Odakyu 50000 series
Vault Super Express
Odakyu 50000 series VSE, August 2020
In serviceMarch 2005 – December 2023 (regular service ended in 2022)
ManufacturerNippon Sharyo
DesignerNoriaki Okabe
Family nameRomancecar
Entered service19 March 2005
Number built20 cars (2 trainsets)
Number in serviceNone
Formation10 cars per trainset
Operators Odakyu
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Car length14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Maximum speed
  • 110 km/h (68 mph) (service)
  • 130 km/h (81 mph) (design)
Traction systemToshiba 2-level IGBT-VVVF
Acceleration2.0 km/(h⋅s) (1.2 mph/s)
Deceleration
  • 4.0 km/(h⋅s) (2.5 mph/s) (service)
  • 4.5 km/(h⋅s) (2.8 mph/s) (emergency)
Electric system(s)1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Current collector(s)Pantograph
UIC classification2′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′2′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′2′
Braking system(s)Regenerative brake
Safety system(s)ATS (OM)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Notes/references
This train won the 49th Blue Ribbon Award in 2006.

The Odakyu 50000 series (小田急50000形, Odakyū 50000-gata) or VSE (Vault Super Express) was an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by Odakyu Electric Railway on Romancecar services in Japan. Two 10-car articulated sets were introduced in March 2005, manufactured by Nippon Sharyo.

The type won a Japanese Good Design Award in 2005, and a Blue Ribbon Award in 2006.[1]

On 11 March 2022, the train type was withdrawn from regular service, and reserved for use on special services only. The last trainset was retired on 10 December 2023.

Design

Designed by architect Noriaki Okabe,[2] the 50000 series was developed in response to a decrease in limited express service usage to the Hakone region.[3]: 1  Body construction consisted of double-skin aluminium.[2]

The 50000 series had regenerative brakes, and was equipped with air suspension and tilting for passenger comfort.

As with most previous Romancecar trains, the train cars in the sets were articulated.[4]

Interior

Passenger accommodation primarily consisted of 2+2 abreast seating, with a seat pitch of 1,010 millimetres (40 in) in the leading cars and 1,050 millimetres (41 in) in the intermediate cars. The seats were rotated five degrees toward the windows. In the leading cars, the frontmost seats could be arranged in a longitudinal, lounge-like configuration. Car 3 used compartment-style seating.[4]

The interior's vaulted ceiling was the namesake for the train type.[3]

The 50000 series trains' driver's cabs were located above the passenger saloon, giving passengers a view out of the front of the train.[4] This arrangement was used on earlier Odakyu Romancecar trains, although discontinued with the 30000 series EXE trains.[5]

Formation

The sets were formed as follows.[4]

Car No. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Designation DeHa 50000
(M1c)		 DeHa 50100
(M2)		 DeHa 50200
(M3)		 DeHa 50300
(M4)		 DeHa 50400
(M5)		 DeHa 50500
(M6)		 DeHa 50600
(M7)		 DeHa 50700
(M8)		 DeHa 50800
(M9)		 DeHa 50900
(M10c)
Weight (t) 29.7 24.7 25.7 25.7 24.5 24.3 25.5 25.6 24.6 29.9
Capacity 48 40 10 40 40 40 40 12 40 48
  • The leading cars had observation spaces.[4]
  • Cars 3 and 8 were equipped with cafeterias and lavatories.[4]
  • Car 3 had a wheelchair space, and featured slightly wider sliding doors.[4]
Odakyu 50000 series VSE

History

The first set was delivered from Nippon Sharyo in November 2004, and entered service on 19 March 2005.[6]

Withdrawal

Odakyu initially planned to refurbish the 50000 series trains.[7] However, as a result of the train type's overall difficulty to repair and advanced technology required to do so, Odakyu announced on 17 December 2021 its decision to retire them.[2] On 29 January 2022, set 50002 was adorned with decorations to commemorate the type's withdrawal.[8]

The trains were relegated from regular service to special service only on 11 March 2022,[9] and were planned to be completely retired in 2023.[10] On 23 and 24 September 2023, Odakyu held special group tours where the two VSE sets ran and passed each other side by side.[11] These were the final runs of set 50002, which was retired immediately afterwards.

In 2023, Odakyu announced that the last set, set 50001 would be retired in December of that year.[12] Commemorative goods and NFTs of the 50000 series were placed for sale. Several tours were scheduled in November and December using set 50001, and charter service using the 50000 series ended on or before 30 November.[13][14] Set 50001 made its final run on 10 December 2023, marking the retirement of the series.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Romancecar Lineup | Ltd. Exp. Romancecar | Odakyu Electric Railway Archived 6 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 3 "小田急ロマンスカーで一番映える車両「VSE」が引退を余儀なくされた理由" [Why the Odakyu "VSE" Romancecar was forced to retire]. NEWS Post Seven (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 Osano, Kagehisa (16 April 2022). "｢ロマンスカーVSE｣デザイナーが明かす誕生秘話 | 特急･観光列車" ["Romancecar VSE" designer reveals the story behind its design]. Toyo Keizai Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "新車速報 小田急電鉄 50000形 「VSE」" [New vehicle guide: Odakyu Electric Railway 50000 series "VSE"]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 45, no. 526. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. February 2005. pp. 84–88.
  5. ↑ Ltd. Exp. Romancecar | Odakyu Electric Railway Archived 23 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "2007 小田急ロマンスカーオールガイド" [2007 Odakyu RomanceCar Comprehensive Guide]. Tetsudō Daiya Jōhō Magazine. Vol. 36, no. 277. Japan: Kōtsū Shimbun. May 2007. pp. 10–13.
  7. ↑ Osano, Keiji (21 December 2021). "小田急｢白いロマンスカー｣VSE､早すぎる引退理由" [The reason why Odakyu's "VSE" white Romancecar is being retired prematurely]. Toyo Keizai Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  8. ↑ "小田急ロマンスカー「VSE」に記念装飾" [Odakyu Romancecar "VSE" receives commemorative decoration]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Koyusha Co., Ltd. 30 January 2022. Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  9. ↑ 小田急50000形ロマンスカー「VSE」の定期運用終了 [Regular operation of Odakyu 50000 series "VSE" Romancecars has ended]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 12 March 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "小田急 特急ロマンスカー「VSE」 2022年3月定期運行終了 2023年秋ごろ引退へ". trafficnews.jp (in Japanese). Mediavague Co., ltd. 17 December 2021. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  11. ↑ Tanaka, Yuji (24 September 2023). 小田急50000形「VSE」2編成による団臨運転 [Group operation with two Odakyu 50000 type “VSE” formations]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  12. ↑ ありがとうVSE! ～Special Thanks & Forever～ [Sayonara VSE! Special & Eternal Thanks]. Odakyu Electric Railway (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "VSE TOUR・EVENT". Odakyu Electric Railway (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  14. ↑ 特急ロマンスカー・VSE（50000形）貸切プラン [Limited express Romancecar VSE (50000 type) charter plan]. Odakyu Travel (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  15. ↑ Miyamoto, Yasuhiro (11 December 2023). 小田急50000形ロマンスカー「VSE」がラストラン [Odakyu 50000 type Romancecar “VSE” makes its last run]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
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