Toei 5300 series

The Toei 5300 series was a Japanese city commuter electric multiple unit operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei) from March 1991 to February 2023 on the Toei Asakusa Line.
==History==
The 5300 series sets were designed for the sole purpose of replacing the old 5000 series trains on the Toei Asakusa Line, which were by then nearing 31 years of operation at the time, as well as having a new train which would allow direct operation with the Hokusō Line. The first sets began operation on 31 March 1991, with all 5000 series cars being replaced by 1995.
The 5300 series cars were also used to supplement the 5200 series cars until those were retired in 2006. These remained the workhorses of the Asakusa Line for well over 20 years. With the announcement of the new 5500 series sets in 2017 and the introduction of said trains in 2018, the 5300 series sets were slated to be slowly replaced. The first 5300 series set, 5301, was scrapped in 2018, with scrapping of more sets occurring over the next few years. All sets were initially slated to be retired in 2021, before their retirement was pushed back to 2022 due to radio compatibility reasons. The last set, 5320, made its final revenue run on 23 February 2023.
No 5300 series cars have been preserved.
==Design==
The 5300 series cars use a slantnose design with a "21st century inspired design". The design was done by Hitachi's Design Laboratory, situated in Ginza. The design is stated to evoke a sense of urban flair, with colors evoking various parts of Tokyo such as Asakusa and the Sumida River. The "21st century inspired design" features an "innovative design with urban flair", a "bright and refreshing interior", evokes a "ride quality-centric vehicle" feel, a "more accessible" image and the incorporation of new technology to make the locomotives maintenance-free.
The cars are made of a painted aluminum alloy, with extruded shapes being prominently used on the design in an attempt to save weight. All around the cars are 3-color LED displays acting as destination indicators. The interior of the cars evoke a sense of Asakusa's environment, with the colors evoking the cherry blossoms which bloom along the Sumida River in early spring. The bench seats in the car also evoke an image of the cherry blossom, with the brown surrounds around the seats evoking an "earthly scent".
Early batches of the 5300 series feature shorter pilots, colloquially known as "miniskirts"; all "miniskirt" sets were retired and scrapped as of 2021. Later sets feature a full front pilot.
===Variations===
;Pilot variations
Toei 5300 Miniskirt 2021.jpg|"Miniskirt" set 5314 circa May 2021
==Specifications==
Construction of the cars is of an aluminum alloy, featuring many extruded shapes to account for weight savings. Cars are 18 meters long.
All sets use Mitsubishi gate turn-off thyristors; the early sets featured GTOs which initially made a low droning noise, but a software update which occurred in 2009 caused the cadence of the sets to change, now producing a moderately high-pitched wail. Later sets with the full front pilot feature the later GTO drive by default. Certain software updates on some of the earlier sets was reverted for unknown reasons for a time around 2010, reverting to the low drone.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Toei trains
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives