KiHa 52

The KiHa 52 (キハ52形, Kiha-gojūni-gata) is a Japanese Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) type formerly operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR), JR Group companies such as JR East, JR West, JR Shikoku & JR Kyushu; and later by the private operator Isumi Railway based in Chiba, Japan, by overseas operators such as Myanmar Railways in Myanmar, and PNR in the Philippines.

KiHa 52
KiHa 52 in old JNR Two tone vermilion and beige livery
In service	1958–present
Constructed	1957–1966
Refurbished	2020 (KiHa 52-122, PNR)
Number built	112
Number in service	1 vehicle (as of 2020) in Japan 1 vehicle (as of 2020) in the Philippines
Number preserved	3 (KiHa 52-115; 52-130; 52-156)
Number scrapped	105 vehicles
Formation	1/2/3
Fleet numbers	KiHa 52 1 - 56 KiHa 52 101 - 156
Operator(s)	JNR (1958–1987) JR East (1987–2010) JR West (1987–2010) JR Shikoku (1987–1990) JR Kyushu (1987–2002) Myanmar Railways (2007–2016) Isumi Railway Company (2011–present) Philippine National Railways (2012–present)
Depot(s)	Tutuban, Naga
Line(s) served	Metro South Commuter Metro North Commuter Bicol Commuter Mayon Limited (currently Isarog Limited Express) Isumi line
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Entry	Step
Doors	2 single-leaf sliding doors per side
Coupling system	AAR coupler
Multiple working	Various DMUs in Japan PNR 900 Class
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

112 KiHa 52 cars were built for Japanese National Railways between 1958 and 1966. The design was based on the KiHa 20 series "general purpose" DMU type, but with two engines for use on mountainous lines.[1]

Variants

• KiHa 52 1 – 56: Built 1958–1962[2]
• KiHa 52 101 – 156: Built 1963–1966[2]
• KiHa 52 651: Converted from KiHa 52 101[2]

Livery variations

JNR-era liveries

• 
  Two JR-West KiHa 52 cars in original JNR two-tone liveries in September 2008
• 
  KiHa 52 156 in "metropolitan" all-over red livery in August 2009
• 
  KiHa 52 125 in JNR two-tone blue & beige livery in August 2008

JR-era regional liveries

• 
  KiHa 52 114 in JR Kyushu livery in August 1993
• 
  KiHa 52 125 in "Oito Line" livery in December 1999
• 
  JR East KiHa 52s in "Morioka" livery in August 2006
• 
  A JR East KiHa 52 in "Niigata" livery in September 2008

Resale

Following withdrawal of the last remaining examples operated by JR-West, one car, KiHa 52 125, was resold to the private operator Isumi Railway in Chiba Prefecture in April 2011. This unit was built in 1965, and formerly operated on the Etsumi-Hoku Line and Ōito Line in the Hokuriku region until 2010.[1]

• 
  KiHa 52 125 in JNR two-tone blue & beige livery in May 2011
• 
  KiHa 52 125 in May 2011 after repainting into original JNR two-tone vermillion & beige livery

Overseas operations

Myanmar

Former JR East KiHa 52 cars at Kawasaki awaiting shipping to Myanmar in December 2007

KiHa 52-154 (5017) in 2014

Seventeen former KiHa 52 Diesel Railcars were shipped to Myanmar to be operated by Myanmar Railways between 2007 and 2008. The following cars were transferred to Myanmar as shown:

Former Body Number of JR Group	RBE Body Number by Myanmar Railways
KiHa 52-108	RBE 5001
KiHa 52-109	RBE 5002
KiHa 52-110	RBE 5011
KiHa 52-126	RBE 5003
KiHa 52-141	RBE 5012
KiHa 52-143	RBE 5004
KiHa 52-144	RBE 5005
KiHa 52-145	RBE 5006
KiHa 52-146	RBE 5013
KiHa 52-147	RBE 5014
KiHa 52-148	RBE 5015
KiHa 52-149	RBE 5016
KiHa 52-151	RBE 5007
KiHa 52-152	RBE 5008
KiHa 52-153	RBE 5009
KiHa 52-154	RBE 5017
KiHa 52-155	RBE 5018

Philippines

PNR KiHa 52 Blue At Ligao Station

Seven former JR East KiHa 52 cars originally based at JR East Niitsu Transportation Zone were donated in September 2011 to the Philippine National Railways (PNR), where they are used on commuter services in the Manila area.[3]

As of October 2013, the trains are normally operated as two 3-car formations. The seventh car, KiHa 52 123, in Niigata livery, was taken out of service after operating for only seven months, and is stored at Tutuban Depot as a source of spare parts for the rest of the fleet.[3]

Formation

The two three-car sets are referred to as "KiHa-O" (for orange) and "KiHa-B" (for blue), reflecting the liveries they carry, and are formed as shown below,[3] with cars 52-137 and 52-102 at the Alabang end, as shown below.

KiHa-O	52-137	52-127	52-122
KiHa-B	52-102	52-120	52-121

The former toilets in each car are locked out of use.[3]

Preserved examples

Preserved KiHa 52 130 in June 2010

In addition to KiHa 52 125 operated on the Isumi Railway, as of 2014 three Kiha 52 cars are preserved in Japan, as listed below.[4]

• KiHa 52 115: Former Tsuyama Depot roundhouse, Tsuyama, Okayama
• KiHa 52 130: Osumi Line Memorial Park, Shibushi, Kagoshima
• KiHa 52 156: Inside Itoigawa Geostation Geopal at Itoigawa Station in Itoigawa, Niigata[5]

References

1. Kusamachi, Yoshikazu (January 29, 2014). いすみ鉄道のキハ52、3月から「首都圏色」に [Isumi Railway's KiHa 52 to be repainted into Metropolitan Livery from March]. Response (in Japanese). Retrieved June 14, 2014.
2. JR全車輛ハンドブック'92 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 1992]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 1992. p. 296.
3. Saito, Miko (March 2014). フィリピン国鉄南方線の日本型車両 [Japanese rolling stock on the PNR Southern Line]. The Railway Pictorial (in Japanese). 64 (887): 64–72.
4. Sasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&jr 保存車大全 2015-2016 国鉄&JR保存車大全2015-2016 [JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide 2015-2016] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 125. ISBN 978-4863209282.
5. ジオステーション　ジオパル [Geostation Geopal]. Itoigawa Sightseeing (in Japanese). Japan: Itoigawa Sightseeing Association. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.