Background and overview
Kiha80 series intercity diesel multiple unit trains were equipped with two prime movers, DMH17H, with a power output of 180PS for high-speed travelling and grads. However, the underfloor having two prime movers was too congested and caused maintenance difficulty. Furthermore, end vehicles with a power generator were equipped with only one prime mover to be impossible to raise service speed. Therefore, Japanese National Railways (JNR) developed kiha181 series intercity diesel multiple unit trains in 1968 featuring not only the successful car bodies applied for kiha80 series but the high-power prime mover, the new hydraulic transmission gear, the new construction 2-axle drive bogies designed for class kiha91 experimental vehicles. They basically consist of 9-car set with 8 powered vehicles and a trailer restaurant vehicle. 14 pre-production vehicles were delivered to Nagoya #1 depot.
Car body
They have a 2903mm wide body constructed by steel incorporating lightweight shaped beam and pressed forming beam, 1.6mm thick plate for the skin, and 1.2mm thick weatherproof steel sheet (Steel Plate Atmospheric) for the roof. They also employ the floor thermal insulator as a protection against extreme coldness. The end vehicles closely based on the gangwayed class kiha82 DMU have curved windscreens and a gangway at the centre. Clusters of a head light and an emergency light in the rectangular light case are mounted above the windscreens, and clusters of a taillight and a pneumatic horn in the rectangular case below the windscreen. An illuminated classification headboard is fitted on the gangway door, and inverted triangle gunmetal intercity express symbol mark above the headboard. The "JNR" logo made of stainless steel and louvers for the power generator are fitted on each side backward of the cab. They are equipped with fixed small double-grazing windows per each 1st class seating or wide fixed double-glazing windows aligned two 2nd class seating bays. The end vehicles are equipped with a 700mm wide automatic folding stepped door at the rear and the others toward the front. Heat absorbent glass is employed for all windows. Their door operating equipment, TK9A, is fitted on the door header of the folding door. Class kiro180 1st class intermediate vehicles are fitted with two destination rollsigns on each side and class kiha180 2nd class intermediate vehicles, are one. Class kiha180 and kisashi180 vehicles are equipped with six air conditioners, AU13S, rated at 5,500kcal/h on the roof, class kiro180 five, and class kiha181 four. Class kiro180 and kiha180 vehicles are equipped with natural cooling radiators on the left and right roof shoulders. On the other hand, class kiha181 vehicles are equipped with a hydrostatic radiation fan for a prime mover and a power generator. They employed tight lock automatic couplers having the automatic jumper coupler to ease rush-up operations. Their livery is cream with red wide band around side windows, narrow red skirting, narrow red gutter and red wide arrow shaped accent below the windscreens.
Bogies
The powered bogies are DT36B incorporating 2-axle drive, trailer bogies for class kisashi180 are TR205C, and trailer bogies for the other vehicles are TR205B. These bogies incorporate bolster anchors to realize a virtual centre pivot for the traction device, parallel link journal box supporting system, and air springs mounted to the body directly, because the propeller shaft passing over the bogie transom causes the obstruction to mount the centre pivot. The anti-rolling stabilizer is also featured to ensure smooth ride characteristics even at 120km/h. The gear ratio of powered bogies is 2.760. The bogie apply employs single tread brake rigging.
Traction unit and ancillary equipments
They are powered by a four-cycle 180 V12-cylinder diesel prime mover, DML30HSE, with a power output of 500PS employing a turbocharger powered by the flow of exhaust gas. Their hydraulic transmission gear, DW4C, employs a three-member single-stage torque converter, an automatic synchronizing jaw clutch to select the direct stage automatically, and the filling and draining of the hydrodynamic circuit. A power generator unit consisting of a diesel engine, DMF15H-G, with a power output of 180PS and generator, DM82, with a power output of 150kVA three-phase is located beneath the floor of class kiha181 to supply 3-phase 440VAC to 5 vehicles. Each vehicle is equipped with a water-cooled air compressor, CW750D, powered by a prime mover. The brake system is the automatic electromagnetic (CLE) air brake with compression release engine braking and exhaust braking.
