KiHa 38

The KiHa 38 (キハ38) is a Japanese diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type introduced by the Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1986. These are converted from ageing KiHa 35's to come up for the modernization through conversion into a new rolling stock before it was privatized in 1987.

KiHa 38
KiHa 38-2 & KiHa 38-1003 on the Kururi Line in 2010
In service	1986–present (Japan) 2014–present (Myanmar)
Manufacturer	Fuji Heavy Industries
Replaced	KiHa 35
Constructed	1965–1966 (as KiHa 35)
Entered service	1986
Refurbished	1986–1987
Number built	7 vehicles
Number in service	1 vehicle (as of 2020) in Japan 4 vehicles (as of 2020) in Myanmar
Number preserved	1 vehicle
Formation	2/3/4 cars per trainset (JNR/JR East) 1 car multiple working DMU (Mizushima Rinkai Railway) 4/5 cars per trainset (Myanmar Railways)
Operator(s)	JNR (1986–1987) JR East (1987–2012) Mizushima Rinkai Railway (2014–present) Myanmar Railways (2014–present)
Depot(s)	Kisarazu, Yangon
Line(s) served	Hachiko Line, Kawagoe Line, Kururi Line, Mizushima Main Line, Yangon Circular Railway
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in)
Width	2,929 mm (9 ft 7.3 in)
Doors	3 per side[1]
Prime mover(s)	DMF14-HZ
Multiple working	KiHa 30, KiHa 37[1]
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

After the JNR was privatised in 1987, all seven cars were transferred to JR East.

No KiHa 38s remain in service since they ceased operation on the Kururi Line in December 2012, along with the last KiHa 30 also retired by JR East on the same year, which got replaced by the new KiHa E130s on the same line.

In 2014, five cars were transferred to Myanmar Railways, and one car was transferred to Mizushima Rinkai Railway which entered service in May 2014.

Operations

JR East

• Hachiko Line
• Kawagoe Line
• Kururi Line, until 2012

Mizushima Rinkai Railway

• Mizushima Main Line, since 2014

Myanmar Railways

• Yangon Circular Line, since 2014

• 
  JR East KiHa 38-2 traversing the Hachiko Line between Kitafujioka and Gumma-Fujioka Station on 1988.
• 
  Interior
• 
  JR East KiHa 38 on the Kururi Line in 2012.
• 
  KiHa 38-1 coupled with KiHa 30-63 in classic two-toned JNR livery in July 2012.

Withdrawal and resale

Mizushima Rinkai Railway

In 2014, KiHa 38 1004 was transferred to the Mizushima Rinkai Railway and was renumbered to KiHa 38 103.[2] It entered service on 12 May 2014.[3]

• 
  Mizushima Rinkai Railway KiHa 38-104 (formerly KiHa 38-1003) traversing the Mizushima Main Line in 2014.

Myanmar Railways

Five former KiHa 38 railcars were shipped to Myanmar to be operated by Myanmar Railways in August 2014.[4] They entered service in 2014.[5]

The following cars were transferred to Myanmar:

Former number	RBE body number by Myanmar Railways
KiHa 38-2	RBE 25101
KiHa 38-3	RBE 25102
KiHa 38-4	RBE 25103
KiHa 38-1001	RBE 25104
KiHa 38-1002	RBE 25105

Preserved examples

• KiHa 38 1: preserved at Isumi Poppo-no-oka.[6]

• 
  KiHa 38 1 at Poppo no oka

References

1. "千葉県のJR久留里線、引退直前の旧型気動車(その3) - キハ38形" [Chiba prefecture's JR Kururi Line, old railcar just before retirement (Part 3) - Kiha 38 type]. news.mynavi.jp (in Japanese). Mynavi Corporation. December 1, 2012. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
2. "キハ30，キハ37，キハ38の6両が水島臨海鉄道へ" [6 KiHa 30, KiHa 37, KiHa 38 to Mizushima Rinkai Railway]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. 10 July 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
3. 「キハ37、38、30形式」の運転開始について [Start of KiHa 30 / 37 / 38 operations]. mizurin.co.jp (in Japanese). Japan: Mizushima Rinkai Railway news release. 14 April 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
4. "ミャンマー国鉄元 JR東日本キハ38形". 2427junction.com. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
5. "【ミャンマー国鉄】キハ38ミャンマーで運転開始" [(Myanmar National Railways) Kiha 38 start operation in Myanmar]. rail.hobidas.com (in Japanese). Neko Publishing. September 16, 2014. Archived from the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
6. "いすみポッポの丘がリニューアルオープン" [Isumi Poppo no oka is reopened]. Japan Railfan Magazine Online (in Japanese). Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. March 22, 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.

External links

• JR East website (in Japanese)