The is an

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

Seibu Railway is a conglomerate based in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, with principal business areas in railways, tourism, and real estate. Seibu Railway's operations are concentrated in northwest Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture; the name "Seibu" is an abbreviati ...

on commuter services in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1993.

Design

The 9000 series trains were built between 1993 and 1999 at Seibu's own Tokorozawa Factory by combining electrical equipment from former

101 series 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

EMUs with new steel bodies based on the New 2000 series design. These were the last trains to be built at the Tokorozawa Factory before it closed in 2000.

Fleet

, the fleet consists of eight 10-car sets, numbered 9101 to 9108, based at Musashigaoka depot for use on

Seibu Ikebukuro Line The is a railway line of the Japanese private railway operator Seibu Railway. It originates at Ikebukuro Station, a large railway junction in north-western Tokyo, extending to northwest suburbs as far as Tokorozawa, Saitama, and nominally term ...

workings.

Formations

10-car sets are formed as shown below with six motored ("M") cars and four non-powered trailer ("T") cars. * Cars 2, 5, and 8 are each equipped with one single-arm

pantograph A pantograph (, from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a manner based on parallelograms so that the movement of one pen, in tracing an image, produces identical movements in a second pen. If a line dr ...

Interior

Seating consists of longitudinal bench seating throughout. Wheelchair spaces are provided in cars 2 and 9. Priority seats are provided at the end of each car. File:Seibu 9000 series interior.jpg, The interior of a 9000 series train in May 2016

History

The first train entered service in 1993, with eight 10-car sets built by 1999. The fleet was refurbished between 2004 and 2008, with new underframe equipment and

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 ...

inverter control. Refurbished sets are identified by stickers on the cab end doors.

Tamako Line transfer

Beginning in 2020, the 9000 series fleet was shortened to four-car formations and modified to accommodate

driver-only operation One-person operation (OPO), also known as driver-only operation (DOO), one-man operation (OMO), single person train operation (SPTO), or one-person train operation (OPTO), similarly to Driver Controlled Operation, is operation of a train, bus, ...

for use on the Tamako Line. The first of these sets was set 9108, which entered service on the Tamako Line on 1 October 2020. the entire fleet has been modified for Tamako Line operation, excluding sets 9101, 9106, and 9107, which were scrapped beforehand.

Livery variations

"Red Lucky Train"

From July 2014, set 9103 was repainted in a "Red Lucky Train" livery in collaboration with the private railway 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 return, Keikyu painted one of its own N1000 series sets into an all-over yellow livery similar to the Seibu livery in May 2014. Set 9103 was repainted in an all-over red livery after it was modified for Tamako Line operation. File:Seibu Series9000-9103.jpg, Set 9103 in plain red livery in July 2023

"L-train"

From 17 January 2016, set 9108 operated in a special "L-train" livery consisting of the

Saitama Seibu Lions The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based north of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Seibu Railway, wh ...

baseball team colour of dark blue with Seibu Lions logos. The set's Seibu Lions logos were removed following its modification for use on the Tamako Line. File:Seibu Series9000-9108.jpg, Set 9108 in all-over blue livery in July 2023

"Seibu KPP Train"

From 4 June 2016, set 9101 operated in a special "Seibu KPP Train" pink livery to mark the 100th anniversary of Seibu Railway in 2015 and the fifth anniversary of singer

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Kiriko Takemura (Japanese: 竹村桐子, born January 29, 1993), known professionally as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (Hiragana: きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ), is a Japanese tarento, singer, and model. Her public image is associated with Japan's ''kawai ...

. The train operated in this livery until 29 September 2016, after which date the Kyary Pamyu Pamyu vinyls were removed, with the trainset operating in all-over pink livery. File:Seibu 9101 Bushi Station 20170325.jpg, Set 9101 in plain pink livery in March 2017

References

External links

Seibu 9000 series train information
{{Seibu trainsets Electric multiple units of Japan 9000 series Train-related introductions in 1993 1500 V DC multiple units of Japan