KiHa 40 series

The KiHa 40 series (キハ40系, Kiha-yonjū-kei) is a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type introduced by Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1977 and operated by all Japan Railways Group companies on suburban and rural services in Japan.[2] Since 2017, the train type has seen use by other private railway companies in Japan, following the removal of services by Japan Railways groups. Additionally, it has also seen use in overseas operations in Myanmar since 2011.

KiHa 40 series
KiHa 41
KiHa 47
KiHa 48
A pair of JR East KiHa 40 series units on the Karasuyama Line in January 2017
In service1977–present
ManufacturerFuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō
Replaced
Constructed19771983
Number built888 vehicles
Number in service714 vehicles (as of 2018)[1]
Successor
FormationVarious
Operator(s)
Depot(s)Various
Line(s) servedVarious
Specifications
Car body constructionSteel
Car length21,300 mm (69 ft 11 in)
Width2,900 mm (9 ft 6 in)
Doors2 per side
Maximum speed95 km/h (59 mph)
Multiple workingKiHa 58 (San'in Main Line only)
Track gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

Overview

The KiHa 40 series diesel multiple unit was introduced in 1977 by JNR to replace ageing KiHa 10 series DMUs on suburban and rural services nationwide.[3] A total of 888 vehicles were built between 1977 and 1982, broadly divided into three main types: KiHa 40, KiHa 47, and KiHa 48. These were subdivided as shown below, with further variants and modifications made later in their lives by the various JR Group companies.[1]

TypeNo. of cabsDoorsSubclassRegionToilet Quantity Numbering Remarks
KiHa 40 2Single-leaf-100Hokkaido
(Extreme cold)
Yes 150 101–250
-500Cold 94 501–594
-1000WarmNo 148 1001–1007 Former KiHa 40-2000 cars with toilets removed
-2000Yes 2001–2148
KiHa 47 1Pairs-0WarmYes 193 1–193
-500Cold 22 501–522
-1000WarmNo 134 1001–1134
-1500Cold 21 1501–1521
KiHa 48 1Single-leaf-0WarmYes 6 1–6
-300Hokkaido
(Extreme cold)
4 301–304
-500Cold 59 501–559
-1000WarmNo 4 1001–1004
-1300Hokkaido
(Extreme cold)
3 1301–1303
-1500Cold 50 1501–1550

"Cold" regions refers to the Tohoku and Chubu regions.

JR Hokkaido

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Hokkaido received a total of 157 KiHa 40 series vehicles (150 KiHa 40s and 7 KiHa 48s). As of 1 April 2010, JR Hokkaido operates 153 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1]

  • KiHa 40-300
  • KiHa 40-330
  • KiHa 40-350
  • KiHa 40-400
  • KiHa 40-700
  • KiHa 40-1700
  • KiHa 48-1300
  • KiHa 400-100
  • KiHa 480-300
  • KiHa 480-1300

JR East

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR East received a total of 219 KiHa 40 series vehicles (117 KiHa 40s, 28 KiHa 47s, and 74 KiHa 48s). As of 1 April 2010, JR East operates 159 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1] KiHa 48 502 and KiHa 48 1512 were derailed and badly damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, and were withdrawn.

  • KiHa 40-500
  • KiHa 40-1000
  • KiHa 40-2000
  • KiHa 47-0
  • KiHa 47-500
  • KiHa 47-1000
  • KiHa 47-1500
  • KiHa 48-500
  • KiHa 48-1500

Joyful Train sets

  • Furusato (KiHa 48-2500)
  • Kirakira Michinoku (KiHa 48)
  • Resort Minori (KiHa 48-500)
  • Resort Shirakami "Aoike" (KiHa 48)
  • Resort Shirakami "Buna" (KiHa 48)
  • Resort Shirakami "Kumagera" (KiHa 48)
  • Umineko (KiHa 48)
  • View Coaster Kazekko (KiHa 48)
  • Koshino Shu*Kura (KiHa 40 and 48)

JR Central

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Central received a total of 59 KiHa 40 series vehicles (14 KiHa 40s, 5 KiHa 47s, and 40 KiHa 48s). By April 2010, JR Central operated 59 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1] These were withdrawn by 2016.

  • KiHa 40-3000
  • KiHa 40-3300
  • KiHa 40-5000
  • KiHa 40-5500
  • KiHa 40-5800
  • KiHa 40-6000
  • KiHa 40-6300
  • KiHa 47-5000
  • KiHa 47-6000
  • KiHa 48-3500
  • KiHa 48-3800
  • KiHa 48-5000
  • KiHa 48-5300
  • KiHa 48-5500
  • KiHa 48-5800
  • KiHa 48-6000
  • KiHa 48-6300
  • KiHa 48-6500
  • KiHa 48-6800

JR West

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR-West received a total of 257 KiHa 40 series vehicles (63 KiHa 40s, 189 KiHa 47s, and 5 KiHa 48s). As of 1 April 2010, JR-West operates 255 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1]

  • KiHa 40-3000
  • KiHa 41-2000
  • KiHa 47-2000
  • KiHa 47-2500
  • KiHa 48-3000
  • KiHa 48-3500

