a jet turbine.  These units will likely be retired completely by the coming autumn timetable revision, with some going to Jakarta, and, if some reports are to be believed, the Philippines, though I hope not, as they will be trashed there, and anyway they don't have the infrastructure to run them electrically.

*I realize why I like Kansai railways better than Kanto Railways- more character, and not everything is shiny new or about to be replaced by something shiny new...

[gmat]

I think that there are only two sets running. I see them running close to each other.

Your post prompted me to ride them last night. I usually take the local from Shinjuku to either Setagaya-daita or Shimokitazawa Stations, where I park my bicycle.

Here are photos taken late last night at Shinjuku and later at Shimokitazawa. Sorry, it won't help you make the connection to ride it.
Taken at Shinjuku. I wanted to get a seat so I didn't take any detail shots after it arrived. Not the best photos, camera shake in low light conditions.
















Taken at Shimokitazawa.























Best wishes,
Grant

[gmat]

Tonight, I thought that I saw an Odakyu 5000 series passing Yoyogi-Uehara Station heading towards Shinjuku Station, so I waited at Shimokitazawa for it to pass the other way. It was 5063.(22:31) No pictures as my camera is still being repaired. I hadn't seen any running for a while and had thought that they might have been retired. This one was going to Yamato Station.

Best wishes,
Grant

[Mudkip Orange]

Your post prompted me to ride them last night.

Can I have the girl in the denim skirt and the wedges plz.

[bikkuri bahn]

Thanks for the report.  There are so few of these units left, no wonder you don't see them much.  For those interested in technology, the 5000 series are semi-important historically as they are the last (?) Odakyu units left that use vernier control for their traction equipment.  Odakyu introduced this on their (now retired) 2400 series emus back in the late fifties.  Basically, it was a system that added a secondary bank of resistors to provide finer control of current to the traction motors.  It was applied to freight locomotives to reduce slippage under heavy loads, and to high performance commuter EMUs.  Could be considered the final refinement of traction control until the introduction of chopper control in the 1970's.