KiHa 40 series
The KiHa 40 series is a diesel multiple unit train type introduced by Japanese National Railways in 1977 and operated by all Japan Railways Group companies on suburban and rural services in Japan. Since 2017, the train type has seen use by other private railway companies in Japan who have purchased withdrawn units from JR Group companies. Additionally, it has also seen use in overseas operations in Myanmar since 2011 and is also scheduled to be used in Thailand.
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. 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.| Type | No. of cabs | Doors | Subclass | Region | Toilet | Quantity | Numbering | Remarks |
| KiHa 40 | 2 | Single-leaf | -100 | Hokkaido | Yes | 150 | 101–250 | |
| KiHa 40 | 2 | Single-leaf | -500 | Cold | Yes | 94 | 501–594 | |
| KiHa 40 | 2 | Single-leaf | -1000 | Warm | No | 148 | 1001–1007 | Former KiHa 40-2000 cars with toilets removed |
| KiHa 40 | 2 | Single-leaf | -2000 | Warm | Yes | 148 | 2001–2148 | |
| KiHa 47 | 1 | Pairs | -0 | Warm | Yes | 193 | 1–193 | |
| KiHa 47 | 1 | Pairs | -500 | Cold | Yes | 22 | 501–522 | |
| KiHa 47 | 1 | Pairs | -1000 | Warm | No | 134 | 1001–1134 | |
| KiHa 47 | 1 | Pairs | -1500 | Cold | No | 21 | 1501–1521 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -0 | Warm | Yes | 6 | 1–6 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -300 | Hokkaido | Yes | 4 | 301–304 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -500 | Cold | Yes | 59 | 501–559 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -1000 | Warm | No | 4 | 1001–1004 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -1300 | Hokkaido | No | 3 | 1301–1303 | |
| KiHa 48 | 1 | Single-leaf | -1500 | Cold | No | 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., JR Hokkaido operates 153 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.- KiHa 40
- KiHa 48-1300
- KiHa 400-100
- KiHa 480
JR East
- KiHa 40
- KiHa 47
- KiHa 48
Joyful Train sets
- Furusato
- Kirakira Michinoku
- Resort Minori
- Resort Shirakami "Aoike"
- Resort Shirakami "Buna"
- Resort Shirakami "Kumagera"
- Umineko
- View Coaster Kazekko
- Koshino Shu*Kura
JR Central
- KiHa 40
- KiHa 47
- KiHa 48
JR West
Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR-West received a total of 257 KiHa 40 series vehicles., JR-West operates 255 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows.- KiHa 40-3000
- KiHa 41-2000
- KiHa 47
- KiHa 48
Joyful Train sets
- Misuzu Shiosai
- Setonai Marine View
- Belles Montagnes et Mer
- Hanayome Noren
- Tenkū no shiro Takeda-jō ato
- ''etSETOra''
JR Shikoku
- KiHa 40-2000
- KiHa 47
Joyful Train sets
- ''Iyonada Monogatari''
JR Kyushu
- KiHa 40
- KiHa 47
- KiHa 140-2000
- KiHa 147
Joyful Train sets
- Hayato no Kaze
- Ibusuki no Tamatebako
- Aru Ressha
- Two Stars 4047
Resale
Nishikigawa Railway
In 2017, KiHa 40 1009 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.Kominato Railway
Two KiHa 40 carriages, which ended operation on the Tadami Line in March 2020, were transferred to Kominato Railway in May 2020 with the Tohoku livery.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. The local government had been successfully collected their crowdfunding at a cost of about 30 million yen 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 in March 2022 with retaining its former livery used in Gono Line by JR East.Conversions
's AT-400 DMU was converted from a former JR East KiHa 40.Overseas operations
Myanmar
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 have been shipped to Myanmar for overseas operations. The cars are used on the Yangon Circular Railway.Thailand
A total of 20 former KiHa 40 & 48 cars from JR East are expected to be shipped to Thailand for overseas operations by the State Railway of Thailand. On 27 March 2024, these cars were handed over to SRT prior to shipping from Niigata Port. On June 2, 2024, the KiHa 40 & 48 cars arrived in Thailand and the gauge conversion from 1,067 mm to 1,000 mm commenced.SRT has received the following KiHa 40 & 48 cars:
- KiHa 40-521
- KiHa 40-522
- KiHa 40-528
- KiHa 40-532
- KiHa 40-536
- KiHa 40-543
- KiHa 40-544
- KiHa 40-547
- KiHa 40-575
- KiHa 48-515
- KiHa 48-516
- KiHa 48-518
- KiHa 48-520
- KiHa 48-522
- KiHa 48-537
- KiHa 48-544
- KiHa 48-1507
- KiHa 48-1509
- KiHa 48-1540
- KiHa 48-1550
Preserved examples
- KiHa 40 519: Next to Onagawa Station, Onagawa, Miyagi. However, it was damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, and was withdrawn.
- KiHa 40 764: Next to Ikutora Station, Minamifurano, Hokkaido as a cutaway body. This DMU was modified to resemble a KiHa 12 unit and used in Yasuo Furuhata's 1999 film Poppoya.
In popular culture
- The KiHa 40 is featured as a non-driveable train in the Microsoft Train Simulator computer game.
- In 2017 NHK World-Japan dedicated an episode of their weekly show Japan Railway Journal to the KiHa 40 series.