209 series
The 209 series is an electric multiple unit commuter train type operated by East Japan Railway Company in the Tokyo area of Japan since 1993.
The series was introduced in 1992 for experimental operations and in 1993 for commercial operations to replace the aging 103 series stock on the Keihin–Tōhoku and Negishi lines. The concept of the 209 series was to create a lower-cost, limited lifespan train that would be replaced rather than rebuilt when they reached the end of their operational lives.
The 209 series was the first of the "new series trains", and served as the basis for the E501, E217, 701, and E127 series rolling stock, as well as the succeeding E231 series stock, which in turn became the blueprint for successive trains developed by JR East and other railway companies in Japan.
Variants
- / 209-500 series: 10-car set used on the Keiyō Line since 2008, and 8-car sets on the Musashino Line since 2010
- 209-2000/2100 series: 6/4-car sets converted from former Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line 209-0 series units, used on Narita Line, Sōbu Main Line, Sotobō Line, Tōgane Line, and Uchibō Line services since 2009
- 209-2200 series: 6-car set used from January 2018 as the Boso Bicycle Base
- 209-3500 series: 4-car sets converted from former Chūō–Sōbu Line 209-500 series units, used on the Kawagoe Line and Hachikō Line since 2018
Former operations
- / 209-0 series: 10-car sets used on the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line from 1993 until January 2010, and 6-car sets on the Nambu Line until February 2015
- / 209-500 series: 10-car sets used on the Chūō–Sōbu Line from 1998 until April 2019 and the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line from 2001 to 2009
- [|209-900/910/920 series]: 10-car prototypes initially classified as 901 series used on the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line
- 209-950 series: 10-car set used on the Chūō–Sōbu Line until it was redesignated as the E231-900 series
- / Two 209-1000 series 10-car sets used on the Jōban Line from 1999 until October 2018, then later on the Chūō Line from March 2019 until September 2024
- 209-2000/2100 series: 4-car sets used on the Kashima Line from 2009 until March 2021
- 209-2200 series: 6-car sets used on the Nambu Line from 2009 until March 2017
- 209-3000 series: 4-car sets used on the Kawagoe Line and Hachikō Line from March 1996 until February 2019
- 209-3100 series: 4-car sets converted from surplus TWR 70-000 series units, used on the Kawagoe Line and Hachikō Line from April 2005 until January 2022
209-0 series
The 209 series trains on the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line were replaced by new E233-1000 series trains from autumn 2007, with the last sets withdrawn by 24 January 2010. A large number of these units were subsequently rebuilt as 209-2000/2100 series four-car and six-car sets for use in the Chiba area, while some were converted as training sets, MUE-Train, or 209-2200 series sets for the Nambu Line.
Formations
Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line 10-car sets
Previously, 78 ten-car sets were based at Urawa depot and were formed as shown below, with four motored cars and six non-powered trailer cars.- Cars 3 and 8 were each equipped with one PS28 pantograph.
- Car 6 was a "6-door" car with six pairs of doors on each side.
Nambu Line 6-car sets
- Cars 2 and 4 were each equipped with one PS28 lozenge-type pantograph.
209-500 series
In November 2000, two sets were transferred to the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line and renumbered 80 and 81. In December 2003, the Chūō–Sōbu Line sets were reallocated to Mitaka Depot and renumbered 501–515. Between 2005 and 2006, set 515 was lent to the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line as a spare during car maintenance. Between 2006 and 2007, three more sets were transferred to the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line to replace the prototype 209-900/910/920 series trains and renumbered 82–84. From October 2008, following the introduction of E233-1000 series trains on the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line, one set was transferred back to the Chūō–Sōbu Line while the other four sets were modified and transferred to the Keiyō Line.
From September 2010 to January 2011, three former Keiyō Line sets were reduced to eight cars and reliveried for use on the Musashino Line, renumbered M71–M73, and entered service from 4 December 2010. In 2012, a "C" suffix was added to all Chūō–Sōbu Line sets.
From 2018, five Chūō–Sōbu Line sets were converted to 4-car 209-3500 series sets for use on Kawagoe Line and Hachikō Line services, while the remaining eight sets were reduced to 8 cars and reallocated to the Musashino Line and renumbered M74–M77 and M81–M84. The last Chūō–Sōbu Line set, set C511, was withdrawn from service on 19 April 2019.
All sets were refurbished between 2016 and 2019, when the GTO-VVVF traction system was replaced with an IGBT-VVVF traction system.
Set transfer history
The following table shows the transfer history for each of the 17 sets.Formations
10-car sets
, one set is allocated to Keiyō Depot for use on the Keiyō Line. The set is formed as follows with four motored cars and six non-powered trailer cars.- Cars 3 and 8 each have one single-arm pantograph.