Accommodation
1st class vehicles have 2+2 abreast reclining seating, R28, with 1160mm seating pitch, and 2nd class vehicles have 2+2 abreast rotatable transverse seating, T17KD, with 910mm seating pitch. The restaurant vehicles adopt venetian blinds fitted in the side windows while the other vehicles adopt roller blinds. 1st class vehicles, class kiro180, are equipped with a Western style toilet, a washroom, and conductor's rooms toward the front of the vehicle, and a Japanese style toilet and a washroom at the rear of the vehicle. class kiha180 vehicles are equipped with a Japanese style toilet and a washroom toward the doorway. The restaurant vehicles have a galley and a service entrance for foodstuff toward the rear of the vehicle, and a dining room with ten 4-seat tables on both sides and the catering rooms located toward the front. A galley is equipped with a sink, a serving table, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a Japanese style toilet. An aisle is located next to the galley so that passengers can pass through the car to the rest of the train. Furthermore, the melamine plastic plate is applied to the decorative plate of the walls and the ceiling for fire protection.
Additional delivery
The train sets of kiha80 series used on "Tsubasa" intercity services linking Ueno and Akita had a limitation to seven vehicles due to the restrictions on the coupler strength caused by the multiple operation with the locomotive on the Ou line between Fukushima and Yonezawa and this caused difficulties to provide additional transportation capacity. Thus, JNR delivered kiha181 series in 1969 to enter "Tsubasa" intercity services for the improvement of transportation capacity and the reduction of the journey time. Some improvements shown below were applied to the vehicles built in 1968 onward.
Car body
The strength of the coupler is improved with material and shape modification on knuckle and the buffer is changed into RD23 which has more capacity. The toilet and the washroom are changed into being constructed by fibre-reinforced plastic and prepared to be equipped with a chemical holding tank.
Bogies
The brake rigging of kiha181 series is changed into disk brake. Powered bogies are classified into DT40, trailer bogies of class kisashi180 TR219A, those of class kiha181 TR219B, and the others TR219.
Bogies
The brake rigging of kiha181 series is changed into disk brake. Powered bogies are classified into DT40, trailer bogies of class kisashi180 TR219A, those of class kiha181 TR219B, and the others TR219.
The seat of the standard class vehicles built in July 1971 onward is changed into T17LD.
Vehicles built in 1972 to begin "Shiokaze" intercity services linking Takamatsu and Uwajima and "Nampu" services linking Takamatsu and Nakamura for the first time in Shikoku region at the start of the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama employed EB dead man safety switch and TE one action emergency operation device. In addition, new variant vehicles, class kiro180-100, the western style toilet and the washroom of which were replaced with the catering rooms were involved for train sets used in Shikoku region because the restaurant vehicles were not included for train sets used in Shikoku region.
Modifications
Japanese National Railways
Class kiro180-150
Some vehicles relocated to Shikoku received modification to replace the western style toilet and the washroom with the catering rooms in 1975 and 1977. These modified vehicles were classified into class kiro180-150.
Kiha180-10, -14, -17, -18, -23, -24
Two kiha180 vehicles received the modification to fit additional conductor rooms in 1976. because train sets used on "Oki" services consisted of only standard class vehicles which were not equipped with the conductor room. Additional modifications were commenced for two vehicles in 1981. Furthermore, two additional modified vehicles were delivered to enter "Isokaze" "Kunibiki" and "Oki" services operated by 3-car sets in November 1986.
Journal supporting system modification
The works that the bogie frame was replaced and the journal supporting system was changed into the pedestal were carried out over the period from 1981 until 1985 because the bogie frame crack occurred and the bogie hunting frequently occurred. DT36B was changed into DT36C, TR205 into TR205D, TR205C into TR205E, DT40 into DT40B, TR219 and TR219B into TR219D, and TR219A into TR219E.
