The is a DC

electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...

(EMU) train type operated by the

private railway A private railway is a railroad run by a private business entity (usually a corporation but not need be), as opposed to a railroad run by a public sector. Japan In Japan, , commonly simply ''private railway'', refers to a public transit railway o ...

operator

Keikyu (), also known as or, more recently, , is a private railroad that connects inner Tokyo to Kawasaki, Yokohama, Yokosuka and other points on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture. It also provides rail access to Haneda Airport in Tokyo. mea ...

in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1998. It replaced the earlier 2000 series on limited-stop reserved seat services. A total of 10 8-car sets were built by

Kawasaki Heavy Industries (or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese Public company, public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, Heavy equipment (construction), heavy equipment, aerospace and Military, defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headq ...

京浜急行電鉄2100形電車概要
,

, retrieved 30 June 2008 and

Tokyu Car is a manufacturer of heavy rail cars in Japan, formerly known as . The company is based in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, and a member of East Japan Railway Company (JR East) group. J-TREC manufactures rail vehicles not only for JR East and Tokyu Corp ...

,京浜急行電鉄 2100形
,

, retrieved 30 June 2008 and the first sets entered service on 28 March 1998.

Service

The 2100 series are mainly used on limited-stop on limited-stop service on the

Main Line Mainline, ''Main line'', or ''Main Line'' may refer to: Transportation Railway * Main line (railway), the principal artery of a railway system * Main line railway preservation, the practice of operating preserved trains on an operational railw ...

and Kurihama Line. Some trains also inter-run with one stop on the

Asakusa Line The is a subway line in Tokyo, Japan, operated by the Tokyo subway operator Toei Subway. The line runs between in Ōta and in Sumida. The line is named after the Asakusa district, a cultural center of Tokyo, under which it passes. The Asak ...

, stopping at

Sengakuji Station is a railway station in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is entirely owned and operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, but also serves as the northern terminus of the Keikyu Main Line operated by the private railway operator Kei ...

only.

AC traction motor systems

The Keikyu 2100 series was Japan's first standard-gauge train to use

Siemens Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad. The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...

-supplied GTO-

VVVF A variable-frequency drive (VFD) is a type of motor drive used in electro-mechanical drive systems to control AC motor speed and torque by varying motor input frequency and, depending on Topology (electrical circuits), topology, to control asso ...

propulsion system.Metro System, Eight-Car Units, Keihin Kyuko, Tokyo, Japan
,

, retrieved 30 June 2008 The system's ability to produce a " do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do" scale when the propulsion starts up quickly became a signature to the 2100 series when it was introduced, earning the nickname as the ."「歌う電車」消えゆく運命　京急の１３６両、交代へ" (Singing trains might disappear - change due for 136 Keikyu cars)

Asahi Shimbun is one of the four largest newspapers in Japan. Founded in 1879, it is also one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. Its circulation, which was 4.57 million for its morning edition and ...

, 4 June 2008. Retrieved on 27 October 2008. Subsequently, similar propulsion was also installed on 56 cars of the N1000 series. The uniqueness of the propulsion system made its way into various music and popular culture, such as

Super Bell"Z Super Bell"Z (read "Super Bellz") is a group known for its "DJ Train Conductor" songs in which they lay sounds of trains, station fuss, etc., and voice recorded to resemble train announcements over hip hop beats. They were under contract with Toshi ...

. Due to the unavailability of substitute parts for the train's GTO-VVVF propulsion system, the propulsion system on the trains was replaced with a new inverter, which does not have a solfège scale. By March 2015, all of the original Siemens-supplied GTO-VVVF traction systems used on the 2100 series were replaced with new IGBT-VVVF traction systems manufactured by Toyo Denki. By July 2021, all Siemens-supplied GTO-VVVF traction systems in Japan were phased out. File:Keikyu2100-G1430D1130-560M5-1.jpg, Original GTO-VVVF motor driver (Siemens G1430 D1130/560 M5-1) File:Keikyu2100-RG6008-A-M01.jpg, IGBT-VVVF motor driver with which the 2100 series trains were retrofitted (Toyo Denki RG6008-A-M)

Formation

, ten eight-car sets are in operation, formed as follows, with four motored (M) cars and four trailer (T) cars, and car 1 at the Misakiguchi end. The two "Tp" cars are each fitted with two single-arm pantographs.

Interior

Passenger accommodation consists of transverse seating arranged 2+2 abreast, with seat backs that can be flipped over to face the direction of travel. The windows on the 2100 series are double-glazed, with curtains. File:Inside-keikyu2100-1.jpg, Interior view File:Inside-keikyu2100-2.jpg, Fixed seating

Refurbishment

Set 2101 was the first 2100 series set to undergo refurbishment, in 2013. Modifications include replacing the passenger windows at the ends of each car with opening windows, replacing the curtains on these windows with roller blinds, replacing the original fluorescent tube lighting with

LED lighting An LED lamp or LED light bulb is an electric light that produces light using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LED lamps are significantly more energy-efficient than equivalent incandescent lamps and can be significantly more efficient than mos ...

, installation of door chimes as well as a single LCD passenger information screen above the doors. File:KQ-2100-SHIN-INNER.jpg, Interior view of a refurbished set, 2013 File:Keikyu 2100 series new courtesy seat.jpg, Updated priority seating File:KQ-2100-SHIN-DOOR.jpg, LCD passenger information display, 2013

Livery variations

Trainset 2157 carried a "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery from 11 June 2005 From then, set 2133 inherited the "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery. From 21 February 2016, set 2133 operated in a modified version of its blue livery, adapted to resemble the livery of

Taiwan Railways Administration Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is a railway operator in Taiwan. It is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services ...

trains, to mark the first anniversary of the signing of a friendship agreement between Keikyu and Taiwan Railways Administration. Keikyu teamed up with

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

to decorate a special limited edition "Sonic the Hedgehog/Puyo Puyo" train which ran on the Keikyu Airport Line from 14 November 2016 to 17 December 2016 to celebrate the 25th anniversary for both games. The train was part of the Keikyu 2100 series' "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery and featured images of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Silver, Eggman and Carbuncle as well as a collection of the game’s expressive stacking blobs. In addition, signs at the Airport Line’s Otorii Station, the closest stop to the site of Sega’s original office prior to 2018, were featuring special images honoring the games. File:Keikyu 2157 blue sky.jpg, Set 2157 in "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery in October 2006 File:Keikyu blue sky train Taiwan Railway Ordinary color.jpg, Set 2133 in "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery modified to resemble Taiwan Railways livery in May 2016 File:Keikyu-2100-2133.jpg, Set 2133 in "Keikyu Blue Sky Train" livery in January 2021

References

External links

Keikyu 2100 series official information
{{Keikyu trainsets Electric multiple units of Japan 2100 series Train-related introductions in 1998 Kawasaki multiple units 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan Tokyu Car multiple units