The are diesel multiple unit (DMU) railcars introduced by Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1977 for non-electrified suburban and rural services in Japan. Operation was transferred to the various Japan Railways Group companies following the privatization of JNR.

Since 2017, withdrawn units have been purchased by private railway companies in Japan. The series has also been used overseas by Myanma Railways in Myanmar and the State Railway of Thailand in Thailand.

The "KiHa" designation derives from the classification system used by JNR. "Ki" indicates a diesel-powered vehicle, while "Ha" indicates an ordinary passenger car, as opposed to a green car.

A total of 888 vehicles were built between 1977 and 1983 by Fuji Heavy Industries and Niigata Tekkō.

Overview The KiHa 40 series diesel multiple unit was introduced in 1977 by JNR to replace ageing KiHa 10 series DMUs on suburban and rural services nationwide. A total of 888 vehicles were built between 1977 and 1982, broadly divided into three main types: KiHa 40, KiHa 47, and KiHa 48. These were subdivided as shown below, with further variants and modifications made later in their lives by the various JR Group companies.

Type No. of cabs Doors Subclass Region ToiletQuantityNumberingRemarks KiHa 40 2 Single-leaf -100 Hokkaido(Extreme cold) Yes150101–250 -500 Cold94501–594 -1000 Warm No1481001–1007Former KiHa 40-2000 cars with toilets removed -2000 Yes2001–2148 KiHa 47 1 Pairs -0 Warm Yes1931–193 -500 Cold22501–522 -1000 Warm No1341001–1134 -1500 Cold211501–1521 KiHa 48 1 Single-leaf -0 Warm Yes61–6 -300 Hokkaido(Extreme cold)4301–304 -500 Cold59501–559 -1000 Warm No41001–1004 -1300 Hokkaido(Extreme cold)31301–1303 -1500 Cold501501–1550

"Cold" regions refers to the Tohoku and Chubu regions.

JR Hokkaido Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Hokkaido received a total of 157 KiHa 40 series vehicles (150 KiHa 40s and 7 KiHa 48s). , JR Hokkaido operates 153 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40 (-300, -330, -350, -400, -700 and -1700) KiHa 48-1300 KiHa 400-100 KiHa 480 (-300 and -1300)

JR East Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR East received a total of 219 KiHa 40 series vehicles (117 KiHa 40s, 28 KiHa 47s, and 74 KiHa 48s). As of 1 April 2010, JR East operates 159 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40 (-500, -1000 and -2000) KiHa 47 (-0, -500, -1000 and -1500) KiHa 48 (-500 and -1500) KiHa 48-502 and KiHa 48-1512 were derailed and badly damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, and were withdrawn.

Joyful Train sets Furusato (KiHa 48–2500) Kirakira Michinoku (KiHa 48) Resort Minori (KiHa 48-500) Resort Shirakami "Aoike" (KiHa 48) Resort Shirakami "Buna" (KiHa 48) Resort Shirakami "Kumagera" (KiHa 48) Umineko (KiHa 48) View Coaster Kazekko (KiHa 48) Koshino Shu*Kura (KiHa 40 and 48)

JR Central Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Central received a total of 59 KiHa 40 series vehicles (14 KiHa 40s, 5 KiHa 47s, and 40 KiHa 48s). By April 2010, JR Central operated 59 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40 (-3000, -3300, -5000, -5500, -5800, -6000 and -6300) KiHa 47 (-5000 and -6000) KiHa 48 (-3500, -3800, -5000, -5300, -5500, -5800, -6000, -6300, -6500 and -6800) These were withdrawn by 2016.

JR West Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR-West received a total of 257 KiHa 40 series vehicles (63 KiHa 40s, 189 KiHa 47s, and 5 KiHa 48s). , JR-West operates 255 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40-3000 KiHa 41-2000 KiHa 47 (-2000 and -2500) KiHa 48 (-3000 and -3500)

Joyful Train sets Misuzu Shiosai (KiHa 47) Setouchi Marine View (KiHa 47) (Until December 12 2019 replaced by etSETOra) Belles Montagnes et Mer (KiHa 40) Hanayome Noren (KiHa 48) Tenkū no shiro Takeda-jō ato (KiHa 40) etSETOra (KiHa47)

