KiHa 20 series

KiHa 20 series
KiHa 20 247 in October 2022
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō, Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō, Tokyu Car Corporation
Type of locomotive	Diesel multiple unit
Constructed	1957 – 1966
Number built	1,126 cars
Dimensions	787 in (20,000 mm) × 115 in (2,928 mm) × 145 in (3,680 mm)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Power supply	DMH17B/C prime mover
Service information
In service	June 1957 – 22 August 2010
Number in service	None (1 on other railways)
Fleet numbers	Various
Preservation information
Preserved	31 cars
Number scrapped	1,095 cars

The KiHa 20 series is a Japanese diesel multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successor companies from June 1957 to August 2010. It was built for local traffic in rural areas and spawned a few different functionally identical variants.

History

Built from 1957 to 1965 by Fuji Heavy Industries (now known as Subaru Corporation), Niigata Tekkō, Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō (now defunct) and Tokyu Car Corporation (now known as J-TREC), the KiHa 20 series was a lightweight improvement over the heavy KiHa 10 series of post-war railcars.

This highly successful model was the first in a family of diesel railcars that include the KiHa 21 and KiHa 22 cold weather variants, the KiHa 25 single cab versions, and the KiHa 52 twin-engine version. A large number of technically identical cars have also been ordered first-hand by independent private railways, including the Kominato Railway KiHa 200 series.

As most of these diesel railcars were operational for over 50 years, they were gradually replaced by newer railcars on the national JR network; all were retired by September 2010. The Hitachinaka Seaside Railway is home to the only KiHa 20 unit to remain in any form of operation, KiHa 205, the final member of a sizable fleet of second-hand KiHa 20 variants.

Design

The immediate forerunner is the KiHa 55 series semi-express railcar, which introduced a number of improvements over the old, post-war KiHa 10 series family. These include a wide-body, lightweight monocoque construction, air (instead of spring) suspension, the use of two DMH17B prime movers for greater power, and improved passenger amenities brought up to the same standard as passenger coaches.

The basic KiHa 20 series is essentially a modification of the KiHa 55 or local services, with only one prime mover and simplified passenger amenities. 409 were built over a period of 8 years in six batches, the first three using the DMH17B prime mover and the last three using the DMH17C design (accompanied with improved windows).

Specifications

Construction is of steel. Each car is 20 meters long and 2.928 meters wide. The cars all use DMH17B or C prime movers.

Preservation

The following KiHa 20 series cars have been preserved:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location	Notes
KiHa 22 149	Niigata Tekkō	November 1962	January 1985	N/A	Shimokita Kōtsu Ōhata Branch Office, Aomori, Japan	Preserved in operational condition, maintained by the Ōhata Line KiHa 85 Dynamic Preservation Society
KiHa 22 150
KiHa 22 151
KiHa 20 247	Tokyu Car Corporation	May 1959	July 1988		SL Kyurokukan, Tochigi, Japan	Located near Mōka Station, displayed outdoors; engine started up successfully in October 2020, occasionally started up during public display
KiHa 22 208	Niigata Tekkō	January 1964	May 1989		Tenpokusen Memorial Park, Nakatombetsu, Hokkaido, Japan	Used as storage area for gateball field
KiHa 22 202		November 1963			Roadside Rest Area "Okoppe", Okoppe, Hokkaido, Japan	Repainted green, used as lodge
KiHa 22 251		December 1965
KiHa 22 237	Fuji Heavy Industries	March 1965			Shimokawa Bus Terminal, Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan	Displayed outdoors
KiHa 22 245		September 1965
KiHa 22 69	Nippon Sharyo	December 1959	March 1985		Roadside Rest Area "Aioi", Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHa 22 168	Fuji Heavy Industries	December 1962	April 1989		Kawakita Bus Stop, Shibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHa 22 239		March 1965	February 1990		Betsukai Town Rail Museum, Shibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHa 22 221		December 1963	February 1987		Kōfuku Kōtsū Park, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHa 22 238		March 1965
KiHa 22 52		January 1960			Mikasa Railway Memorial Hall, Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHa 22 56	Nippon Sharyo	November 1959	March 1986		Otaru City General Museum, Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan
KiHaYuNi 25 1	Teikoku Sharyō	May 1958				Displayed outdoors, only preserved KiHa 20 series combined baggage and mail car; only bus-windowed KiHa 20 series car preserved in its entirety
KiHa 22 156	Fuji Heavy Industries	November 1962	August 1989		Tsugaru-Goshogawara Station, Aomori, Japan	Displayed outdoors; poor cosmetic condition
KiHa 22 169		December 1962			Kase Station, Aomori, Japan	Displayed outdoors, painted by TV personality Shingo Katori and elementary school students for SMAP×SMAP reality TV show in 1997, repainted by Katori again in 2017; poor cosmetic condition
KiHa 20 213	Teikoku Sharyō	September 1958	July 1988		Mōka Station, Tochigi, Japan	Displayed outdoors within station compound
KiHa 20 467		March 1962	May 1990		Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan	Displayed outdoors, preserved next to EF60 501
KiHa 52 156		November 1966	October 2010		Itoigawa GeoStation GeoPal, Niigata, Japan	One of JR West's last three operational KiHa 52 series cars, last KiHa 52 series car built; located within Itoigawa Station
KiHa 20 443	Nippon Sharyo	September 1962	February 1987		Tenryū-Futamata Station, Shizuoka, Japan	Displayed outdoors, cosmetically maintained by the Tenryū Retro Train Club
KiHa 52 115	Niigata Tekkō	September 1965	March 2010		Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum, Okayama, Japan	One of JR West's last three operational KiHa 52 series cars
KiHa 20 70	Fuji Heavy Industries	February 1958	March 1986		Kissa Rokuro café, Miyazaki, Japan	Cab only, displayed indoors; features bus windows
KiHa 20 441	Nippon Sharyo	January 1962	January 1987		Kanoya City Rail Memorial Center, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan	Displayed under roofing
KiHa 20 452			March 1987		Kanoyashi Airatetsudo Memorial Park, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan	Displayed under roofing, cosmetically maintained by private individual
KiHa 52 130	Niigata Tekkō	March 1966	March 1993		Shibushi Tetsudo Memorial Park, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan	Displayed under roofing; coupled to caboose Yo 8951 and C58 112
KiHa 22 140	Nippon Sharyo	October 1962	December 1987		Sorachi, Hokkaido, Japan	Cab only, privately owned, preserved next to cab of KiHa 24 2; full car formerly used as storage for ironworks company in Asahikawa until closure
KiHa 22 248	Niigata Tekkō	December 1965	February 1990		Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan	Owned by a metal recycling company; covered by overgrowth
KiHa 22 136		March 1962	June 1989			Located within premises of a company; poor cosmetic condition