- Cars 1 and 10 have a wheelchair space.
- Car 4 is designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.
8-car sets
- Cars 2 and 6 each have one pantograph.
- Cars 1 and 8 have a wheelchair space.
- Car 4 is designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.
Previous formations
Chūō–Sōbu Line 10-car sets (1998 to 2019)
Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line 10-car sets (2001 to 2009)
209-900/910/920 series
Three ten-car prototypes were built in 1992 for testing and passenger evaluation on the Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line, initially classified as 901 series. Set A was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, set B by Tokyu Car Corporation, and set C was built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and JR East's Ōfuna factory. The three sets incorporated a number of different design features for evaluation, but were converted in 1994 to bring them in line with the full-production specifications. Set A became 209-900 series set 90, set B became 209-910 series set 91, and set C became 209-920 series set 92. They differed from the full-production 209-0 series sets in not having six-door SaHa 208 cars.209-910 series set 91 was withdrawn in December 2006, and the last of the three prototype sets, set 90, was withdrawn in August 2007. Car KuHa 209-901 from the original 901 series set A was stored at Nagano Works, and later preserved at Tōkyō General Rolling Stock Center.
Formation
209-950 series
This was the original classification given to the prototype E231 series 10-car set delivered in October 1998, to test out the then-new insulated-gate bipolar transistor traction system and TIMS passenger information system. It was reclassified as E231-900 series in June 2000 following conversion to the full-production E231 standard.209-1000 series
Two 10-car sets were delivered from Tokyu Car Corporation in August and September 1999, entering service from 4 December 1999 on Jōban Line and Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line inter-running services. Based on the 209-0 series, these trains have end doors for use in emergencies inside tunnels. These sets were based at JR East's Matsudo depot. These train sets have since been withdrawn from the Jōban Line in October 2018 and reallocated to the Chūō Line in December 2018, being based at JR East's Toyoda Depot after the reallocation. Operations officially started on the Chūō Line in March 2019.While these sets usually operate only between Tokyo and Takao, on rare occasions they may operate as far as Ōtsuki, or on the Ōme Line as far as Ōme. Furthermore, unlike the E233 series in use, due to the lack of passenger-operated door controls, all doors open on these sets while in use on the Ōme Line.
After the introduction of 12-car E233-0 series sets with Green cars on the Chūō Line, these sets were withdrawn from service on 6 September 2024. Set 82 was locomotive-hauled to the Nagano General Rolling Stock Center in January 2025, followed by set 81 in February. Both sets were then scrapped on 7 April 2025.
Formation
10-car Jōban Line sets (1999 to 2018)
- Cars 3, 6 and 9 were originally fitted with PS21 lozenge type pantographs, but were converted to single-arm models in 2014.
- Cars 2 and 9 had wheelchair space.
- Car 4 was designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.
10-car Chūō Line sets (2019 to 2024)
- Cars 2, 5 and 8 each had one single-arm pantograph.
- Cars 2 and 9 had wheelchair space.
- Car 4 was designated as a mildly air-conditioned car.
Interior
209-2000/2100 series
These are four- and six-car sets based at Makuhari Depot modified between 2009 and 2013 from former Keihin–Tōhoku—Negishi Line 209-0 series ten-car sets for use on Chiba area and Bōsō Peninsula local services from 1 October 2009 to replace ageing 211 series trains. Modifications include new electrical equipment, the addition of transverse seating to end cars, LED destination indicator panels, and a toilet. The cars are numbered in the -2100 series, although nine four-car sets have end cars numbered in the -2000 series. The -2000 series cars are converted from early batch 209-0 series units with air-operated doors rather than the electrically operated doors of later batch units.The first four-car set was outshopped from Nagano Works in June 2009, while the first six-car set was outshopped from Ōmiya Works in July 2009. The entire conversion process was completed in 2013, and a total of 42 four-car sets and 26 six-car sets were formed.
From 13 March 2021, they were replaced on rural services with new E131 series trains. Six 6-car sets were shortened to 4-car sets between February and March 2021; the two surplus cars from each set along with three others 6-car sets were scrapped between April and May 2021.
In July 2021, 6-car set C609 was removed from JR service and delivered to Izukyū Corporation, and four cars from set C601 were delivered in November 2021. These sets entered service on 30 April 2022 as the Izukyu 3000 series.
The table below shows the converted sets.
| Former 6-car set | Conversion date | New 4-car set |
| C605 | 15 March 2021 | C443 |
| C611 | 4 March 2021 | C444 |
| C613 | 1 March 2021 | C445 |
| C614 | 22 March 2021 | C446 |
| C616 | 8 March 2021 | C447 |
| C620 | 24 February 2021 | C448 |