Kotoden 1200 series

Data (as of 12 Oct 2024)

History

The 1200 series was converted from Keikyu 700 series, which was introduced in 1967-71. The Keikyu 700 series was designed for stopping services with four sets of doors per carriage to especially during rush hours to ease congestion. Each unit consisted of three coaches at first, but later rearranged to four coaches. However, the 700 series became useless by the early-1990s due to low acceleration. All 700 series were withdrawn from Keikyu network by 2005.

Meanwhile, Kotoden had been looking for newer trains to replace extremely old-fashioned trains on Nagao Line, some of which were built in the 1920s. The company renamed the Keikyu 700 series Kotoden 1200 series, rearranged them to two-carriage units with new traction and brakes with subsidies of the central and local governments. Since 2011, seven units are allocated to Kotohira Line and four to Nagao Line.

Current Operations & Future Prospects

The 1200 series trains are used on both Kotohira and Nagao Lines. As Kotoden plans to introduce new trains to Kotohira Line in the late-2020s, the 1200 series is likely to be affected.

Photos

A unit for Nagao Line.

Like other trains, the 1200 series units are often covered with advertisements.

In 2020-21, a unit on Kotohira Line was restored to the original Keikyu livery with donation of 12 million JPY (approx. 112,000 USD) from enthusiasts.

In 2022, Kotoden repainted a unit just like the national flag of Ukraine, showing solidarity with railway workers in the country amid the Russian invasion.