Saturday 13 September 2014

New Train and Classic Tower

EMU Toei 12-600 series stands at Shinjuku Station on the Ooedo Line
 
Toei (Transportation Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government) is one of the major railway operators in Tokyo. They operate a total of seven subway, tram, AGT and monorail lines. The Ooedo Line is the second newest subway route in Tokyo. Currently, the route consists of the circle and branch sections. Its total operating length is 40.7 km. The track is double and the gauge size is 1,435 mm. The electric system is 1,500 V DC overhead. The linear motor technology is adopted for the train driving system on the line.

The latest model, EMU 12-600 series was launched in 2012 to reinforce the transportation capacity on the Ooedo Line. A total of two sets, 16 units, have been manufactured so far by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The specification of the 12-600 series is mostly the same as its predecessor, the 12-000 series, but some differences exist, such as shape of the pantographs and type of the electric control system. It should be also noted that magenta colored stripes are added on the "face" of the 12-600 series.

Where are you going? Are you taking the Ooedo Line? One of my recommended spots is Tokyo Tower near Akabanebashi Station. Tokyo Tower was completed in 1958, as the tallest artificial structure (333 m high) in Japan. Although it ceded the top spot to Tokyo Sky Tree (634 m high) in 2011, this elegant iron tower still keeps its position as the most popular sightseeing spot in Tokyo.

 
Tokyo Tower (333m) is located near Akabanebashi Station on the Toei-Ooedo Line