Background and overview
JR East planned to build additional Class Kiha111 and Kiha112 vehicles
for deployment on the Suigun Line, where Class Kiha111‑100 and Kiha112‑100
vehicles were in operation. However, at that time, JR East was delivering
Class Kiha111‑200 and Kiha112‑200 vehicles featuring conventional sliding
doors with a lower step than those on Class Kiha111‑100 or Kiha112‑100
vehicles. Consequently, JR East developed a new variant of Class Kiha111
and Kiha112 featuring conventional doors with a step height matching that
of the Class Kiha111‑100 and Kiha112‑100 vehicles. This fleet was designated
as Class Kiha111‑150 and Kiha112‑150 and delivered in 1994. Class Kiha111‑150
vehicles are equipped with a toilet, while Class Kiha112‑150 vehicles are
not. Two vehicles of each type were initially delivered to the Hitachi‑Daigo
Depot.
Car body
The carbodies measure 20,000 mm in length and 2,928 mm in width, with a bogie centre distance of 13,800 mm, 500 mm longer than earlier variants. The body skin is fabricated from 1.6‑mm‑thick steel plate, while the roof uses 1.2‑mm plate. The floor height is 1,175 mm, which is 100 mm lower than that of earlier DMU types. The shoulders of the side structure, the underframe side beams, and the corners of the end structures feature chamfered profiles. The gangwayed cab incorporates a low‑profile driver’s cab, and an obstacle deflector is fitted beneath it.
Two rectangular sealed‑beam headlights are installed above the gangway door, and rectangular taillights are mounted in the upper section behind the windscreen. Destination rollsigns are provided above the driver’s‑side windscreen and on the side walls.
Each vehicle is equipped with two 1,000‑mm‑wide automatic stepped conventional sliding doors controlled by the TK103 door operating system. One door is located immediately behind the cab, while the other is positioned toward the rear of the body. As a result, the side‑wall depth at the door case is greater than on earlier Class KiHa 111 or KiHa 112 variants. The doors can also be operated manually using the buttons installed beside them. The step height at the doorway is 1,036 mm, matching that of previous variants. Fixed windows measuring 1,080 mm in width and employing laminated glass are fitted between the doors.
The vehicles are equipped with two outdoor units of the prime‑mover‑driven AU26J‑A air‑conditioning system, rated at 15,500 kcal/h, mounted beneath the floor. Two bus‑type ventilation fans and two indoor air‑conditioning units are installed on the roof. The exhaust pipe of the prime mover is located inside the cab.
Tight‑lock couplers with automatic jumper couplers are fitted at both ends to facilitate rapid coupling during rush‑up operations. The livery consists of a very pale green base with moss‑green accents applied to the chamfered areas.
Bogies
The powered bogies are type DT58A, incorporating a two‑axle drive system, while the trailer bogies are type TR242. Both bogie types feature bolster‑less secondary air suspension, a cone‑shaped multilayer rubber‑spring journal‑support system, and a Watts‑linkage draw gear. They have a wheelbase of 2,100 mm and employ unit‑assembled single‑tread brake rigging. The gear ratio of the powered bogies is set to 2.925.
Powertrain and ancillary equipment
The vehicles are powered by a DMF14HZA prime mover manufactured by Cummins Inc. This four‑cycle, straight‑six diesel engine develops 420 PS and is equipped with an exhaust‑gas‑driven turbocharger and an intercooler. The hydraulic transmission, designated as type DW14A‑B, features a three‑element single‑stage torque converter, a multi‑plate wet clutch, and a two‑stage direct‑coupled range. The prime mover and hydraulic transmission are controlled by a programmable logic controller to reduce the amount of control equipment and improve reliability.
The braking system is an electric‑command pneumatic brake with a retarder. When the retarder is no longer able to provide the specified braking force, the pneumatic brake supplements it.
Accommodation
The interior features a mixture of longitudinal bucket‑style bench seating and 2+1-abreast transverse bucket‑style seating bays with a seating pitch of 1,490 mm. The saloon is illuminated by two rows of covered fluorescent light fixtures, and a water‑heating system is installed beneath the seats.
The air‑conditioning duct is mounted on the ceiling shoulders, with spot diffusers installed on the duct surface and above the side windows to ensure even airflow distribution.
Kiha111‑200 vehicles are equipped with a Japanese‑style toilet constructed from fibre‑reinforced plastic, located immediately in front of the rear door. The master controller uses a lateral‑motion operating handle.
Operations
The vehicles were delivered to the Hitachi Daigo Depot for use on rural services on the Suigun Line together with the existing Class Kiha111‑100 and Kiha112‑100 vehicles. However, in 2007, the Suigun Line fleet was displaced by KihaE130 series EMUs and transferred to the Morioka Depot for deployment on rural services on the Yamada and Hanawa Lines, or rapid services on the Tohoku and Kamaishi Lines. Subsequently, in 2011, a set comprising Kiha111 151 and Kiha112 151 was reallocated to the Kogota Depot to replace Kiha40 vehicles deployed on the Ishinomaki, Kesennuma, Rikuu East, and Rikuu West Lines.
They are currently deployed on rapid services on the Kamaishi and Tohoku Lines, and on rural services on the Yamada, Hanawa, Rikuu East, Rikuu West, and Kesennuma Lines. |
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