Nankai 50000 series

Nankai 50000 series
In service 1994 Present
Manufacturer Tokyu Car Corporation
Family name Rapi:t
Constructed 1994
Entered service 1994
Number built 36
Number in service 36 (6 sets)
Formation 6 cars per trainset
Capacity 252
Operator(s) Nankai Electric Railway
Depot(s) Suminoe, Chiyoda
Line(s) served Nankai Main Line, Airport Line
Specifications
Car body construction Steel
Train length 125.6 m (412 ft 1 in)
Width 2,850 mm (9 ft 4 in)
Height 4,140 mm (13 ft 7 in)
Doors Plug doors: 1 per car
Maximum speed 110 km/h (70 mph) (Nankai Line)
120 km/h (75 mph) (Airport Line)
Weight 219 t (216 long tons; 241 short tons)
Traction system Variable-frequency
Acceleration 2.5 km/(h·s) (1.6 mph/s)
Deceleration 3.7 km/(h·s) (2.3 mph/s) (service)
4.0 km/(h·s) (2.5 mph/s) (emergency)
Electric system(s) 1,500 V DC, Overhead line
Current collection method Pantograph
Bogies Bolsterless SS-137/SS-037
Braking system(s) Regenerative brake, electronically controlled pneumatic brakes
Safety system(s) ATS
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The Nankai 50000 series (南海50000系) is a limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan by the private railway operator Nankai Electric Railway. These 6-car trains were introduced in 1994 on the new Rapi:t limited express service on the Nankai Airport Line serving Kansai International Airport, which opened on 4 September 1994.

Operations

It is used on the Airport Line Rapi:t limited express services. The trains run between Namba and Chiyoda Depot, and have also been used occasionally on special-event services to Wakayamashi and Misakikoen.

Design

The external styling of the train was the work of Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, an architect who was also responsible for designing Uji Station on the Keihan Uji Line. The design theme was "Outdated Future", and is the reason for the train's futuristic and retro styling. The end cars feature streamlined cabs with no gangway connections. The cars are painted an all-over metallic deep blue colour. The side windows are elliptical in shape, giving an aircraft-like appearance.

Formation

As of 1 April 2013, the fleet consists of six 6-car sets with three motored ("M") cars and three non-powered trailer ("T") cars formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Wakayama end.[1]

Car No. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Designation Tc2 M3 T1 M2 M1 Tc1
Numbering 50700 50200 50600 50100 50000 50500

Interior

All seats in standard and super-seat cars (Nos 5 and 6) are reserved and no smoking. Cars 3 and 5 feature a service counter and vending machines.

Livery variations

Mobile Suit Gundam UC × Limited Express Rapi:t Neo Zeon Version (April - June 2014)

One trainset was repainted in an all-over red livery in a tie-up coinciding with the release of Episode 7 of the Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn series and to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Nankai Airport Line. The repainted set returned to service on 26 April 2014 and ran until 30 June.[2]

Peach × Rapi:t Happy Liner (September 2014 - August 2015)

From 7 September 2014, one 50000 series set was reliveried in a special "Peach × Rapi:t Happy Liner" livery as part of a promotional tie-up with the low-cost airline Peach Aviation.[3] The reliveried trainset was scheduled to operate until 31 August 2015.[3]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens livery (November 2015 - May 2016)

From 21 November 2015, a 50000 series set is scheduled to be reliveried in a special Star Wars: The Force Awakens black livery to mark the nationwide release of the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December.[4] The reliveried trainset is scheduled to operate until 8 May 2016.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 私鉄車両編成表 2013 [Private Railway Rolling Stock Formations - 2013]. Japan: JRR. 30 July 2013. p. 152. ISBN 978-4-330-39313-1.
  2. ↑ "Mobile Suit Gundam × Limited Express Rapi:t "Second Coming of Red Comet Limited Express Rapi:t Neo Zeon Version"". News release. Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 "「Peach×ラピート ハッピーライナー」運転開始" ["Peach × Rapi:t Happy Liner" enters service]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  4. 1 2 南海電鉄特急ラピートが『スター・ウォーズ』仕様に！ [Nankai Electric Railway Rapi:t limited express to be finished in Star Wars livery!]. Livedoor News (in Japanese). Japan: Line Corporation. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nankai 50000 series.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/1/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.