Class kiha181-100
Kiha180-7 standard class intermediate vehicle was modified into the standard class end vehicle by fitting an additional gangwayed end section and the equipment rooms and classified into class kiha181-100 in 1985 to supplement insufficient end vehicle for the replacement of kiha80 series with kiha181 series. A power generator consisting of a diesel engine, DMF15HSA-G, with a power output of 230PS and generator, DM82 with a power output of 180kVA was transplanted from kiha184-901. The natural cooling radiators fitted on the left and right roof shoulders were removed and a hydrostatic radiation fan for a prime mover and a power generator were additionally fitted on the roof. Two additional class kiha180 vehicles were also converted in 1986. Standard class seating of these vehicles was replaced with employed simplified reclining seating, R51. Furthermore, two vehicles were additionally converted in 1988.
Class kiro180-200
Class kiha180 vehicles having the conductor rooms were modified into the 1st class intermediate vehicles in 1986 with the replacement of existing rotatable transverse seating for standard class with reclining seating for 1st class transplanted from scrapped kiro80 vehicles, and the addition of catering rooms located the rear of the vehicles to supplement insufficient 1st class vehicles used on intercity services in Shikoku region, and were classified into class kiro180-200.
JR West
Refurbishment programme N
In addition to special maintenance work focused on retaining the function the vehicles, refurbishment programme N to improve outdated accommodation was applied for 64 kiha181 series vehicles over the period from October 1988 until December 1993. Some accommodation improvements were included for these works. Existing transverse seating for standard class was replaced with reclining seating, R55D. The decorative end and wainscot panels were replaced and the toilets were refurbished.
JR Shikoku
Livery change
The livery of the vehicles owned by JR West was changed into beige with brown wide band around side windows and a blue narrow band below the brown band over the period from October 1998 until December of the following year.
Standard class accommodation refurbishment
Existing transverse seating for standard class was replaced with reclining seating, R52, and the decorative end and wainscot panels were replaced, and the toilets were refurbished over the period from March 1987 until March of the following year.
Livery change
The livery of the vehicles owned by JR Shikoku was changed into white with black wide band around side windows and a sky-blue waistline band at the opening of the Honshi-Bisan line in 1988.
Class kiroha180
JR Shikoku changed the rear half of the passenger room of class kiro180-100, kiro180-150, and kiro180-200 into standard class coach and classified them into class kiroha180. 1st class and standard class cabins are separated by the partition wall having an automatic door. The pay phone room is located in the standard class cabin beside the partition wall. Foliage plants are placed in the 1st class cabin beside the partition wall. The seating pitch of the standard class is 1160mm.
Operations
Intercity services on the Chuo-west line where "Shinano" express services run between Nagoya and Nagano were also desired as intercity services operated by the diesel multiple unit trains were operated on the unelectrified lines. However, since four class kiha82 vehicles having only single prime mover which have to be included into the train set caused the longer travel times on the graded Chuo-west line than kiha58 series express DMU trains.
Thus, JNR delivered kiha181 series DMU trains employing the high-power prime mover with a power output of 500PS to Nagoya depot in 1968 and they entered "Shinano" intercity services in 1968.
In addition, the train sets of kiha80 series used on "Tsubasa" intercity services linking Ueno and Akita had a limitation to seven vehicles due to the restrictions on the coupler strength caused by the multiple operation with the locomotive on the Ou line between Fukushima and Yonezawa and this caused difficulties to provide additional transportation capacity. Thus, JNR delivered kiha181 series to Oku depot in 1969 to enter "Tsubasa" intercity services in February 1970. Furthermore, they entered "Aoba" intercity services linking Sendai and Akita via Kitakami line in March 1971. However, kiha181 series used on "Tsubasa" services were displaced with 485 series at the start of electrified Ou line and "Aobe" intercity services had been downgraded to "Kitakami" express services.
