KiHa 100 series

KiHa 100 series
KiHa 100-16 on the Kamaishi Line in June 2021
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō
Type of locomotive	Diesel multiple unit
Constructed	1990 – 1999
Number built	279 cars
Dimensions	17,000 mm × 2,928 mm × 3,995 mm (KiHa 100 series)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Prime mover	DMF11HZ, DMF13HZ, DMF14HZ, DMF13HZA or DMF14HZA prime mover
Service information
In service	10 March 1990 – Present
Formation	1 or 2 cars per set
Number in service	274 cars
Fleet numbers	KiHa 100-1 – KiHa 100-46, KiHa 100-201 – KiHa 100-205, KiHa 101-1 – KiHa 101-13, KiHa 103-711, KiHa 110-1, KiHa 110-3 – KiHa 110-5, KiHa 110-101 – KiHa 110-104, KiHa 110-106 – KiHa 110-107, KiHa 110-109 – KiHa 110-139, KiHa 110-201 – KiHa 110-250, KiHa 110-301 – KiHa 110-314, KiHa 110-701, KiHa 111-1, KiHa 111-3 KiHa 111-101 – KiHa 111-121, KiHa 111-151 – KiHa 111-152, KiHa 111-201 – KiHa 111-221, KiHa 111-301 – KiHa 111-303, KiHa 111-701, KiHa 112-1, KiHa 112-3, KiHa 112-101 – KiHa 112-121, KiHa 112-201 – KiHa 112-221, KiHa 112-151 – KiHa 112-152, KiHa 112-235 – KiHa 112-236, KiHa 112-301 – KiHa 112-303, KiHa 112-701, KiHa 112-711
Scrapped	2011, 2017
Preservation information
Preserved	N/A
Number scrapped	5 cars

The KiHa 100 series and the related KiHa 110 series are low-capacity commuter diesel multiple units operated by the East Japan Railway Company since May 1990, mainly on rural lines.

History

The KiHa 100 series was designed out of a requirement to replace trains and improve commuter experiences on rural and suburban lines. Niigata Tekkō (now Niigata Transys) and Fuji Heavy Industries (now Subaru Corporation) were contracted to produce the trains for these rural areas; the first prototype cars, numbered KiHa 100-1 through 100-4, were produced from January to February 1990. These entered service on 10 March 1990 on the Kitakami Line. The longer KiHa 110 series cars introduced at the same time were then put into service on the Kamaishi and Yamada Lines.

The KiHa 100 and 110 series cars were regarded as a vast improvement over the preceding KiHa 20 and KiHa 45 series cars, with their higher top speed and increased comfort in the summer due to the installation of air conditioning. From 1990 to 1999, a total of 279 cars were produced; these are stationed at the Morioka, Ichinoseki, Hachinohe, Kogota, Yamagata, Kōriyama, Niitsu, Nagano, Koumi and Takasaki Depots, and are used on a wide variety of lines throughout the suburban and rural regions of Japan.

A number of cars have since been converted into various Joyful Train sets or given special liveries, particularly the Pokémon with You Train for use on the Ōfunato Line, the TOHOKU EMOTION train on for use around that region, the High Rail 1375 train for use on the Koumi Line and the Oykot ("Tokyo" spelled backwards) train for use on the Iiyama Line. A total of five KiHa 100/110 series cars have been scrapped; four were due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami while the remaining car was due to a derailment.

Design

The KiHa 100 series use a squared-off design similar to many other railcars of the time, featuring dual top-mounted headlights; however, the design features rounded corners to reduce weight. The trains are mostly painted ivory white with green accents, green being the corporate color of JR East, although there have been other liveries as well.

Car designations

KiHa 100

• KiHa 100: standard car
• KiHa 101: standard car without toilet
• KiHa 103: one-cab KiHa 100

KiHa 110

• KiHa 110: extended length standard car
• KiHa 111: extended length one-cab car
• KiHa 112: extended length one-cab car without toilet
• KiKuShi 112: extended length one-cab car with no toilet or prime mover

Specifications

Construction is of steel. The train's overall design features rounded corners and tapered edges and thinner sides to reduce weight, but does not compromise frontal strength. Steps are installed on the sides of the cars near the doors to allow for ease of boarding.

The KiHa 100 series cars are equipped with either DMF11HZ (Komatsu SA6D125H manufactured under license), DMF13HZ (Niigata Tekkō prime mover manufactured under license) or DMF14HZ (Cummins NTA855-R1 manufactured under license) prime movers, each producing 325 HP (330 PS). The KiHa 110 series cars are equipped with a DMF13HZA (Niigata Tekkō prime mover manufactured under license) or a DMF14HZA (Cummins NTA855-R4 manufactured under license) supercharged prime mover producing 414 HP (420 PS). All cars are equipped with liquid motors and the relevant torque converters to help drive them.

Both the KiHa 100 and 110 series cars share numerous parts and are largely identical.

See also

• Wikipedia.org