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JR Hokkaido KiHa 283 Series / JR北海道キハ283系

The KiHa 283 Series (キハ283系) is a limited express type DMU operated by JR Hokkaido since 1997.

Developed to coincide with speed improvement works on the Sekisho and Nemuro Main lines, the KiHa 283 series is a powerful tilting railcar intended to reduce travel times between Sapporo and Hokkaido’s outlying cities. The high cab design is inherited from the KiHa 281’s, which would improve visibility and protect drivers from collisions with large animals. A total of nine headlights is installed as heavy fog is common on the eastern portions of the Nemuro Main Line. A controlled pendulum system is adopted, with automatic computerized tilting supporting up to 11 car formations. The maximum tilt is 6 degrees, achieving curve passing speeds of +40km/h. The type is designed to be capable of 145km/h, with the initial operating speed being 130km/h. In 2000, some modifications were made to specific vehicles intended to increase commercial service speed to 140km/h, although this was never realized. A total of 63 cars were produced between 1995 and 2001. The KiHa 183 series were introduced first to Super Ozora, and subsequently Super Hokuto and Super Tokachi by the year 2000. On May 27, 2011, a 6-car formation derailed on the Sekisho Line and subsequently caught fire, although there were no fatalities, this accident would be the start of a troubled two-year period for JR Hokkaido, where numerous issues were discovered that seriously damaged the company’s reputation. Subsequently, a safety-first approach was adopted, which included lower operating speeds and disabling of tilting across the fleet. From 2013 onwards, the KiHa 283 series would be limited to 110km/h without tilting function. All Tokachi and Hokuto services were also replaced by the KiHa 261 series at around the same time. The remaining cars would be withdrawn from Ozora in 2022, and began operating on the Sekihoku Main Line after a year out of service. It is currently limited to Okhotsk and Taisetsu linking Sapporo/Asahikawa with Kitami and Abashiri. 28 cars remain operational, although the basic formation is only 3 cars long, increasing to 5 during busier periods.

Basic Information:

Max Speed: 145km/h
Acceleration: 0.56m/s/s
Engine Output: 355PS x 2 per car
In Service: 1997-

The following formations are included:

KiHa 283 Series

Configuration: 3-11 Cars
Max Pax: 143-617