By TOMOYUKI SUZUKI/ Staff Writer
January 6, 2022 at 07:00 JST
The 400 series train to be introduced on Osaka Metro Co.’s Chuo Line (Provided by Osaka Metro Co.)
OSAKA--A futuristic-looking subway train featuring an exterior that resembles a spacecraft will provide a wow factor for the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo.
Osaka Metro Co. unveiled the design for the new 400 series train, scheduled to start operating in April 2023 on the Chuo Line.
“I came up with the characteristic design by pursuing a vehicle whose passengers can enjoy exciting rides,” Kiyoyuki Okuyama, who serves as chief design officer at the company, told a Dec. 9 news conference.
Also known as Ken Okuyama, the industrial designer has worked on Ferrari sports cars, East Japan Railway Co.’s luxury sleeper Train Suite Shiki-shima and the E7 and W7 series trains on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line.
Osaka Metro will extend the Chuo Line to Yumeshima, the site of the Osaka Kansai Expo, by the end of fiscal 2024.
To offer passengers a good view, the front portion of the 400 series is covered by a large sheet of glass with light-emitting diodes embedded in all four corners.
The backrests on passenger seats will stand taller, while cross seats will be available for riders to sit in profile to windows for their comfort.
Hitachi Ltd. will build the 400 series. Introducing all 23 of the six-car trains is estimated to cost 30 billion yen ($264 million).
The new train will be equipped with a self-operating function, allowing the train to be handled by crew members who do not have driving licenses. The system is expected to undergo verification testing in fiscal 2024.
Security cameras will be in place so that crew members can monitor the conditions aboard in real time. The safety feature comes after a series of high-profile attacks on trains nationwide.
Osaka Metro plans to use an additional 10 trains from the 30000A series to secure enough transportation capability for the event.
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