Tokyu 8500 series


The Tokyu 8500 series is a commuter electric multiple unit train type operated by the private railway operator Tokyu Corporation on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line and Tokyu Oimachi Line in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1975.

Design

First introduced in 1975, the design is based on the earlier 8000 series design. A total of 400 vehicles were built by 1991.

History

First put into service in 1975, the Tokyu 8500 series was a recipient of the 1976 Laurel Prize. These trains have been slowly retiring and are being replaced by newer trains such as the Tokyu 5000 series and the Tokyu 2020 series.

Operations

The 10-car trainsets are primarily used on inter-running services on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line, Tobu Skytree Line, Tobu Isesaki Line as far as, and the Tobu Nikko Line as far as. The five-car sets are used on Tokyu Oimachi Line services and have been retired in 2019.

Formations

Den-en-toshi Line 10-car sets

As of June 2020, the fleet consists of 14 ten-car sets, based at Nagatsuta Depot, and formed as shown below with eight motored cars and two non-powered trailer cars, and car 1 at the Shibuya end. Most of the original train sets have either retired or resold to other operators.
Car No.12345678910
DesignationM2cM1TM2M1M2M1TM2M1c
NumberingDeHa 8600DeHa 8700SaHa 8900DeHa 8800DeHa 8700DeHa 8800DeHa 8700SaHa 8900DeHa 8800DeHa 8500

Den-en-toshi Line sets 8601 to 8614 were marked with "K" stickers on the center front window of the driving cab ends, and they were restricted to operating on Den-en-toshi Line and Tokyo Metro Hanzōmon Line only, due to lack of Tobu ATS on these sets. After the opening of the Hanzōmon Line extension from Suitengūmae Station to Oshiage Station, sets 8601, 8602, 8613, and 8614 were fitted with Tobu ATS, allowing them to operate on Tobu Skytree Line, Tobu Isesaki Line and Tōbu Nikkō Line, while sets 8603 to 8612 were retained without Tobu ATS until their retirement from duties on the Den-en-toshi Line.
All trains with "K" stickers have had their ATS system installed or withdrawn from service. The last train with the K sticker, set 8606, was retired in May 2020. With the withdrawal of set 8614 in June 2020, only 14 sets of 8500 Series remain in service with Tokyu.

Oimachi Line 5-car sets

As of 1 April 2014, the fleet consists of four five-car sets, based at Nagatsuta Depot, and formed as shown below with four motored cars and one non-powered trailer car, and car 1 at the Oimachi end. All of these have been withdrawn from service starting from April 2019.
Car No.12345
DesignationM2cM1TM2M1c
NumberingDeHa 8600DeHa 8700SaHa 8900DeHa 8800DeHa 8500

Livery variations

Resale

A number of 8500 series trains have been resold to other operators in Japan and overseas following their withdrawal from Tōkyū services.

Nagano Electric Railway

Six 3-car sets were sold to the Nagano Electric Railway between 2005 and 2009. These retain the "8500 series" classification.

Formation

  1. DeHa 8500
  2. SaHa 8550
  3. DeHa 8510

    Izukyū Corporation

One 8500 series car was sold to Izukyū Corporation in 2006, becoming KuMoHa 8152, and combined with former Tokyu 8000 series cars. It includes transverse seating acquired from Seibu 10000 series trains during refurbishment.

Chichibu Railway

Two 3-car 7000 series sets were formed from cars of set 8609, entering service on the Chichibu Railway in 2009.

Indonesia

Eight 8-car sets were sold to KRL Jabodetabek in Indonesia between 2006 and 2009 for use on commuter services in the Jakarta area. The sets initially received different color schemes, but were later standardized with the same KA Commuter Jabodetabek red and yellow livery. Unfortunately, set 8612 was retired due to an accident in 2019.