KiHa 01 series

The KiHa 01 series (キハ01系, Kiha-ichi-kei) and the related KiHa 02 (キハ02) and KiHa 03 (キハ03) were railbus types operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) from 1954 until 1969.

KiHa 01 series
KiHa 03-1 at the Otaru Museum in May 2014
Constructed	1954–1956
Number built	49 vehicles
Number in service	None
Number preserved	1 vehicle
Formation	Single car
Operators	JNR (1954–1969)
Lines served	Various
Specifications
Car length	10 m (32 ft 10 in)
Doors	1 per side (KiHa 03 cars)[citation needed] 2 per side (KiHa 01 cars)[citation needed]
Prime mover(s)	Hino DS21
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

History

A total of 49 vehicles were built between 1954 and 1956, originally classified as KiHa 10000 (キハ10000形).^[1] Four prototypes entered service on the Kihara Line (present day Isumi Railway Isumi Line) in 1954.^[2] In 1957, the KiHa 10000 were reclassified as KiHa 01 and 02, the KiHa 10200 were reclassified as KiHa 03.^[1]

The last unit, KiHa 02 10, was withdrawn in 1969.^[2]

Preserved examples

• KiHa 03-1: Preserved at the Otaru Museum^[3]
• KiHa 02-9: Preserved at the ruins of the Hizen-Ikeno Station as a children's library, scrapped in 1983 however due to massive vandalism.