page_title: KiHa 261 series
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: KiHa 261 series / History
caption_attribution_description: English: JR Hokkaido KiHa 261-1000 series DMU on "Super Tokachi" service at Obihiro Station, 18 October 2007 日本語: 帯広駅で発車を待つキハ261系1000番台の特急「スーパーとかち」 撮影場所：帯広駅構内
context_page_description: The KiHa 261 series is a tilting diesel multiple unit train type operated by Hokkaido Railway Company on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan, since 2000.
context_section_description: A four-car pre-production set was delivered from Fuji Heavy Industries in November 1998 for evaluation and testing. The first production trains were introduced on Super Sōya services between Sapporo and Wakkanai from the start of the revised timetable on 11 March 2000.
  New KiHa 261-1000 series 5-car sets were introduced on Super Tokachi services between Sapporo and Obihiro from October 2007.
  A further 28 KiHa 261 series vehicles were delivered from 2015 onward, and these are not equipped with tilting capability.
  From December 2015 until the end of 2017, the KiHa 261-1000 series fleet were gradually repainted into a new livery with white front ends, yellow front-end gangway doors, and a purple bodyside stripe.
caption: 5-car KiHa 261-1000 series set as first introduced on Super Tokachi services, October 2007
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