KiHa 285 series

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KiHa 285 series
300px
An artist's impression published in September 2014
Manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Built at Kobe
Constructed 2014
Number built 3 vehicles
Formation 3 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers HB-901
Operator(s) JR Hokkaido
Specifications
Car body construction Stainless steel
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The KiHa 285 series (キハ285系?) is a tilting diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type developed by Hokkaido Railway Company (JR Hokkaido), originally intended for use on limited express services in Hokkaido, Japan. One three-car trainset was completed in September 2014 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe, but plans to construct any further KiHa 285 series trains were cancelled in September 2014, and the trainset built is likely to be scrapped without entering revenue service.

Design

The KiHa 285 series train uses a new compound tilting system, which tilts the train vehicles by up to 8 degrees using a pendular system (tilt of up to 6 degrees) combined with air suspension tilting (tilt of up to 2 degrees).[1] The train also uses a new motor-assisted ("MA") hybrid diesel traction system, which supplements conventional diesel traction with batteries, inverters, and electric motors.[1] While unspecified, the maximum operating speed and maximum speeds through curves were intended to exceed those offered by existing diesel trains.[1] Total development costs for the train came to 2.5 billion yen.[2]

Formation

The single three-car set built is numbered HB-901, and formed as shown below.[3]

Numbering KiHa 285-901 KiHa 284-901 KiHa 285-902

History

Design work for the prototype KiHa 285 series train commenced in April 2011.[4] On 10 September 2014, JR Hokkaido announced that it was terminating development and production of further trains following the completion of one three-car set built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[4] The decision was made following reassessments of priorities by JR Hokkaido, with a shift away from focusing on increasing operating speeds to reduce journey time, with a greater focus on safety and maintenance costs through standardization of its diesel fleet.[4] Ageing diesel trains were instead replaced by KiHa 261 series trains, first introduced in 2000.[4]

The three-car trainset built was delivered from Kawasaki Heavy Industries to JR Hokkaido's Naebo Works in September 2014.[3] After undergoing low-speed testing within the confines of Naebo Works, the three-car set was first test-run on the Hakodate Main Line on 31 October 2014.[5]

Following the cancellation of further production, JR Hokkaido initially considered the possibility of converting the three-car trainset for use as a track and overhead wire inspection train.[2] However, in April 2016, JR Hokkaido revealed that the complex design of the train made conversion more expensive than the option of purchasing a new purpose-built inspection train, and the train was likely to be scrapped at Naebo Works.[2]

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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