Saturday 29 June 2013

The 485 Series "Yuu", Distinguished Guest to Kamakura


EMU JR East 485 series "Yuu" arrives at Kita-Kamakura Station on the Yokosuka Line

After the E653 left Kita-Kamakura (see my blog on June 25th, 2013), another rare special train came to track number 2. It looks like a kind of fish (see the top photo).

That is EMU JR East 485 series "Yuu", coming all the way from Iwaki Station on the Joban Line. Yuu means play or pleasure in Japanese. As its name suggests, this train has many attractions such as a karaoke system, a view room and a bar. Yuu is a classified as an "ozashiki train", whose interior is arranged as a Japanese-type straw-matted room. It is the same as "Utage", which I introduced on my blog on June 19th, 2013. I saw a group of passengers, who were boarding on this luxury train from Saitama Prefecture. They were relaxed and chatting pleasantly. I absolutely envied them.

Yuu was manufactured in 1991 by JR East Oofuna and Ooi factories cooperating with Tokyu Sharyo. The body is new; but, the equipments were diverted from retired EMUs, namely the Type SaRo 183, the 189 and the 489. Yuu is an AC-DC dual system EMU. So, it can be operated on most of the electrified tracks. Furthermore, being accompanied with a diesel locomotive and a power-supply car, it is also possible to be operated on un-electrified tracks.

I like the shape of the front car, which is similar to a scorpion fish. It looks quite startling on the railway track. Yuu... it was a distinguished guest to the historical Kamakura City.

Side view of KuRo 484-2, the EMU 485 series "Yuu"
 
More information about the EMU JR East 485 series "Yuu" (in Japanese):