Background and overview
In 1986, Japanese National Railways (JNR) developed Kiha185 series intercity diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains in order to stabilize business bases of JR Shikoku after the splitting of JNR into the privatized JR companies in 1987. Kiha185 series excepting multi-class vehicles, class Kiha186, having both 1st class seating and standard class seating, are end cars with a gangway door to couple/decouple trains easily and to make short formations. An equipment room is discontinued to avoid the reduction of seating capacity.
Car body
They have 2900mm wide body, incorporating light weight stainless construction.
They are equipped with two 850mm wide single leaf automatic folding doors
on each side of the vehicles, and horizontal band windows between the doors.
Cab ends are covered with a Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP) panel consisting
of 5 parts, and painted in dark green colour around wind screens. Bodies
are unpainted and have the green waistline and headline bands running the
length of each car below and above the windows. Two air conditioners, AU26,
rated at 20,600kcal/h are fitted. Refrigerant compressors driven by a prime
mover or a Kiha186's dedicated power unit, FD3304, are fitted under the
floor and heat exchanger units are fitted on the roof.
Bogies
Their bogies are DT55/TR240 featuring bolster-less air secondary suspension,
corn-shaped multilayered rubber spring journal supporting system, and the
double tread brake device. Traction device of the bogie is multilayered
rubber spring. Motored bogies feature 1-axle drive.
Traction unit and auxiliary equipments
Class kiha185 vehicles are powered by two DMF13HS diesel prime movers with
a power output of 250PS and class Kiroha186 are powered by one prime mover.
The hydraulic transmission gear is TC2A (manufactured by SHINKO ENGINEERING
CO., LTD.) or DF115A. (NIIGATA ENGINEERING CO., LTD.) which disused vehicles
were equipped with. Bogies are equipped with a reversing gear. The brake
system is the automatic electromagnetic (CLE) air brake.
Accommodation
Intermediate cars, class kiroha186, of 1st class accommodation has reclining
seating, R36, with 1160mm seating pitch. End cars, class kiha185, have
reclining seating, R52, with 940mm. Intermediate cars, class kiroha186,
of standard class accommodation has switchable transverse seating, W12,
with 1020mm seating pitch. A door between a vestibule and a passenger saloon
is automatic, detecting by the photo sensor. Only class kiha185-0 vehicles
are equipped with a Japanese style toilet and a wash room. Class kiha185-1000
vehicles and kiroha186 vehicles are not equipped with a toilet.
Operations
38 vehicles were delivered in 1986 and entered "Sihokaze" and "Nampu" intercity services from November, 1986. At the splitting of JNR into the privatized JR companies, JR Shikoku received all kiha185 series in 1987.
Additional 16 vehicles of kiha185 series delivered for the start of services of the Seto-Ohashi Line in 1988 are externally identical to the existing kiha185 series, with having new livery with light blue colour bands featuring the corporate colour of JR Shikoku. The hydraulic transmission gear was changed into newly built DB115.
185 series used on "Shiokaze" and "Nampu" intercity
services were withdrawn by replacement with 2000 series intercity DMU and
8000 series intercity electric multiple unit (EMU). 20 vehicles of surplus
185 series were transferred to JR Kyushu in 1992. Some vehicles of remaining
185 series owned by JR Shikoku were remodeled into 185-3000/3100 series
in order to replace superannuated kiha58 series used on the rural services.
Latest operation status in Shikoku
Remining 185-0 series owned by JR Shikoku are now used on the "Uzushio",
"Tsurugisan", and "Muroto" intercity services.
Transfer to JR Kusyu and Refurbishment
Kiha185 series vehicles transferred to JR Kyushu underwent extensive refurbishment
for the use on intercity services in Kyushu in 1992. Moquette covering
of seating was changed and their upper part of body was painted in red
featuring the corporate colour of JR Kyushu. A "185 YUFU EXPRESS"
or "185 ASO EXPRESS" logo is splashed below the windscreen. The
seating capacity of some class kiha185-0 vehicles are reduced because of
the addition of a telephone room and a store room for food services on
the train. Class kiroha186 are given some improvements. They were fitted
with an additional prime mover and a dedicated power unit for air conditioners
was removed. A trailer bogie was changed into motored. 1st class room was
changed into standard class and the seating of original standard class
room was changed into reclining seating. So kiroha186 was reclassified
into kiha186.
In 2004, a refurbishment programme was commenced on kiha185 series owned by JR Kyushu for the start of "Trans-Kyushu" intercity services unified "Aso" intercity services and "Kumagawa" express services, with introducing wooden armrest of seating and western style vacuum toilet. A washroom was converted to a smoking room.
Prime movers of some vehicles owned by JR Kyushu started to be changed
into SA6D125-HE-1-K32, with a power output of 250PS, of Komatsu Ltd from
2007. Hydraulic transmission gears were also changed into TACN-22-1612C
of Hitachi Nico Transmission Co., Ltd.
Latest operation status in Kyushu
Kiha185 series owned by JR Kyushu are now used on the "Aso",
"Yufu", and "Trans-Kyushu" intercity services. |
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