#3971
KiHa 181 series
Myanmar ·built by Subaru Corporation· from 1968· Japanese train type operating 1968-2010
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. JRW DC kiha181 Hamakaze-3: Mitsuki-2368· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2. JR shikoku kiha181-104 akomo kai syanai: spaceaero2· CC BY 3.0
- 3. Matsukaze1 Kiha181 Shimotaki-Tanikawa 19861030: Olegushka· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 4. 1985-181-asashio: TRJN· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 5. Driveshaft with anti torque shaft, JNR Type-181 DMU: NEXT-EXIT· CC BY-SA 3.0
- 6. EF58112+Hamakaze Osaka 19840101: Olegushka· CC0
- 7. JNR Kiha 181 Limited Express Nampu 1977: halfrain· CC BY-SA 2.0
- 8. JNR kiha181series kiha181-40 DT40: Spaceaero2· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 9. 1985-7-25-ginga51: TRJN· CC BY-SA 4.0
- 10. Dosan Line Asō-Ōnogō-04: Gohachiyasu1214· CC BY-SA 4.0
what is it?
The KiHa 181 series (キハ181系, Hyaku-hachijūichi-kei) was a diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type operated in Japan on limited express services between 1968 and 2010. Initially introduced by Japanese National Railways (JNR), the trains were later operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR-West) and Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) following privatization in 1987.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 58 years ago, in 1968.
- 373 kW is about 4 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- 21.3 m long: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 42 years (1968–2010).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1968
- in service from
- 1968
- retired
- 2010
- status
- retired
- number built
- 158
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- Myanmar
- builders
- Subaru Corporation, Niigata Transys, Nippon Sharyo
- operators
- rail transport in Myanmar, Japanese National Railways
- top speed
- 120 km/h
- power
- 373 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- length
- 21.3 m
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q10815122, Wikipedia: KiHa 181 series (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.