, nineteen six-car sets are in service, formed as shown below, with car 1 at the Umeda end. Four cars are powered.
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Designation
Tc1
M1'
M
M
M'
Tc2
Numbering
82xx
80xx
81xx
81xx
80xx
82xx
Capacity
140
150
150
150
150
140
Cars 2 to 5 each have one lozenge-style pantograph. Four sets break the numbering rule as shown above; sets 8213, 8221, 8523 and 8235, due to random cars from random sets being inserted into these four sets to replace cars scrapped due to heavy damage from the quakes, along with the insertion of some new-build cars in these sets.
Set 8213
All six cars are original-build cars.
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Designation
Tc1
M1'
M
M
M'
Tc2
Numbering
8213
8013
8117
8118
8018
8218
Capacity Total
140
150
150
150
150
140
Set 8221
All six cars are original-build cars.
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Designation
Tc1
M1'
M
M
M'
Tc2
Numbering
8221
8021
8121
8122
8022
8214
Capacity Total
140
150
150
150
150
140
Set 8523
Set 8523 contains one new-build car, 8523, and a car sourced from the prototype set, 8201. 8502 still retains its original appearance.
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Designation
Tc1
M1'
M
M
M'
Tc2
Numbering
8523
8023
8123
8102
8002
8502
Capacity Total
140
150
150
150
150
140
Set 8235
Set 8235 contains two new-build cars, 8336 and 8536, while the rest of the cars are original-build.
Car No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Designation
Tc1
M1'
M
M
M'
Tc2
Numbering
8235
8035
8135
8136
8336
8536
Capacity Total
140
150
150
150
150
140
Interior
Passenger accommodation consists of 2+2transverse seating in some cars and longitudinal bench seating in others.
History
The 8000 series was built by Mukogawa Sharyo to replace aging rolling stock on Hanshin lines. A prototype set, 8201, was built in 1984 based on the 3901 series set 3905. 11 sets were damaged during the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake; 15 cars spanning across all 11 sets were heavily damaged by the quakes and were scrapped. There were no sets with all six cars scrapped due to heavy damage by the quakes, and as such, the remaining cars from those sets were randomly inserted into various sets, with additional newly built cars.
Refurbishment
From 2002 to 2015, the entire fleet of 8000 series sets underwent a period of refurbishment. Changes included a new color scheme resembling that of later 9300 series cars, the replacements of longitudinal bench seats in some cars with transverse seating, LED headlights and LED destination boards. The first set to undergo refurbishment, 8211, was returned to service on 11 April 2002. The last set to undergo refurbishment, 8239, was returned to service in October 2015.
