Little Dancer

The Little Dancer series of streetcars is a series of super low-floor streetcars manufactured by Alna Sharyo. These streetcars are said to not require special upgraded facilities or new maintenance techniques for maintenance due to having axles on all wheels, as opposed to axle-less wheels as seen on many other low-floor designs, such as the Siemens Combino.
The name Little Dancer has some etymology behind it; the name was chosen to provide a "cute and lively" image, in addition to the word Dancer being a play on the Japanese word dansa (meaning "bump"), most likely to add to the same "cutesy" factor. The series of streetcars are currently used around various Japanese streetcar lines, and come in many variations.
==Variations==
;Little Dancer Type S
Have short bodies, hence the "S" in their name. Bogies are fully enclosed on both ends. The Type S cars are used by Iyotetsu in revenue service; Sapporo Streetcar is the most recent company to introduce a streetcar of this type. JR's research division, RTRI, owns one battery-electric Type S car but it is not used in revenue service.
MoHa 2100 Otemachi 2017.jpg|Iyotetsu MoHa 2100 series "Tofu"
MoHa 5000 2017.jpg|Iyotetsu MoHa 5000 series
LH02 RTRI 2017.jpg|RTRI LH02 series|link=LH02 series "Hi-Tram"
1100 1101 Sirius 2018.jpg|Sapporo Streetcar 1100 series "Sirius"
;Little Dancer Type L
Have long bodies, hence the "L" in their name. Only one set of this type has been produced, and it is used by Tosaden Kōtsū.
Tosa 100 Heartram 2010.jpg|Tosaden Kōtsū 100 series "Heartram"
;Little Dancer Type A3
Have articulated bodies with three segments, hence the "A3" in their name. Only the Kagoshima City Tram uses the Type A3 series streetcars, and it was the first Little Dancer series streetcar to enter service.
Kagoshima 1000 U-Tram 2008.jpg|Kagoshima City Tram 1000 series "U-Tram"
;Little Dancer Type A5
Have articulated bodies with five segments, hence the "A5" in their name. Only the Kagoshima City Tram uses the Type A5 series streetcars.
Kagoshima 7000 U-Tram II 2013.jpg|Kagoshima City Tram 7000 series "U-Tram II"
;Little Dancer Type U
Articulated streetcars with non-conventionally placed traction motors, which allows them to be 100% low-floor. As it is considered the ultimate Little Dancer series car, the "U" designation is put in place. Type U streetcars have a middle articulated section without any wheels. Only the Nagasaki Electric Tramway uses the Type U series streetcar.
Nagasaki 3000 2010.jpg|Nagasaki Electric Tramway 3000 series
;Little Dancer Type Ua
A derivative of the Type U cars, but use air brakes as opposed to spring-applied brakes, hence the "Ua" designation. Type Ua streetcars have a middle articulated section without any wheels. This type is used on the Toyohashi Railroad, Toyama Chihō Railway, Nagasaki Electric Tramway, Sapporo Streetcar, Hankai Tramway and the Chikuhō Electric Railroad. Tosaden Kōtsū plans to introduce the 3000 series streetcar based on this type.
Toyohashi T1000 Hot Tram 2008.jpg|Toyotetsu T1000 series "Hot Tram"
Toyama Chihō T100 Santram 2014.jpg|Toyama Chihō T100 series "Santram"
Nagasaki 5000 2011.jpg|Nagasaki Electric Tramway 5000 series
Sapporo A1200 Polaris 2017.jpg|Sapporo Streetcar A1200 series "Polaris"
Hankai 1001 Sakai Tram 2015.jpg|Hankai 1001 series "Sakai Tram"
Chikuhō 5000 2017.jpg|Chikuhō Electric Railway 5000 series
Tosa 3000 Heartram II 2018.jpg|Tosaden Kōtsū 3000 series "Heartram II"
;Little Dancer Type C2
Essentially a revision of the Type U series cars without the intermediate section. As it is has two articulated sections and has a combination of other design elements from other Little Dancer sets, the "C2" designation is applied. Only the Hakodate City Tram uses Type C2 series sets.
Hakodate 9600 Rakkuru-gō 2008.jpg|Hakodate City Tram 9600 series "Rakkuru-gō"
;Little Dancer Type X
The latest Little Dancer series streetcar to enter service. Uses the world's smallest traction motors which allow it to be 100% low floor, in addition to having longer seats in the interior. Only the Kagoshima City Tram uses Type X series streetcars.
Kagoshima 7500 U-Tram III 2017.jpg|Kagoshima City Tram 7500 series "U-Tram III"
Category:Alna Sharyo locomotives
Category:Streetcars