Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series

Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series
A 6000 series train at Seishin-minami Station in July 2021
Stock typeElectric multiple unit
In service2019–present
ManufacturerKawasaki
DesignerKen Okuyama
Built atHyogo Ward
Replaced
  • 1000 series
  • 2000 series
  • 3000 series
  • Hokushin Kyuko 7000 series
Constructed2017–2023
Entered serviceFebruary 16, 2019
Number built174 carriages (29 sets)
Formation6-car sets
Capacity272 seated, 536 standing
OperatorKobe Municipal Subway
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium alloy, double-skin
Car length19 m (62 ft 4 in)
Width2.79 m (9 ft 2 in)
Height4.09 m (13 ft 5 in)
Doors3 per side
Maximum speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Traction systemHitachi VFI-HR1421H[1] hybrid SiC-IGBTVVVF
Traction motors12 × 170 kW (230 hp)
Acceleration3.3 km/(h⋅s) (2.1 mph/s)
Deceleration
  • 3.5 km/(h⋅s) (2.2 mph/s) (service)
  • 4.5 km/(h⋅s) (2.8 mph/s) (emergency)
Electric systems1,500 V DC (nominal) from overhead catenary
Current collectionPantograph
UIC classification2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge

The Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series (神戸市交通局6000形, Kōbe Shi Kōtsū-kyōku 6000-gata) is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated by the Kobe Municipal Subway on the Seishin-Yamate Line and Hokushin Line (the two lines operate a through service) since February 16, 2019.[2][3]

Design and manufacturing

The trains were manufactured by Kawasaki.[4] They were initially designed by Ken Okuyama Design in 2016.[5]

28 six-car trainsets were ordered to replace the entire fleet of 28 1000/2000/3000 series trains on the Seishin-Yamate Line by 2022, providing a single common fleet of trains for the line allowing for the installation of automatic platform gates at every station.[6][7]

Following the transfer of the Hokushin Line to Kobe Municipality on June 1, 2020,[8] one extra trainset was ordered to allow for replacement of the remaining Hokushin Kyuko Railway 7000 series[ja] trains, bringing the number of 6000 series trainsets to 29 which would allow all services on both the Seishin-Yamate and Hokushin Lines to be provided by the new 6000 series trains.

Interior

Passenger accommodation consists of longitudinal bench seating throughout, with priority seats being provided at the ends of each car. LED lighting is used in the interiors, and pairs of LCD passenger information screens are provided above the doorways.[9] Although there are gangway connections between each car, they are blocked by openable glass doors.

History

The 6000 series trains replaced the following previously operated train types (all six-car trainsets). The initial order of 28 trainsets was to replace the 28 1000/2000/3000 series trains, with one additional trainset ordered to replace the remaining Hokushin Kyuko Railway 7000 series trains:

  • 1000 series[ja] (1977–2023) (18 sets). Withdrawn on August 17, 2023[10]
  • 2000 series[ja] (1988–2022) (4 sets). Withdrawn on March 19, 2022[10]
  • 3000 series[ja] (1992–2021) (6 sets). Withdrawn on July 24, 2021[10]
  • Hokushin Kyuko Railway 7000 series[ja] (1988–2023). Initially 5 sets, 2 of which were withdrawn in 2022. The remaining 3 sets withdrawn on August 17, 2023.[10]

The first 6000 series trainsets entered service on February 16, 2019.[2][3]

As of August 2022, 25 trainsets have been constructed.[11]

The initial order of 28 trainsets was completed on March 8, 2023, with the 29th trainset completed on November 1, 2023.

On July 18, 2023, it was announced that a timetable change would be implemented on August 18, 2023, and that all services on the Seishin-Yamate and Hokushin Lines from this date will be operated by the new 6000 series trains.[12]

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. ^ "Special Feature: Shinkansen Frontline 2019". Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 59, no. 696. April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series begins operation on the Seishin-Yamate Line". MyNavi (in Japanese). February 16, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  3. ^ a b "6000形車両(29号車~) | 地下鉄車両 | 地下鉄 | 神戸市交通局" (in Japanese). Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  4. ^ "Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series undergoes land transportation". Railway News (Railway Fan) (in Japanese). March 26, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  5. ^ "Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau: Proposed New Vehicle Design". Railway News (Railway Fan) (in Japanese). October 17, 2016.
  6. ^ "Platform screen doors to be installed at all stations on the Seishin-Yamate Line". Kobe Shimbun (in Japanese). July 5, 2018. Archived from the original on July 4, 2018.
  7. ^ "ベージュの神戸市営地下鉄、いよいよラストスパートか 北神線7000系の今後". 鉄道コム (in Japanese). May 5, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  8. ^ 神戸市. "神戸市:北神急行線の市営化が6月1日より始まります". www.city.kobe.lg.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  9. ^ 神戸市交通局6000形、西神・山手線の新型車両を公開 - 写真145枚 [Kobe Municipal Transportation Bureau shows of new 6000 series train model - 145 photos]. Mynavi News (in Japanese). Japan: Mynavi Corporation. February 8, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d "交通局の沿革 | 企業概要 | 企業情報 | 神戸市交通局" (in Japanese). Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  11. ^ "神戸市交6000形6153編成が試運転を実施" [Kobe Municipal Subway 6000 series set 6153 undergoes a trial run]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). August 24, 2022. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  12. ^ 神戸市 (July 18, 2023). "神戸市:神戸市営地下鉄 西神・山手線、北神線ダイヤ改正". www.city.kobe.lg.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2025.