209 series

The 209 series is a Japanese commuter electric multiple unit operated by the East Japan Railway Company since February 1993.
==History==
The 209 series was designed in 1993 based on the prototype 901 series to replace various city commuter trains like 103 series sets on the Keihin-Tōhoku and Negishi Lines due to aging. The first set entered service on 15 February 1993 on the Keihin-Tōhoku Line. The original concept of the 209 series was to create a low-cost, minimal lifespan train that would be replaced rather than rebuilt when they were deemed "life-expired"; they are actually somewhat fulfilling this role as they are slowly being replaced by newer trains, although some sets have actually been rebuilt.
A variant of the 209 series, the 209-950 series, was built in 1998 and entered service on 27 March 1999 on the Chūō-Sōbu Line to test out the then-new insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drive and the then-new TIMS passenger information system. The set was converted into E231-900 series set B901 in June 2000 after various modifications were done; as of July 2020 the set operates on the Musashino Line under the fleet number MU1.
Nambu Line-based 209-2200 series set NaHa53 was converted into Bōsō Bicycle Base set J1 in April 2017. This is a dedicated train for carrying cyclists and their bicycles from Ryōgoku in Tokyo to various destinations on the Uchibō, Sōtobo and Narita Lines and the Sōbu Main Line on the Bōsō Peninsula. The set entered service on 6 January 2018.
Some Keihin-Tōhoku Line 209 series cars were converted into three two-car training sets for use in the Ōmiya, Yokohama and Hachiōji Depots, with others being converted into the specialized MUE Train set. Two ex-Narita area sets were purchased by the Izukyu Corporation in 2021, intended to be converted.
==Design==
The 209 series uses a modern design with an unpainted stainless steel body very much like most JR East commuter trains. Each set has a different color scheme to indicate which area the sets serve. 
It is the first of JR's "new series trains" and served as the basis for the 701, E127, E217, E231 and E501 series sets, with the E231 series sets later becoming the blueprint for successive trains developed by JR East and other JR companies.
The 209-500 series cars look extremely similar to the E231-0 series sets, but can be differentiated by their lack of six-door cars and painted white fronts as opposed to stainless steel fronts.
===Variations===
;Livery variations
Operating area 	Front end	Body side
 	 	
Keihin-Tōhoku Line/Negishi Line	
{| border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100"	
 	 	
;Cab design variations
There are four cab design variations of the 209 series. One is used for the 209-0 series sets (shared with the 209-2000, 209-2100, 209-2200 and 209-3000 series sets), another is used for the 209-1000 series sets, a third is used for the 209-500 series sets (shared with the 209-950 and 209-3500 series set) and the last is used on the 209-3100 series sets (which were actually converted from surplus TWR 70-000 series sets).
209 Kawagoe Open Day 2017.jpg|Five 209 series sets and a TWR 70-000 series set exhibited at the Kawagoe Depot Open Day in November 2017; L–R: 209 series "MUE Train", 209-2500 series set Hae64, Chūō-Sōbu Line 209-500 series set C504, Musashino Line 209-500 series set M72, 209-3100 series set Hae72, TWR 70-000 series set Z8
209-1000 Jōban Line 2015.jpg|MaTo81 in November 2015
209-950 Chūō-Sōbu 1999.jpg|209-950 series set 62 on the Chūō-Sōbu Line in 1999; currently operating as E231-900 series set MU1
209-2200 BBBase J1 Narita 2018.jpg|J1 in March 2018
==Specifications==
Construction is of stainless steel. Cars are 20 meters long and 2.87 meters wide (2.96 meters wide for the 209-500 series). Almost all variants of the 209 series use gate turn-off thyristor variable frequency drives manufactured by Mitsubishi which have a distinctive roaring sound akin to a car shifting gears when the train accelerates from idle. Some sets have since been refurbished to use insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives also manufactured by Mitsubishi that produce a hissing noise.
The 209-950 series prototype set used two types of IGBT drives; a two-level IGBT drive by Hitachi, and a three-level IGBT drive by Mitsubishi. Both types of drives are now used by various E231 series sets. The two-level Hitachi IGBT drive made a shrill whine as the train accelerated from idle while the three-level Mitsubishi IGBT drive made a distinctive, wind-like noise (both recordings taken from E231-900 series set B901, now MU1, which the 209-950 series set was converted into).
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric trainsets
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Tokyu Car locomotives
Category:Niitsu Works locomotives
Category:Ōfuna Works locomotives