Nishi-Nippon Railroad (Nishitetsu) will repaint some of the Kaizuka Line 600 series trains, which are scheduled to be retired, in the “ice green” color they had when they were on the Omuta Line (now the Tenjin Omuta Line).
50th Anniversary “Ice Green”
The 600 series, which appeared in 1962, was developed as a general-purpose train capable of running everything from express to local trains to accommodate commuter transport in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, and played a major role on the Omuta Line, where congestion was on the rise. When it was transferred to the Miyajidake Line (now the Kaizuka Line) in 1990, it was repainted in its current color of “oxide yellow,” and it continues to serve the region today. By the way, Nishitetsu also has the first 600 series, which was introduced in 1951 and has already been scrapped, and the current model is the second generation.
The second-generation 600 series is Nishitetsu’s oldest active train, and has been in operation for over 60 years. However, due to aging, it is scheduled to be gradually scrapped from the second half of fiscal year 2025. The two cars in one train (cars 606 and 656) that are about to be retired will be repainted in the “ice green body with bon red stripe” that was worn from the time of the body improvement work in 1978 until the transfer to the Miyajidake Line, and will enter commercial operation from Saturday, July 19, 2025. The ice green, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is a representative color of Nishitetsu trains that was first used on the 5000 series cars, and the repainting was realized in response to requests from railway fans who wanted to see the ice green paint of the 600 series again.
What was the color when the 600 series was first introduced?
In addition, a special exhibition looking back on the history of the 600 series will be held inside the repainted trains. Archive photos from the train’s birth to the present will be on display in four locations next to the doors until March 31 (Tue), 2026, allowing Passengers to experience the train’s nostalgic history of over 70 years, including the first generation.
The 600 series retro livery cars are scheduled to run until August 2027, but the end date may change depending on rollingstocks operations. The second-generation 600 series was known for its two-tone maroon and beige exterior from its debut until 1980, and fans would love to see a re-release of this livery, but nothing has been decided at this time.
