KiHa 40 series

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. "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) Kiha40-1740.jpg|KiHa 40 1740 in February 2022 JR hokkaido kiha400 141 sarobetsu.jpg|KiHa 400-141 Kiha40-1755 Cab.jpg|Driver's cab of KiHa 40 1755 in September 2021 Kiha40-1716 Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 40 1716 in May 2021 Kiha40-1755 Long-seat.jpg|Longitudinal seating of KiHa 40 1755 in September 2021 Kiha40-1755 Cross-seat.jpg|Cross seating of KiHa 40 1755 in September 2021 JR Hokkaido kiha400-502 inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 400-502 ==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and KiHa 48-1512 were derailed and badly damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, and were withdrawn. Kiha40-500 Tadami-line.jpg|KiHa 40 584 in May 2018, Tohoku livery on Tadami Line Kiha40-1003 20110102.jpg|KiHa 40 1003 in January 2011, repainted into old JNR livery Uetsu line Type47.jpg|KiHa 47 515 in March 2017 Kiha48-519.jpg|KiHa 48 519 in February 2021, Gono livery on Ōu Main Line Carried_train_in_Ishinomaki_Line.JPG|KiHa 48 502 and KiHa 48 1512 after the tsunami in 2011 Kiha40-Tadami-Line-Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 40–502 in May 2018 Kiha48-Oga-Line-Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 48 in April 2017 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 East diesel multiple units Furusato Hana.jpg|KiHa 48 Furusato in November 2007 VIEW_COASTER_kazekko_inside.jpg|Interior of View Coaster Kazekko Kiha40 shukura.jpg|Koshino Shu*Kura on Shin'etsu Main Line ShuKura 2.jpg|Interior of Koshino Shu*Kura ==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. JRC-Kiha40-6300DC.jpg|KiHa 40 6300 in September 2004 JNR KiHa 48-5500 serving JR East.JPG|KiHa 48 5500 in March 2008 ==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) JR West Type KiHa40 No.2007 1997.jpg|KiHa 40 2007 in 1997 Kiha47-2503.JPG|KiHa 47 2503 in August 2007 Kiha47R-1061 Cab.jpg|Driver's cab of KiHa 47 1061 in December 2021 Kiha47R-1061 Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 47 1061 in December 2021 Kiha47R-1061 Priority-seat.jpg|Priority seating of KiHa 47 1061 in December 2021 Joyful Train sets • Misuzu Shiosai (KiHa 47) • Setonai 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) JRW DC Kiha47-7000 Misuzu-Shiosai.jpg|Misuzu Shiosai in July 2011 JRW DC Kiha47-7003 inside.jpg|Interior of Misuzu Shiosai JRW DC47 setouchi.JPG|Setonai Marine View in March 2011 Marine View - Free Space.JPG|Interior of Setonai Marine Viewin May 2016 JRW kiha40-2027 Belles montagnes et mer 20160529.jpg|Belles Montagnes et Mer JRW kiha48 hanayomenoren 20160529.jpg|Hanayome Noren in May 2016 ==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) JRS DC Kiro47-1401.jpg|Iyonada Monogatari in May 2017 Iyonada Monogatari 20170506-002.jpg|Interior of Iyonada Monogatari ==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) JRK Kiha40-8126.jpg|KiHa 40 8126 in January 2022 Kashi-Line-Kiha47-9031.jpg|KiHa 47 9031 in August 2007, AQUA LINER livery on Kashii Line Kiha40-8101 Cab.jpg|Driver's cab of KiHa 40 8101 in January 2022 Kiha40-8126 Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 40 8126 in January 2022 Kiha147-50 Inside.jpg|Interior of KiHa 147 50 in December 2021 Kiha147-50 Priority-seat.jpg|Priority seating of KiHa 147 50 in December 2021 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) File:Kiha47 Hayatono-Kaze Nippo-Line.jpg|Hayato no Kaze in January 2022 File:Hayatono-Kaze Inside Kiha147-1045.jpg|Interior of Hayato no Kaze File:JRK DC Kiha47-8060.jpg|Ibusuki no Tamatebako in August 2012 File:JRK DC Kiha140 2066 Inside.jpg|Interior of Ibusuki no Tamatebako File:JRKyushu DMU ARU RESSHA.jpg|Aru Ressha in October 2015 ==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. File:Nishikigawa Railway DMU Kiha40-1009 20171104.jpg|Former JR East KiHa 40 series DMU car KiHa 40 1009 at Nishikichō Station on the Nishikigawa Railway in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. 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. File:JNR 40 series in soga station.jpg|The former JR East KiHa 40 is scheduled to be transferred to Kominato Railway is detained at Soga Station. 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. File:Aizu Railway AT-400 2022.jpg|Aizu Railway AT-400 in April 2022 ==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. The cars are used on the Yangon Circular Railway. Thailand , has been decommissioned since 12 March 2021, later donated to the State Railway of 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. File:Kiha 40 519 Onagawa 20070924.jpg|Preserved KiHa 40 519 next to Onagawa Station in September 2007 File:JRH-Kiha40 764 Cutting body.jpg|KiHa 40 764 in August 2011 ==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. ==References==