KiHa 38

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "KiHa 38" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

KiHa 38
KiHa 38-2 & KiHa 38-1003 on the Kururi Line in 2010
In service	1986–present (Japan) 2014–present (Myanmar)
Manufacturer	Fuji Heavy Industries
Replaced	KiHa 35
Constructed	1965–1966 (as KiHa 35)
Entered service	1986
Refurbished	1986–1987
Number built	7 vehicles
Number in service	1 vehicle (as of 2020[update]) in Japan 4 vehicles (as of 2020[update]) in Myanmar
Number preserved	1 vehicle
Formation	2/3/4 cars per trainset (JNR/JR East) 1 car multiple working DMU (Mizushima Rinkai Railway) 4/5 cars per trainset (Myanmar Railways)
Operators	JNR (1986–1987) JR East (1987–2012) Mizushima Rinkai Railway (2014–present) Myanmar Railways (2014–present)
Depots	Kisarazu, Yangon
Lines served	Hachiko Line, Kawagoe Line, Kururi Line, Mizushima Main Line, Yangon Circular Railway
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	20,000 mm (65 ft 7 in)
Width	2,929 mm (9 ft 7.3 in)
Doors	3 per side[1]
Prime mover(s)	DMF14-HZ
Multiple working	KiHa 30, KiHa 37[1]
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

The KiHa 38 (キハ38) is a Japanese diesel multiple unit (DMU) train type introduced by the Japanese National Railways (JNR) in 1986. These were converted from ageing KiHa 35's to meet modern standards as new rolling stock before the company was privatized in 1987. After JNR was privatized, all seven cars were transferred to JR East.

No KiHa 38s remain in service since they ceased operation on the Kururi Line in December 2012, along with the last KiHa 30, which were also retired from JR East in the same year They were replaced by the new KiHa E130s on the same line.

In 2014, five cars were transferred to Myanmar Railways, and one car was transferred to Mizushima Rinkai Railway which entered service in May 2014.

• Hachiko Line
• Kawagoe Line
• Kururi Line, until 2012

• Mizushima Main Line, since 2014

• Yangon Circular Line, since 2014

• 
  JR East KiHa 38-2 traversing the Hachiko Line between Kitafujioka and Gumma-Fujioka Station on 1988.
• 
  Interior
• 
  JR East KiHa 38 on the Kururi Line in 2012.
• 
  KiHa 38-1 coupled with KiHa 30–63 in classic two-toned JNR livery in July 2012.

In 2014, KiHa 38 1004 was transferred to the Mizushima Rinkai Railway and was renumbered to KiHa 38 103.^[2] It entered service on 12 May 2014.^[3]

• 
  Mizushima Rinkai Railway KiHa 38-104 (formerly KiHa 38–1003) traversing the Mizushima Main Line in 2014.

Five former KiHa 38 railcars were shipped to Myanmar to be operated by Myanmar Railways in August 2014.^[4] They entered service in 2014.^[5]

The following cars were transferred to Myanmar:

• KiHa 38 1: preserved at Isumi Poppo-no-oka.^[6]

• 
  KiHa 38 1 at Poppo no oka

Wikimedia Commons has media related to JNR Kiha 38.

• JR East website (in Japanese)