E233 Series
| Number of lines | Joestu Line
Mihara Line Namboku Line Tozai Line Yamate Line |
|---|---|
| Began Operation | 2022 |
| Operator(s) | KCR Harmony Rail Transit (Lamtsu) |
|---|---|
| Rolling stock | KCR-E233
E233-100 E233-200 E233-300 E233-400 |
| Track gauge | 1453mm |
|---|---|
| Electrification | 25Kv AC overhead (KCR) 1500V DC overhead (HRT Lamtsu) |
| Operating speed | 120 (Most variants) 80 (E233-300) |
The E233 Series is a family of rolling stock used by Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and Harmony Rail Transit (Lamtsu). The base variant is produced and operated by KCR, although only one is in operation at the moment on the Joestu Line from Bubba Town to Mito. 3 variants, the E233-100, E233-200 and E233-300 are under production by New Tshai Industries for use in Lamtsu. A forth variant, the E233-400, is under study. The KCRC E233 variant entered service on the Joestu Line on the 3rd of March 2022, with the HRT E233 variants expected to enter service when the Lamtsu Railway Reconstruction is complete.
Design Features
The E233 series has a stainless steel body and a significantly narrower frame than some of the other trains, allowing them to run with a lower loading gauge than similar commuter trains, such as the SP100. The exterior design was initially designed by KCRC, with the NTI variants using the same design but with differing liveries. The front of the train has a display screen for the line as well. Due to the hugely different climates in the region, the E233 Series has variable temperature adjustment, allowing for energy conservation in areas where power is not a significant issue.
While the KCR E233 has 4 cars with 5 doors each, the HRT Lamtsu variants have significantly shorter cars to aid with navigating the curvy lines in Lamtsu, with each car having 4 doors instead of 5 and being 20m long instead of 25m.
Variants
- KCR E233: 4 car set used on the Joestu Line
- E233-100: 5+5 car set used on the Mihara Line
- E233-200: 10 car set used on the Namboku Line and Tozai Line
- E233-300: 10 car set used on the Yamate Line
- E233-400: 8 car set used on the Seiyo and Lamtsu Main lines
KCR E233
HRT E233
The HRT E233 has 3 variants with significantly differing properties.
- E233-100: This variant is designed for consistent operation at Maximum operating speed, 120km/h. They also are designed for both 5-car and 10-car service, and can navigate curves the best of all the 3 variants. This train has a slower acceleration than the other 2 variants, however.
- E233-200: This variant is the most similar to the KCR E233, with only minor differences in acceleration. Like the E233-100, this variant can operate at 120km/h without significant issues.
- E233-300: This variant is the slowest of the 3 variants, with a maximum operating speed of 110. This variant does not go faster than 80km/h in operation, but has the fastest acceleration of the 3 variants.
- E233-400: This variant is similar to the E233-100, but has a wider turn radius and the worst acceleration of the 4.