KiHa 181 series

The KiHa 181 series is a Japanese limited express diesel multiple unit operated by the Japanese National Railways from October 1968 to February 2011.
==History==
Built from 1969 to 1972 by Fuji Heavy Industries (now known as Subaru Corporation), Niigata Tekkō (now known as Niigata Transys) and Nippon Sharyo, the KiHa 181 series was essentially an upgraded version of the KiHa 80 series diesel railcars introduced just a few years prior. These entered service on 1 October 1968 with the introduction of the revised timetable for that year.
These sets enjoyed a long service life from 1968 and were known to have be used on the Hamakaze and the non-electrified sections of Yakumo routes until their retirement from regular service on 23 December 2010, when they were being replaced by newer KiHa 189 series sets. A few special final runs were carried out on 25 and 26 February 2011, following which the KiHa 181 series sets were withdrawn.
Fifteen cars were sold to the Yangon Circular Railway and re-classified as RBE5000 railcars, starting on 8 February 2012.
==Design==
The cars had a similar style to various Japanese DMUs as manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries, Niigata Tekkō and similar companies; the body style of the KiHa 181 series cars quite heavily resembled that of the older KiHa 80 series cars.
==Specifications==
Each car is 21.3 meters long and 2.903 meters wide. The cars all use DML30HSC prime movers and are somewhat based on the KiHa 90 series prototype diesel railcars, in terms of bogies.
==Preservation==
The following KiHa 181 series cars have been preserved:
Car number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Previous sets	Location 	Notes
KiHa 181-1 	Fuji Heavy Industries	August 1968 	March 1993 	N/A 	SCMaglev and Railway Park, Nagoya, Japan 	Ex-prototype set
KiHa 181-12	Nippon Sharyo 	November 1969 	February 2011	N/A 	Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum, Okayama, Japan	One of the last operational KiHa 181 series cars; repainted into JNR colors
The following KiHa 181 series cars were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Car number	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Date retired	Previous sets	Location 	Notes
KiHa 180-1	Fuji Heavy Industries	August 1968 	March 1993 	N/A 	Mino-Ōta Rolling Stock Depot, Gifu, Japan	Ex-prototype set; scrapped March 2013 at Nagoya Works
 	 	 	 	N/A 	 	
==Gallery==
File:KiHa 181-1 2023.jpg
File:KiHa 181-1 2009.jpg
==References==
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:Fuji Heavy Industries locomotives
Category:Niigata Tekkō locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Built in 1969
Category:Built in 1972