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JNR KiHa 185 Series / 国鉄キハ185系

The KiHa 185 Series (キハ185系) is a Limited Express type DMU operated by JR Shikoku and JR Kyushu.

The last express train to be developed by JNR, the KiHa 185 series were manufactured for Shikoku and entered service in 1986. Designed to upgrade services between Shikoku's larger cities to limited express standards, a total of 52 cars were manufactured in a period of two years. One of several types introduced by JNR in it's final years for the soon-to-be JR Shikoku, these new trains were a part of the effort to improve the financial sustainability of the island's railways. JNR's limited express diesel trains were typically designed to be used in long formations, with different types of equipment concentrated in particular cars and supplied to the rest of the train. However this method was unsuitable for Shikoku due to the lack of flexibility in formation lengths. Instead the equipment configuration was changed to mirror those of general type DMUs, with each car having all necessary power generation, and AC equipment. JR Shikoku introduced the 2000 series with superior performance in the early 1990s, and some KiHa 185 cars became surplus. 38 cars would be sold to JR Kyushu in 1992, these were placed on limited express trains on the quiet Kyudai and Hohi main lines. The remaining JR Shikoku units are still operated in and around Tokushima Prefecture on services such as Tsurugisan and Muroto. As of current, all except one car are listed as active.

Basic Information

Max Speed: 110km/h
Acceleration: 0.56m/s/s
Engine Output: 250PS x 2 per car
In Service: 1986-

The following formations are included:

KiHa 185 Series (2 Car)
Max Pax: 124

KiHa 185 Series (3 Car)
Max Pax: 180

-can be operated in 2-9 car formations by coupling the 2 and 3 car sets in various ways.