The following KiHa 20 series cars were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Last location	Notes
KiHa 22 215	Niigata Tekkō	March 1964	March 1990	N/A	Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan	Dumped at a waste disposal company; removed and scrapped at later date
KiHa 22 235	Fuji Heavy Industries	February 1965	January 1987
KiHa 22 256	Niigata Tekkō	January 1966
KiHa 22 258			February 1990
KiHa 22 257			September 1990		Tomakomai Port Development, Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan	Privately owned; scrapped at later date
KiHa 22 143		October 1962	June 1984		Roadside Station Inakadate "Yayoi no Sato", Aomori, Japan	Displayed outdoors; scrapped 2013
KiHa 22 224	Fuji Heavy Industries	January 1964	February 1990		Kyoei Kaitai K.K., Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan	Used as storage; removed circa 2020 and presumably scrapped
KiHa 22 116	Niigata Tekkō	February 1962	April 1989		Former Nemuro-Shibetsu Station, Shibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan	Removed and scrapped at a later date
KiHa 22 117
KiHa 22 134		March 1962	December 1986		Hiroo, Hokkaido, Japan	Displayed outdoors with bogies removed; scrapped circa late-1990s or early-2000s
KiHa 22 216	Teikoku Sharyō	March 1964	September 1989		Toyotomi, Hokkaido, Japan	Painted all-over blue, coupled behind steam locomotive; likely scrapped at later date
KiHa 22 218	Fuji Heavy Industries	November 1963
KiHa 22 264	Niigata Tekkō	February 1966	May 1989		Shimokawa Bus Terminal, Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan	Removed at unknown date, likely scrapped
KiHa 22 299	Nippon Sharyo	March 1966	March 1991		Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan	Painted in white with lavender bands; scrapped circa 2000s
KiHa 22 142	Niigata Tekkō	October 1962	December 1987		Hamatombetsu, Hokkaido, Japan	Used as restaurant; scrapped circa 2009
KiHa 22 250		December 1965	December 1989		Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan	Privately owned by i-Road; scrapped at an unknown date
KiHa 22 120		February 1962	December 1987		Kibogaoka Rocky Land campsite, Takasu, Hokkaido, Japan	Privately owned; scrapped at an unknown date
KiHa 52 54			July 1992		Nakano Station, Nagano, Japan	Converted to restaurant; scrapped at an unknown date
KiHa 25 2	Fuji Heavy Industries	July 1957	May 1980		Matsuyama, Shikoku, Japan	Scrapped 1999

Trivia

• The KiHa 20, 21 and 25 series were originally classified as the KiHa 49000, 49200 and 49500 series cars; these were not given these designations when they were ultimately produced as naming regulations had come into effect in 1957 when the first cars were produced and were given new designations.

Gallery

KiHa 20 series car 20 247 preserved at Mōka Station in May 2014.