KiHa 261 series

The KiHa 261 series, branded either HET 261 (Hokkaido Express Train) or Tilt 261, is a tilting Japanese limited express diesel multiple operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company since December 1998. Built in two distinct batches, the KiHa 261 series sets are normally used on Sōya services on the Hakodate Main Line and Sōya Main Line, but also ply the Super Hokuto and Super Tokachi services as well.
==History==
The first batch was built from 1998 to 2001 by Fuji Heavy Industries (now known as Subaru Corporation), the KiHa 261 series was meant to complement the older KiHa 281 and KiHa 283 series sets. The first pre-production set entered service on 3 December 1998 for testing and evaluation; full-production cars were introduced on 11 March 2000 and entered service from there on Super Sōya services with the introduction of the revised timetable.
A second batch was built starting from 2006, produced jointly by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Niigata Transys and JR Hokkaido Naebo's Works. The first batch of the second generation of sets, designated the KiHa 261-1000 series, entered service on 1 October 2007; production halted in approximately 2016 but appears to have restarted as of June 2018. All 63 currently built cars are in service, based at either Naebo or Hakodate Depots.
==Design==
The cars have a modern streamlined style which was adopted by later limited express diesel multiple units ordered by JR Hokkaido; this design was started by the older KiHa 281 series sets. The body design of the KiHa 261 series cars are a joint venture with the Danish State Railways. The sets' bogies are directly based on those used on the KiHa 201 series sets.
==Specifications==
Construction is of stainless steel. Each car varies in dimensions. The cars all use N-DMF13HZH prime mover prime movers which produce 460 hp (343 kW) each. The sets have a pneumatic tilting system which allows them to tilt up to two degrees around curves (design specifications allow up to three degrees of tilt); however, the tilting system is no longer used on all sets except set SE104 as of 30 August 2014 due to top speed reductions on various lines and the tilting system putting stress on the bogies.
==Gallery==
KiHa 261 SE203 2023.jpg|SE203 in July 2023
File:KiHa 261 SE102 SE202 Sōya Hakodate 2009.jpg|KiHa 261-0 series sets SE102 and SE202 on a Super Sōya service on the Hakodate Main Line in January 2009.
File:KiHa 261-1000 ST1203 Hakodate 2016.jpg|KiHa 261-1000 series set ST1203 on a Super Hokuto service on the Hakodate Main Line in May 2016.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Fuji Heavy Industries locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Niigata Transys locomotives
Category:Tilting trainsets
Category:Naebo Works locomotives