KiHa 58 series

KiHa 58 series
Consist led by KiHa 58 677 in September 2005
Technical specifications
Manufacturer(s)	Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō, Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō, Tokyu Car Corporation
Type of locomotive	Diesel multiple unit
Constructed	1961 – 1969
Number built	1,823 cars
Dimensions	839 in (21,300 mm) × 116 in (2,944 mm) × 155 in (3,925 mm)
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Prime mover	DMH17H prime mover
Service information
In service	8 May 1961 – 11 March 2011
Formation	Single car
Number in service	None
Fleet numbers	Various
Preservation information
Preserved	15 cars
Number scrapped	1,805 cars

The KiHa 58 series, along with the similar KiRo 28, KiRo 58, KiHa 28 and KiYu 25 series, are Japanese diesel multiple units operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successor companies from May 1961 to March 2011.

History

Built from 1961 to 1969 by Fuji Heavy Industries (now known as Subaru Corporation), Niigata Tekkō (now known as Niigata Transys), Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō (now defunct) and Tokyu Car Corporation (now known as J-TREC), the KiHa 58 series was originally used as an "express" diesel railcar to supplement similar railcars which would run on commuter services. The 1,863 cars produced were used by almost all of JR's divisions; some cars would even see service on the Fujikyu Railway and the Arida Railway.

As most of these diesel railcars were operational for over 50 years, their age began to show and they were gradually replaced by newer railcars. The last regular KiHa 58 series cars in operation belonged to JR Kyushu; these were withdrawn from service in March 2011. The last cars in service under JR ownership was the Kenji Joyful Train set; it was retired on 8 September 2018. Many KiHa 58 series cars still remain in service on smaller private railroads. Many surplus KiHa 58 series cars were converted into Joyful Trains, with the vast majority of Joyful Trains having been converted from these cars, and numerous cars remain in preservation.

In 1989, some KiHa 58 and 65 series cars were converted by JR Kyushu into the unique KiHa 71 series set used on Yufuin no Mori services.

Design

The cars have had the same traditional body style of various Japanese DMUs as manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō and similar companies.

Some cars were experimentally fitted with musical horns; those cars would have two additional red bands on their cabs. These musical horns have since been removed.

Specifications

Construction is of steel. Each car is 21.3 meters long and 2.944 meters wide. The cars all use DMH17H prime movers.

Preservation

The following KiHa 58 series cars have been preserved:

Car number	Manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location	Notes
KiHa 28 2394	Teikoku Sharyō	April 1965	November 2003	N/A	Former Kake Station, Hiroshima, Japan	Preserved in operational condition, maintained by the KiHa 28 Preservation Society
KiHa 58003	Nippon Sharyo	April 1963	December 2002		Aritagawa Railway Park, Hiroshima, Japan	Only KiHa 58 locomotive built with double cab from new, maintained by the Aridagawa Town Railway Preservation Society; engine failed in November 2016, currently pulled by Kobe Steel DL17 for events
KiHa 58 787		May 1966	September 2001		Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan	Not accessible to public
KiHa 28 3019		December 1968	March 2000		Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, Fukui, Japan	Ex-KiHa 28 1019, attempted to be auctioned off after retirement but found no buyers; preserved indoors at another facility until 2016
KiHa 58 554	Fuji Heavy Industries	June 1964	November 2003		Former Yasuno Station, Hiroshima, Japan	Preserved as-is after station's closure; blue tarp placed on roof in 2021 to prevent leakage
KiHa 58 563	Niigata Tekkō	October 1964	December 2010		Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum, Okayama, Japan	One of the last operational JR West KiHa 58 series cars
KiHa 28 2329	Teikoku Sharyō	February 1964
KiHa 58 624	Niigata Tekkō	April 1965	March 2008		Jōshin-etsu Expressway Yokogawa SA, Gunma, Japan	Cab only, preserved as KiHa 57 26 with mockup passenger cabin welded to cab; one of the last operational JR Kyushu KiHa 58 series cars
KiYu 25 1		March 1965	June 1986		Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan	Mail car, used as Denpun western restaurant; formerly a ramen bar
KiYu 25 2						Mail car, exact location unknown
KiNi 58 1	Teikoku Sharyō	May 1963	January 1987		Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan	Baggage car, ex-KiRo 58 7; converted 1978 to KiNi 58 1
KiHa 58 135	Nippon Sharyo	May 1963	November 2001		Nagato, Yamaguchi, Japan	Cab only, privately owned; preserved at owner's home, very poor cosmetic condition
KiHa 58 224	November 1962	June 1997	Hua Hin Railway Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand		Preserved as SRT 101
KiHa 28 3017	Fuji Heavy Industries	December 1968			July 1997	Ex-KiHa 28 1017; preserved as SRT 209
KiHa 58 495	Niigata Tekkō	March 1964	September 1993		Museum of History of the Sakhalin Railroad, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin, Russia	Preserved as Russian Railways K-01

The following KiHa 58 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 58 293	Nippon Sharyo	April 1963	March 2009	N/A	JR Shikoku Tadotsu Works, Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan	One of the last operational JR Shikoku KiHa 58 series cars, formerly preserved in operational condition, repainted into experimental musical horn livery; scrapped June 2018
KiHa 28 2002	Tokyu Car Corporation	May 1961	March 2008			Ex KiHa 28 2, formerly preserved in operational condition; scrapped June 2018
KiHa 58 92	Fuji Heavy Industries	October 1961	March 1986		Takatomo Wonder Farm, Miyagi, Japan	Converted into facilities along with various other JNR railcars; scrapped September 2008 due to body corrosion
KiYuNi 28 20	Teikoku Sharyō	April 1963	February 1987			Baggage car, ex-KiRo 28 106; converted into facilities along with various other JNR railcars, scrapped September 2008 due to body corrosion
KiHa 28 2353	Fuji Heavy Industries	May 1964	September 2001		Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan	Ex-KiHa 28 353; removed in 2013 and scrapped at Hamamatsu Works
KiRo 28 2303	Niigata Tekkō	June 1968	March 2008			First class intermediate car, ex-KiRo 28 303, one of the last operational JR Central KiHa 58 series cars; removed in 2013 and scrapped at Hamamatsu Works
KiHa 28 17		November 1961	June 1986		Kuratecho Central Community Center, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan	Preserved as-is after retirement; scrapped June 2003

Gallery

KiHa 58 293 in October 2012 with experimental musical horn livery