Hey Everyone, Kapinozuka here.
f...Finally,
Tsukuba Express has joined the BTrain Shorty!!
The Tsukuba Express is the railway line that joins
Akihabara Station in Tokyo, with the
Tsukuba Station in Ibaraki, started operation in August of year 2005. Boasting the
top
speed of 130km/h, and the fastest train can
travel between Akihabara Station and Tsukuba Station in just
45min!
The rail is structured with only the underground, canal and elevated railroad, thus it doesn't run on the normal ground level areas, so of course there are no railroad
crossings. The cars are equipped with an auto-drive system (ATO), and with the station platform equipped with a mobile platform fence (or platform door, you could call it),
the train can run solely by a single driver.
The stations have been fully equipped with elevators and escalators too. The cars have been equipped with wireless internet, so the passengers can access the net in the
train.
So you could say,
it is armed with thorough safety measures and latest technology, a "Train of the Future", friendly to the
people and the environment.
The project initially designed as a bypass line to help the JR Joban line that was at its limit, by the name of [Joban New Line], the construction had begun. It had been a
while for new rail line to be developed of this magnitude in the capital region, and had caused a large stir. It even got an alias commonly known as the "commuters bullet
train" or what not.
This year, it will be reaching its
5th year anniversary. To celebrate, it was to be released as a B-Train Shorty, and
this is the item.
B Train Shorty Tsukuba Express TX-1000 (2-Car Set) *Initial Release Limited Edition
The TX-1000 series is formed with 6 cars of the train on the right of the previous photo. This is a Direct Current car that runs in the DC area between Akihabara station and
Moriya Station, used mainly as a local train.
The B-Train is a set of 2 cars, the leader and the middle car, but
it is possible to reproduce each of the 6car formation by
changing parts. The roof of the middle cars TX-1200 type (with 1 base pantograph), TX-1400 type (with 2 base pantograph) has properly been made apart.
B Train Shorty Tsukuba Express TX-2000 (2-Car Set) *Initial Release Limited Edition
The TX-2000 series is the train that runs between Akihabara station and Tsukuba station, and is also a 6-car formation. It seems to be mainly used as the limited express
train. As there is a dead section in the northern areas of Moriya station on the Tsukuba Express, an area where the current changes between DC to AC, the TX-2000 series is
compatible with both current to allow it to run the whole way.
Speaking of AC&DC compatible trains, they tend to have many equipments and cables around the pantograph, and the TX-2000 series is no exception. The roof parts used on the
middle cars with pantograph, type TX-2200 and type TX-2400 is something to pay attention to.
With this set, you can make the train on the left of the previous photo of the actual train. The formation with red line under the window is the cars added recently, produced
to increase the number.
TX-1000 series and TX-2000 series, as they look very similar, you can
reproduce the initial model of TX-2000 series
by combining the body of TX-1000 and the roof parts of TX-2000, so I get the feeling that
many will buy in bulk.
*When forming a full formation with B-Train, you are likely to have many leader cars left over, and I guess you could combine it with other similar N-scale junk body
and...(rest abbreviated)...but please keep in mind that any customization you make is your own responsibility. We, nor the manufacturers will not be able to take
responsibility for it!
Now, we have info that the Initial Release Limited Edition is scheduled to have a frontal part with head-marked base (provisional) included. On Tsukuba Express, there are
times where they equip head-mark for temp. special train, *imperial train or other events, so this sure would be a great item to have.
*an imperial train is a special train that the Royal Family uses, and VIPs from other countries (eg. Kings and President etc.) may ride along sometimes too.
Right then, the highlight of Tsukuba Express is here!
...sorry, that's a little too vague. Let's zoom in on Kanto!
And zooming in even closer, at Adachi in Tokyo!!
*The bird's-eye-view images borrowed from the noted copyright holders.
The river running from the top left corner to the bottom right is the [Arakawa River (Drainage Canal)], and the road bridge at the top left corner is the Senjushinbashi bridge. And
at the center of the image, there are multiple steel bridges (Arakawa Bridge Floodway).
In order from upstream (top left corner),
Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line (Kita-Senju~Ayase area),
JR Joban Line (Kita-Senju~Matsudo area),
Tsukuba Express (Kita-Senju~Aoi area),
leaving a little gap and
Tobu Isesaki Line (Kita-Senju~Kosuge area), an area with many bridges in a row, that
Railway fans just loves.
During the period such as the morning rush hours, where the frequency of trains running are increased, the trains sometimes runs side by side, or runs past one other etc. This
is the only place above ground that the Tsukuba Express runs along with so many rail lines.
This is what it would be like, put in a diagram. I've lined up the packaging illustrations from the B-Trains that's been previously released.
★click to enlarge!
Listed in order from upstream (from the left of the image), the OdaKyu New 4000 series (Entrepreneur Limited Product),
Tokyo Metro series 06,
Joban Line series E531,
Joban Line series E231, leaving a gap and
Tobu series 100 Spacia,
Tobu series 20000,
Tobu series 30000,
Tokyu 8500 series. There are also other B-Trains released that funs on these lines, but I'm sure you
get the picture, that many variety of trains can be seen around this area.
Once the Tsukuba Express is released in B-Train, the blank on the diagram will be filled, the lineup will be completed, so there may be people that will challenge the
reproduction of Arakawa Bridge Floodways with B-Train.
Up till now, the only Tsukuba Express model was the
Plastic Rail S-56 Tsukuba Express that had been released.
Although it may be a B-Train, It will be
the first time in N-Scale to be released. So this is a very important model
in that sense too.
So anyway, we will be waiting for your pre-order for the
B Train Shorty Tsukuba Express TX-1000 (2-car set)and
B Train Shorty Tsukuba Express TX-2000 (2-Car Set).
By Kapinozuka, who ponders on the mystery of so many railways gathering in Kita-Senju.