KiHa 58 series

The KiHa 58 series, along with the similar KiRo 28, KiRo 58, KiHa 28 and KiYu 25 series, are Japanese diesel multiple units operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successor companies from May 1961 to March 2011.
==History==
Built from 1961 to 1969 by Fuji Heavy Industries (now known as Subaru Corporation), Niigata Tekkō (now known as Niigata Transys), Nippon Sharyo, Teikoku Sharyō (now defunct) and Tokyu Car Corporation (now known as J-TREC), the KiHa 58 series was originally used as an "express" diesel railcar to supplement similar railcars which would run on commuter services. The 1,863 cars produced were used by almost all of JR's divisions; some cars would even see service on the Fujikyu Railway and the Arida Railway.
As most of these diesel railcars were operational for over 50 years, their age began to show and they were gradually replaced by newer railcars. The last regular KiHa 58 series cars in operation belonged to JR Kyushu; these were withdrawn from service in March 2011. The last cars in service under JR ownership was the Kenji Joyful Train set; it was retired on 8 September 2018. Many KiHa 58 series cars still remain in service on smaller private railroads. Many surplus KiHa 58 series cars were converted into Joyful Trains, with the vast majority of Joyful Trains having been converted from these cars, and numerous cars remain in preservation.
In 1989, some KiHa 58 and 65 series cars were converted by JR Kyushu into the unique KiHa 71 series set used on Yufuin no Mori services.
==Design==
The cars have had the same traditional body style of various Japanese DMUs as manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō and similar companies.
Some cars were experimentally fitted with musical horns; those cars would have two additional red bands on their cabs. These musical horns have since been removed.
==Specifications==
Construction is of steel. Each car is 21.3 meters long and 2.944 meters wide. The cars all use DMH17H prime movers. 
==Preservation==
The following KiHa 58 series cars have been preserved:
Car number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Previous sets	Location 	Notes
KiHa 28 2394	Teikoku Sharyō 	April 1965 	November 2003 	N/A 	Former Kake Station, Hiroshima, Japan 	Preserved in operational condition, maintained by the KiHa 28 Preservation Society
KiHa 58003 	Nippon Sharyo 	April 1963 	December 2002 	N/A 	Aritagawa Railway Park, Hiroshima, Japan 	Only KiHa 58 locomotive built with double cab from new, maintained by the Aridagawa Town Railway Preservation Society; engine failed in November 2016, currently pulled by Kobe Steel DL17 for events
KiHa 58 787 	Nippon Sharyo 	May 1966 	September 2001 	N/A 	Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan 	Not accessible to public
KiHa 28 3019	Nippon Sharyo 	December 1968 	March 2000 	N/A 	Tsuruga Red Brick Warehouse, Fukui, Japan 	Ex-KiHa 28 1019, attempted to be auctioned off after retirement but found no buyers; preserved indoors at another facility until 2016
KiHa 58 554 	Fuji Heavy Industries	June 1964 	November 2003 	N/A 	Former Yasuno Station, Hiroshima, Japan 	Preserved as-is after station's closure; blue tarp placed on roof in 2021 to prevent leakage
KiHa 58 563 	Niigata Tekkō 	October 1964 	December 2010 	N/A 	Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum, Okayama, Japan 	One of the last operational JR West KiHa 58 series cars
KiHa 28 2329	Teikoku Sharyō 	February 1964 	December 2010 	N/A 	Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum, Okayama, Japan 	One of the last operational JR West KiHa 58 series cars
KiHa 58 624 	Niigata Tekkō 	April 1965 	March 2008 	N/A 	Jōshin-etsu Expressway Yokogawa SA, Gunma, Japan 	Cab only, preserved as KiHa 57 26 with mockup passenger cabin welded to cab; one of the last operational JR Kyushu KiHa 58 series cars
KiYu 25 1 	Niigata Tekkō 	March 1965 	June 1986 	N/A 	Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan 	Mail car, used as Denpun western restaurant; formerly a ramen bar
KiYu 25 2 	Niigata Tekkō 	March 1965 	June 1986 	N/A 	Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan 	Mail car, exact location unknown
KiNi 58 1 	Teikoku Sharyō 	May 1963 	January 1987 	N/A 	Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan 	Baggage car, ex-KiRo 58 7; converted 1978 to KiNi 58 1
KiHa 58 135 	Nippon Sharyo 	May 1963 	November 2001 	N/A 	Nagato, Yamaguchi, Japan 	Cab only, privately owned; preserved at owner's home, very poor cosmetic condition
KiHa 58 224 	November 1962 	June 1997 	Hua Hin Railway Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand	N/A 	Preserved as SRT 101 	
KiHa 28 3017	Fuji Heavy Industries	December 1968 	Hua Hin Railway Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand	N/A 	July 1997 	Ex-KiHa 28 1017; preserved as SRT 209
KiHa 58 495 	Niigata Tekkō 	March 1964 	September 1993 	N/A 	Museum of History of the Sakhalin Railroad, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin, Russia	Preserved as Russian Railways K-01
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The following KiHa 58 series cars were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Car number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Previous sets	Last location 	Notes
KiHa 58 293 	Nippon Sharyo 	April 1963 	March 2009 	N/A 	JR Shikoku Tadotsu Works, Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan 	One of the last operational JR Shikoku KiHa 58 series cars, formerly preserved in operational condition, repainted into experimental musical horn livery; scrapped June 2018
KiHa 28 2002	Tokyu Car Corporation	May 1961 	March 2008 	N/A 	JR Shikoku Tadotsu Works, Kagawa, Shikoku, Japan 	Ex KiHa 28 2, formerly preserved in operational condition; scrapped June 2018
KiHa 58 92 	Fuji Heavy Industries	October 1961 	March 1986 	N/A 	Takatomo Wonder Farm, Miyagi, Japan 	Converted into facilities along with various other JNR railcars; scrapped September 2008 due to body corrosion
KiYuNi 28 20	Teikoku Sharyō 	April 1963 	February 1987 	N/A 	Takatomo Wonder Farm, Miyagi, Japan 	Baggage car, ex-KiRo 28 106; converted into facilities along with various other JNR railcars, scrapped September 2008 due to body corrosion
KiHa 28 2353	Fuji Heavy Industries	May 1964 	September 2001	N/A 	Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan 	Ex-KiHa 28 353; removed in 2013 and scrapped at Hamamatsu Works
KiRo 28 2303	Niigata Tekkō 	June 1968 	March 2008 	N/A 	Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan 	First class intermediate car, ex-KiRo 28 303, one of the last operational JR Central KiHa 58 series cars; removed in 2013 and scrapped at Hamamatsu Works
KiHa 28 17 	Niigata Tekkō 	November 1961 	June 1986 	N/A 	Kuratecho Central Community Center, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan	Preserved as-is after retirement; scrapped June 2003
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==Gallery==
KiHa 58 293 Tadotsu.jpg|KiHa 58 293 in October 2012 with experimental musical horn livery
File:KiNi 58 1 2023.jpg
==References==
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Fuji Heavy Industries locomotives
Category:Niigata Tekkō locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Teikoku Sharyō locomotives
Category:Tokyu Car locomotives