KiHa 11 series

KiHa 11 series
Consist led by KiHa 11-306 in May 2019
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Niigata Tekkō JR Central's Nagoya Works (knockdown kits)
Type of locomotive	Diesel multiple unit
Family name	NDC
Constructed	1988 – 1999
Number built	43 cars
Dimensions	18,000 mm × 3,188 mm × 4,095 mm
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Prime mover	C-DMF14HZA or C-DMF14HZB prime mover
Service information
In service	20 February 1989 – Present
Formation	Single car
Number in service	4 cars (36 on other railways)
Fleet numbers	KiHa 11-1 – KiHa 11-10, KiHa 11-101 – KiHa 11-123, KiHa 11-201 – KiHa 11-204, KiHa 11-301 – KiHa 11-306
Scrapped	2007
Preservation information
Preserved	N/A
Number scrapped	1 car

The KiHa 11 series is a low-capacity commuter diesel multiple unit operated by the Central Japan Railway Company since February 1989.

History

The KiHa 11 series cars were introduced in 1988 to replace the older KiHa 28, KiHa 35 and KiHa 58 series cars for use on non-electrified lines, as well as to expand one-man operation which these cars were capable of. A total of 43 cars were produced, mainly by Niigata Tekkō, but JR Central's Nagoya Works also produced these cars in knockdown kit form.

After some 20 years of use, the KiHa 11 series cars were slowly replaced themselves by the newer KiHa 25 series cars, which used a design based on that of the 313 series city commuter sets; many of the cars were thus shipped to Myanmar for use on the Myanmar State Railways. Some were also sold to the Hitachinaka Seaside Railway, where they see service today. A number of cars are also operated by the Tōkai Transport Service Company, a subsidiary of JR Central. 1 car, KiHa 11-9, was scrapped in 2007 due to a rock falling incident crushing the car.

As of 2021, only four KiHa 11 series cars remain in JR Central's fleet; KiHa 11-303 through 306. With the retirement of the previous -0 and -100 series sets in JR Central service, all of JR Central's cars in service (apart from the 285 series cars) use stainless steel as their method of construction.

Design

The KiHa 11 series use a squared-off design similar to many other railcars of the time, featuring a large windshield with dual headlight fixtures on the left and right of the main detrainment door. The cars usually feature orange accents with either an ivory-painted steel body or an unpainted stainless steel body.

Specifications

Construction is of steel or stainless steel largely based on the NDC design but with some modifications. The cars feature front pilots and a mix between bench and cross-seating to cope with different times of day. No toilets are installed on the cars except in the -300s as the cars are mainly used on short-distance routes. Due to their lighter bodies compared to other cars, the KiHa 11 series cars feature significantly better performance than most other railcars.

The KiHa 11 series cars are equipped with C-DMF14HZA or C-DMF14HZB prime movers (Cummins NTA-855R1 produced under license) producing 325 HP (330 PS) and 345 HP (350 PS) respectively.

References

• Wikipedia.org