Background and overview
In 1977, Japanese National Railways (JNR) developed class kiha47-500/1500 single-cab diesel multiple unit (DMU) in order to replace superannuated class kiha10 series DMU used on unelectrified lines in Niigata that is situated in a cold region. They were developed based on class kiha47-0/1000 used in warm regions. At the splitting of JNR into the privatized JR companies, JR East received 23 vehicles of class kiha47-500/1500, JR Central 5, JR Shikoku 12, and JR Kyushu 5 in 1987.
Car body
Bodies constructed by weatherproof high-tension steel have 20806mm long
and 2930mm wide body having 1.6mm thick skin and 1.2mm thick roof. Their
gangwayed cab ends are constructed with 4.5mm thick plat and employed raised
driver's cab e for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing.
Expansible sealing rubber is applied for a gangway door to prevent cold
air from entering through the gap between a gangway door and door frame.
A destination rollsign is fitted above the gangway and two headlights employing
the sealed beam light bulb are fitted each side of the front rollsign.
They are equipped with two 1,300mm wide stepped double leaf semi-automatic
sliding doors employing the door operating equipment, TK106, fitted above
the door header of the door and double-hung unit assembled windows, both
the upper and lower sashes of which move up, between the doors, behind
the cab, and at the end of the vehicle. Forced draught ventilators and
two FRP water tanks fitted inside the steel cover are fitted on the roof.
They are also equipped with two heat exchangers rated at 15,000kcal/h under
their floor to supply heated air to passenger room by electric fan. They
are also fitted with a cover under the floor for the protection against
snow. Their bodies are painted in vermilion.
Bogies
Their bogies differ from those of class kiha47-0/1000. They are equipped with a powered bogie, DT44, and a trailer bogie, TR227, featuring indirect mounted airbags for the secondary suspension, pedestal type journal supporting system employing rubber covered spring, a large diameter centre pivot, and sealed roller bearings. Brake rigging is the single tread brake powered by the body mounted brake cylinder.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
Class kiha47-500/1500 vehicles are powered by a diesel prime mover, DMF15HSA, with a power output of 220PS, employing the individual cylinder head and the supercharger, TB15, to achieve higher power output. Their hydraulic transmission gear is DW10, which is made several improvements on DW9 employed for kiha66 series DMU, incorporating oil filling and draining type three-member single-stage torque converter and multi-plate wet clutch. They are equipped with an air compressor, CW750D, powered by a prime mover. Their brake system is the automatic electromagnetic (CLE) air brake.
Accommodation
Seating is arranged as mixture of longitudinal bench seating and 4-seat transverse seating bays with 1470mm seating pitch. Electric fans are fitted under the ceiling. They are not vestibuled. Class kiha47-500 vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet at the end of the vehicles.
Additional delivery
Kiha47-506/-1506 onward built in 1979 differ from former class kiha47-500/-1500
in having improved bogies, DT44A/TR227A, substituting cylindrical guide
journal box supporting system for pedestal type journal supporting system.
Total 43 vehicles consisting of 22 of kiha47-500 and 21 of kiha47-1500
were built over the period from 1978 until 1980.
Modification
JR East
JR East replaced a prime mover with DMF14HZ of Cummins INC., US and equipped
them with two prime mover driven air conditioners, AU26J-A, rated at 15,500kcal/h
in 2001.
JR West
JR West began to equip some kiha47-500/-1500 vehicles with the ticket machines to issue the ticket indicating the boarding station at the doorways, the fare box near the driver's seat, and fare display behind the cab for the conductor-less operation in 1989. Longitudinal bench seating behind the cab was also removed.
In addition, JR West began to equip all of kiha47-500 vehicles and kiha47-1500
vehicles with a self-powered air conditioner, AU34, rated at 26,000kcal/h
in 1989. Likewise, JR West replaced a prime mover and a hydraulic transmission
with SA6D125H-1A of Komatsu Ltd. and KTF3335A-1A of Komatsu Ltd in order
to reduce maintenance cost and improve running performance between 1995
and 2001. Moreover, the refurbishment programme was also commenced in having
body repairment, replacement with flush surfaced window frame made of aluminum,
decorative panel replacement, and buttons to open/close doors manually,
and an air conditioner replacement with a prime mover driven air conditioner,
WAU201, rated at 27,000kcal/h for life-extension between 1999 and 2010.
Furthermore, vehicles used in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi regions are equipped with LED destination indicators.
Class kiha47-2500
JR West modified 3 kiha47-500 vehicles used on rural services of San-in, Sakai, and Geibi lines to provide additional capacity by changing their accommodation and classified them into -2500 subclass in 1994 and 1997. Transverse seating bays were changed into longitudinal bench seating excepting 4 transverse seating bays located at the centre of the vehicles.
Class kiha47-3500
JR West modified 2 kiha47-1000 vehicles used on rural services of San-in, Sakai, and Geibi lines to provide additional capacity by changing their accommodation and classified them into -3500 subclass in 1994 and 1997. Transverse seating bays were changed into longitudinal bench seating excepting 4 transverse seating bays located at the centre of the vehicles.
JR Shikoku
JR Shikoku equipped all of kiha47-0 vehicles and kiha47-1000 vehicles with
two air conditioner, F-TUR300-104, rated at 18,000kcal/h on the roof and
a diesel generator, S4F, with a power output of 44PS to supply electricity
to air conditioners in 1988.
JR Kyushu
JR Kyushu began to equip all of kiha47-500 vehicles and kiha47-1500 vehicles
with a self-powered air conditioner, K-AU600, rated at 27,000kcal/h in
1987. K-AU600 was developed based on AU34. Ventilators on the roof of all
kiha47-500 vehicles and kiha47-1500 vehicles were removed. A superannuated
water tank fitted on the roof of some kiha47-500 vehicles were also removed.
Some vehicles are equipped with an additional prime mover driven air conditioner,
AU619K, rated at 20,600kcal for the additional cooling capacity.
Class kiha47-8500
JR Kyushu started to replace a prime mover and a hydraulic transmission
of a kiha47-500 vehicle with SA6D125HE-1 (Komatsu Ltd) with a power output
of 300PS featuring the common rail direct fuel injection for anti-air pollution
and TACN-22-1612A of Niigata Converter Co., Ltd. and classified them into
-8500 subclass in 2005.
Class kiha47-9500
JR Kyushu started to replace a prime mover and a hydraulic transmission of a kiha47-1500 vehicle with SA6D125HE-1 (Komatsu Ltd) with a power output of 300PS featuring the common rail direct fuel injection for anti-air pollution and TACN-22-1612A of Niigata Converter Co., Ltd. and classified them into -9500 subclass in 2005.
Operations
Class kiha47-500/1500 had been used on rural services on unelectrified lines in Niigata region. However, they owned by JR East have completely been withdrawn by replacement with class kiha100 series, kiha110 series, and kihaE130 series in 2021. They owned by JR Shikoku have also completely been withdrawn by replacement with class 1000 and class 1500 in 2021.
On the other hand, they owned by JR West, JR Shikoku, and JR Kyushu are still now used on rural services on unelectrified lines excepting vehicles replaced with class YC-1. |
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