JR Shikoku

Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Shikoku received a total of 53 KiHa 40 series vehicles (11 KiHa 40s and 42 KiHa 47s). , JR Shikoku operates 43 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40-2000 KiHa 47 (-0, -500, -1000, -1500) Joyful Train sets Iyonada Monogatari (KiHa 47)

JR Kyushu Following the privatization and splitting of JNR in April 1987, JR Kyushu received a total of 142 KiHa 40 series vehicles (36 KiHa 40s and 106 KiHa 47s). As of 1 April 2010, JR Kyushu operates 140 KiHa 40 series vehicles, classified as follows. KiHa 40 (-7000 and -8000) KiHa 47 (-3500, -4500, -5000, -6000, -8000, -8500, -9000 and -9500) KiHa 140-2000 KiHa 147 (-0 and -1000)

Joyful Train sets Hayato no Kaze (KiHa 47/147) Ibusuki no Tamatebako (KiHa 47/140) Aru Ressha (KiRoShi 47) Two Stars 4047 (KiHa 47/147)

Resale Nishikigawa Railway In 2017, KiHa 40 1009 was taken over by Nishikigawa Railway, that ended operation on the Karasuyama Line by JR East in March 2017. The former diesel train is remodeled in retro style, and started operation on September 16 of the same year.

Kominato Railway Two KiHa 40 carriages (KiHa 40 2021 and KiHa 40 2026), which ended operation on the Tadami Line in March 2020, were transferred to Kominato Railway in May 2020 with the Tohoku livery.

Hojo Railway The latest acquisition purchased by the third-sector railway company which has been funded by the local government of Kasai City to purchase a retired unit from JR East which had been recently ended their local services in Gono Line on 2021. The local government had been successfully collected their crowdfunding at a cost of about 30 million yen (approx. $220,000) for purchasing cost, shipment from the Akita prefecture and for remodeling or refurbishment to make it like new. The railcar has been successfully remodeled and started began their operation in March 2022 with retaining its former livery used in Gono Line by JR East.

Conversions Aizu Railway's AT-400 DMU was converted from a former JR East KiHa 40.

Overseas operations Myanmar

A large fleet of former KiHa 40 series cars from JR East, JR Hokkaido, JR Shikoku, and JR Central were shipped to Myanmar between 2011 and 2016. A total of 48 diesel cars (including KiHa 40, KiHa 47, & KiHa 48) have been shipped to Myanmar for overseas operations.Diesel Railcars from Japan The cars are used on the Yangon Circular Railway.

Thailand

A total of 20 former KiHa 40 & 48 cars from JR East are expected to be shipped to Thailand for overseas operations by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). On 27 March 2024, these cars were handed over to SRT prior to shipping from Niigata Port. On June 2, 2024, the KiHa 40 & 48 cars arrived in Thailand and the gauge conversion from 1,067 mm (Japan) to 1,000 mm commenced.

SRT has received the following KiHa 40 & 48 cars: KiHa 40-521 (Gono) KiHa 40-522 (Shutoken) KiHa 40-528 (Gono) KiHa 40-532 (Gono) KiHa 40-536 (Oga) KiHa 40-543 (Oga) KiHa 40-544 (Oga) KiHa 40-547 (Oga) KiHa 40-575 (Oga) KiHa 48-515 (Gono) KiHa 48-516 (Gono) KiHa 48-518 (Gono) KiHa 48-520 (Gono) KiHa 48-522 (Oga) KiHa 48-537 (Oga) KiHa 48-544 (Shutoken) KiHa 48-1507 (Oga) KiHa 48-1509 (Gono) KiHa 48-1540 (Gono) KiHa 48-1550 (Gono)

Preserved examples KiHa 40 519: Next to Onagawa Station, Onagawa, Miyagi. However, it was damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, and was withdrawn. KiHa 40 764: Next to Ikutora Station, Minamifurano, Hokkaido as a cutaway body. This DMU was modified to resemble a KiHa 12 unit and used in Yasuo Furuhata's 1999 film .

In popular culture The KiHa 40 is featured as a non-driveable train in the Microsoft Train Simulator computer game. In 2017 NHK World-Japan dedicated an episode of their weekly show Japan Railway Journal to the KiHa 40 series. The KiHa 40 will be a driveable train on the Tadami Line route in the Train Sim World series.

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