On the other hand, kiha181 series were delivered to Yonago depot to upgrade "Oki" express services linking Kyoto and Izumo-shi and entered "Oki" intercity services Shin-Osaka and Izumo-shi via Hakubi line in March 1971. "Oki" intercity services were rebranded to "Yakumo" linking Okayama and Izumo-shi at the opening of the Sanyo shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama in 1972. In addition, they were also delivered to Takamatsu depot to start "Shiokaze" intercity services linking Takamatsu and Uwajima and "Nampu" services linking Takamatsu and Nakamura.
The Kiha181 series used on "Shinano" intercity services were replaced with 381 series and the surplus vehicles were relocated to Yonago and Takamatsu depot to provide additional capacity for "Yakumo", "Shiokaze", and "Nampu" services. In addition, surplus kiha181 series vehicles which had been used on "Tsubasa" services and replaced with 485 series were reallocated to Yonago depot in December 1975. Kiha181 series vehicles used on "Yakumo" intercity services were displaced with 381 series and 48 vehicles of the surplus kiha181 series were reallocated to Mukomachi depot to replace kiha80 series used on "Asashio" intercity services linking Kyoto and Kinosaki, Kurayoshi, and Yonago and "Hamakaze" services linking Tottori and Kurayoshi via Bantan line. The rest remained at Yonago depot to replace kiha80 series used on "Hamakaze" intercity services and "Matsukaze" services linking Osaka and Yonago via Fukuchiyama line. However, "Matsukaze" services were displaced with "Kita-Kinki" services operated by 485 series at the start of the electrified Fukuchiyama line.
After the splitting of the former Japanese National Railways into the new privatized JR companies, JR West received 94 vehicles of kiha181 series and JR Shikoku 44. "Shiokaze" and "Nampu" intercity services began to depart or arrive at Okayama at the opening of "Honshi-Bisan line with the opening of the Seto-Ohashi bridge system in 1988. Therefore, kiha181 series entered newly introduced "Ishizuchi" intercity services linking Takamatsu and Uwajima and "Shimanto" services linking Takamatsu and Nakamura at that time. In addition, they also entered newly introduced "Uwakai" intercity services linking Matsuyama and Uwajima and "Ashizuri" intercity services linking Kouchi and Nakamura in 1990. However, JR Shikoku delivered 2000 series DMU trains to enter "Nampu" and "Shiokaze" intercity services at the same year. As the result, 181 series had completely been withdrawn from "Nampu" intercity services. In addition, JR Shikoku delivered 8000 series EMU trains to enter "Shiokaze" intercity services and kiha181 series vehicles were completely withdrawn from "Shiokaze" and "Ishizuchi" services at the start of the electrified Yosan line between Kanonji and Iyo-shi in March 1993. Finaly, kiha181 series vehicles owned by JR Shikoku had been completely scrapped.
Meanwhile, in San'in region, kiha181 series entered "Hakuto" intercity services linking Osaka and Kurayoshi via Chizu line at the opening of Chizu express Chizu line in 1994. However, "Hakuto" services were unified into operation with the HOT7000 series, and 181 series entered "Inaba" intercity services via Chizu line to displace "Sakyu" express services linking Okayama and Tottori via Inbi and Tsuyama lines. On the other hand, "Asashio" intercity services operated by kiha181 series were completely displaced with "Kinosaki" and "Tamba" intercity services operated by 183-800 series EMU at the start of the electrified San'in line between Sonobe and Fukuchiyama in 1996 and 181 series had been withdrawn. In addition, kiha187 series DMU entered "Super Oki" and "Super Kunibiki" intercity services to replace kiha181 series in 2001. Furthermore, kiha181 series used on "Inaba" services were replaced with kiha187-500 series DMU. As the result, kiha181 series had been operated only for "Hamakaze" intercity services. But they were displaced with kiha189 series and had completely been withdrawn in November 2010. |
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