Background and overview
Commuter transportation was increasing in the Sapporo area every year. However, the diesel multiple unit trains with low transport capacity and performance which run from Otaru onward, which is non-electrified section, hindered from increasing transport capacity between Otaru and Sapporo. Therefore, JR Hokkaido developed kiha201 series diesel multiple unit trains in 1996 which have as high performance as EMU trains and adopt the traction system to work in multiple with 731 series EMU. Four 3-car sets comprising 2 end vehicles, class kiha201-100 and kiha201-300, and 1 intermediate vehicle, class kiha201-200, were built.
Car body
They have a 2812mm wide body with slanted upper part of the body, incorporating light weight stainless steel construction, because they incorporate pneumatic tilt system. The bodies are unpainted and have light green and blue waistline bands running the length of each car below the windows. The floor level is 50mm lower than 721 series EMU to shorten boarding and alighting time. Gangwayed cab ends constructed by steel feature higher mounted driver's cab and shock absorbing construction for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing, and the automatic gangway connection device to ease rush-up operation. A destination rollsign is fitted above the gangway door and clusters of a headlight employing shield-beam light bulb and a taillight employing LED are fitted at the left and right sides of the rollsign. Additional clusters consisting of headlights employing a shielded-beam light bulb and a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp are also fitted on each side of the gangway door. They are equipped with three 1200mm wide single-leaf automatic stepped sliding doors which can be operated manually by pushing the buttons fitted beside the door and two fixed windows having 945mm height and 2000mm width are fitted between the sliding doors. The door operating equipment is TK103A fitted above the door header of the sliding doors. A roller-binding destination screen is fitted on each side of the body. An air conditioner, N-AU201, rated at 30,000kcal/h is fitted on the centre of the roof.
Bogies
Their bogies are N-DT201 which has a driving axle and a driven axle, featuring
bolster-less secondary air suspension, trailing arm link journal box supporting
system, and the single link traction device. The wheel diameter is reduced
to 810mm to lower their floor level. These bogies feature yaw dampers to
ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 130km/h. Their tilting control
device using gyroscopes and accelerometers at the ends of the train and
a leader/follower control system which defined a "tilting curve"
for the whole train realizes 25km/h faster travelling by tilting at up
to 2 degrees than standard limited speed on curves. The bogies employ the
double tread brake device with high adhesive alloy cast iron shoes.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
They are powered by two diesel prime movers, N-DMF13HZE, with a power output of 450PS, employing the Intercooler, to achieve higher power output. Their hydraulic transmission gear is N-DW16, featuring natural air cooling and four-staged direct coupled range to realize maximum service speed at 130km/h and high gradability. They are equipped with two generators supplying the electricity to the auxiliary power supply driven by the prime mover hydraulically to eliminate belt drive. They feature the electric commanding brake with jake brake.
Accommodation
Passenger accommodation consists of longitudinal bench seating throughout, with an individual seat width of 455 mm per person and two stanchions to divide seating into three sections. Fold-down auxiliary seating is provided next to the doorway at both ends of the vehicle to increase standing capacity and to ease boarding and alighting during peak hours. Since they don't have the vestibule areas used on the earlier 721 series trains, they are equipped with air curtains mounted above the doorway, and electric blow heaters located beside the doorway to reduce the penetration of outside cold air into the heated passengers' cabin. Roller blinds are gotten rid of. Intermediate vehicles, class kiha201-200, are equipped with a Japanese style toilet located at the front and a wheelchair space located at the rear.
Operations
kiha201 series DMU entered the revenue services on the Hakodate line between Kutchan and the Sassho line in March 1997. They also entered "Niseko liner" rapid services linking Rankoshi and Sapporo in 2000. They were withdrawn from the Sassho line local services in 2012 at the start of electrified Sassho line. They are now used on the Sapporo line local and rapid services. |
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