Joyful Train sets

  • Misuzu Shiosai (KiHa 47)
  • Setonai Marine View (KiHa 47)
  • Belles Montagnes et Mer (KiHa 40)
  • Hanayome Noren (KiHa 48)
  • Tenkū no shiro Takeda-jō ato (KiHa 40)

JR Shikoku

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Shikoku received a total of 53 KiHa 40 series vehicles (11 KiHa 40s and 42 KiHa 47s). As of 1 April 2010, JR Shikoku operates 43 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1]

  • KiHa 40-2000
  • KiHa 47-0
  • KiHa 47-500
  • KiHa 47-1000
  • KiHa 47-1500

Joyful Train sets

  • Iyonada Monogatari (KiHa 47)

JR Kyushu

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Kyushu received a total of 142 KiHa 40 series vehicles (36 KiHa 40s and 106 KiHa 47s). As of 1 April 2010, JR Kyushu operates 140 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.[1]

  • KiHa 40-7000
  • KiHa 40-8000
  • KiHa 47-3500
  • KiHa 47-4500
  • KiHa 47-5000
  • KiHa 47-6000
  • KiHa 47-8000
  • KiHa 47-8500
  • KiHa 47-9000
  • KiHa 47-9500
  • KiHa 140-2000
  • KiHa 147-0
  • KiHa 147-1000

Joyful Train sets

Resale

Nishikigawa Railway

In 2017, 1 KiHa 40-1009 diesel carriage was taken over by Nishikigawa Railway, that ended operation on the Karasuyama Line by JR East in March 2017, the former diesel train is remodeled in retro style, and started operation on September 16 of the same year.[4]

Kominato Railway

2 KiHa 40 carriages (KiHa 40-2021 and KiHa 40-2026), which ended operation on the Tadami Line in March 2020, were transferred to Kominato Railway in May 2020 with the Tohoku livery.[5][6]

Hojo Railway

The latest acquisition purchased by the third-sector railway company which has been funded by the local government of Kasai City to purchase a retired unit from JR East which had been recently ended their local services in Gono Line on 2021.[7][8][9] The local government had been successfully collected their crowdfunding at a cost of about 30 million yen (approx. $220,000) for purchasing cost, shipment from the Akita prefecture and for remodeling or refurbishment to make it like new. The railcar has been successfully remodeled and started began their operation on March 2022 with retaining its former livery used in Gono Line by JR East. [10][11][8][9]


Overseas operations

A former KiHa 40 series train in Myanmar in July 2016

A large fleet of former KiHa 40 series cars from JR East, JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku, and JR Central were shipped to Myanmar between 2011 and 2016. A total of 48 diesel cars (including KiHa 40, KiHa 47, & KiHa 48) have been shipped to Myanmar for overseas operations.[12] The cars are used on the Yangon Circular Railway.

Preserved examples

References

  1. Nishiwaki, Kōji; Fujita, Gorō (January 2011). キハ40系一族 [The KiHa 40 Series Family]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 51, no. 597. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 15–63.
  2. Haraguchi, Takayuki (2009). Encyclopedia of JR's Railway Cars: JR全車輌. Japan: Sekai Bunka. pp. 126–127. ISBN 978-4-418-09905-4.
  3. Jēāru zensharyō handobukku: Rail Magazine 2009 JR全車輌ハンドブック2009 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2009]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2009. pp. 461–470. ISBN 978-4-7770-0836-0.
  4. Toshihiko, Ninomiya. "山口)「キハ40形」錦川鉄道に到着 9月以降に運行". www.asahi.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. "鉄道ダイヤ情". www.kotsu.co.ja (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. "小湊鉄道 レア車両搬入で撮り鉄"密状態"に困惑「気持ちは分かるが、こんな時期なんで」". www.sponichi.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. "北条鉄道 キハ40形購入". 読売新聞. 31 May 2021. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  8. "「キハ40」ようこそ北条鉄道へ 五能線の引退車両、来春から運行 人気の希少カラーリング". 神戸新聞. 神戸新聞社. 12 December 2021. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  9. "旧国鉄時代の「キハ40形」 希少な「白青」で走行へ 北条鉄道". 神戸新聞NEXT. 神戸新聞社. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  10. "国鉄時代に製造のレア車両「キハ40形」再び出発進行! 北条鉄道". 神戸新聞NEXT. 神戸新聞社. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  11. "北条鉄道で『キハ40満喫列車』運転". 鉄道ニュース. 交友社. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  12. Diesel Railcars from Japan Archived 17 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "キハ40 764" [KiHa 40 764]. rail.hobidas.com. Neko Publishing. 22 April 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  14. "The Routes". Microsoft Train Simulator - Engineer's Handbook. Microsoft. 2001. p. 86.
  15. "Japan Railway Journal Episode 35 - The Unsung Hero of Japanese Railways: Series Kiha 40 Diesel Trains, Originally Aired Friday, June 16, 2017". Japan Railway Journal. NHK World-Japan. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2019.

Further reading

  • Ishii, Yoshitaka (27 February 2009). キハ47物語: ローカル線の主役一般形キハの歩み キハ47物語 [The KiHa 47 story]. Japan: JTB Can Books. ISBN 978-4533074271.
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