Meitetsu KiHa 8000 series

Meitetsu KiHa 8000 series is an umbrella term used to refer to a series of limited express diesel multiple units operated by the Nagoya Railroad (Meitetsu) from August 1965 to March 1991. This term comprises the KiHa 8000, KiHa 8050, KiRo 8100, KiRo 8150 and KiHa 8200 series trains.
==History==
The KiHa 8000 series cars were designed for through operation to the JNR Takayama Line. An initial batch of six cars was built in 1965, entering service on 5 August 1965 on the Takayama rapid service. A second batch of six cars was built in 1969 and entered service shortly thereafter; the service was renamed Kita Alps in 1970. The cars were the recipient of the 1966 Blue Ribbon Award.
Scrapping of the cars began in 1985 with various cars deemed surplus. By the late 1980s it became clear that the KiHa 8000 series cars were becoming outdated and underpowered, compared to the high-powered KiHa 85 series cars introduced by JR Central. In 1990, the KiHa 8000 series stopped through running to the Takayama Line, and by 1991, the cars were slated to be replaced by KiHa 8500 series cars on Kita Alps services. The KiHa 8000 series cars were retired on 15 March 1991 without major fanfare and preserved in an operational state on a siding; sale of the cars to another railroad was considered but ultimately the cars received no prospective offers due to their age and weight. No KiHa 8000 series cars have been preserved.
==Design==
The KiHa 8000 series used a squared-off design similar to many other railcars of the time, featuring dual top-mounted sealed beam headlights. The cars are painted with a Cream No.4 "Wheat" base coat with Red No.4 "Scarlet" accents, the standard livery for JNR's diesel express cars.
==Specifications==
Construction was of steel. The KiHa 8000 series cars were equipped with 178 HP (180 PS) DMH17H prime movers; the number of prime movers installed depended on the car, with cars having either one or two prime movers. The cars were largely based on the KiHa 58 series cars operating on the JNR at the time.
The cars are fitted with a musical horn producing a modulating tone using a transistor oscillator circuit; initially the horns were branded the "transistor horn" to showcase that they used the latest technology.
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives