New Type: JR West Kiha 189

Will replace the 181 type on Hamakaze service, next year.

 

Good pictures of the unit inside the Niigata Transys plant:

http://osaka.yomiuri.co.jp/teppan/tr100319a.htm

 

Delivery train on the Shinetsu Main Line:

 

 

(related blog by the fellow who took the above video: http://ohanabi.blog45.fc2.com/ )

Thanks, this new train doesn't look so bad but if they are limited to Hamakaze service they aren't going to be very numerous.

It looks nice, but the front design is horrible! Looks more like a modernised KIHA 181, rather then an innovative new design. :cwm10:

 

http://www.westjr.co.jp/news/newslist/article/1174177_799.html

Looks more like a modernised KIHA 181, rather then an innovative new design.

 

All the more reason to like it, IMO　

 

http://members2.jcom.home.ne.jp/super-wings/dml_exp_181_shiokaze_01.jpg

The new train has sort of a retro design to it.

I like the use of the red panels and white stripes to break up the metal surfaces. But the tail-light design makes it look like it's falling asleep. :-)

 

Has OTR capability too looking at the picture.

Another one, a bit home videoish in quality, but some close-up shots.  Higashi Sanjo Station, Shinetsu Main Line.

 

 

Has OTR capability too looking at the picture.

OTR? Pardon my ignorance, I probably should know what that stands for. :icon_scratch:

OTR? Pardon my ignorance, I probably should know what that stands for.

 

I'm stumped too.  A wild guess- on train reporting, for the diagnostic and train operations monitors on the right?  Or perhaps on the rocks, but I don't see an ice maker or any semblance of a minibar

Over The Road.

Over The Road.

 

relating to this, perhaps?

 

http://www.sharma-associates.com/projects/projects_railvehicles.aspx#OverTheRoad

Whatever OTR is I see there is still somewhere for the driver to hang his pocket watch. Japan is such a civilized country where the old traditions linger on side by side with the most modern of technology.

More pictures, taken at the site of the old freight station at Fujiyose in Niigata, now used as a staging/start point for Niigata Transys rolling stock waiting to be delivered:

 

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/ef64-1015/e/38601722ba3bd94eaa63d1a4179ee238

 

Has OTR capability too looking at the picture.

OTR? Pardon my ignorance, I probably should know what that stands for. :icon_scratch:

I am probably stabbing in the air here but my thoughts of OTR would mean "On-board Train Recorder" as in the UK, all of our trains are now equipped with OTMR which means "On-board Train Mobile Recorder" which is equivalent to a tachograph used in lorries and coaches in the EU . However, I am open to correction.

NICE color scheme.

NICE color scheme.

 

Yeah, reminds me of this:

 

http://www.theharlemsurf.com/blog/files/u.jpg

NICE color scheme.

 

Yeah, reminds me of this:

 

http://www.theharlemsurf.com/blog/files/u.jpg

 

Which reminds me of this:

 

On a more helpful note, here's the JR West "Big X" network. I added the station names in English. The Hamakaze is in gold.

You guys have probably already seen this, but just in case:

 

 

The best 189 vid out there from the excellent contributor nimo5.  I agree with BB above, it's great that the design of this echoes the 181's style.  I'm also happy to see real intermediate cars; something about the way they have a cab in the middle of the train on 3-car 187 set just doesn't sit with me.

Looks like the KIHA189 has started revenue service in the last few days.  A few videos courtesy of youtube...

 

This one is at Himeji Station.  In the beginning, you can see some demolition in the lower left, this might be part of the former station building, but I'm not sure.

 

 

Passing a crossing on the Bantan Line in rural Hyogo Prefecture

 

 

Passing Suma

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4dyoVHEtrs

 

An out-of-service move in the 'burbs between Osaka and Kyoto

 

 

Overall this thing looks pretty good.  I hope to ride it someday.

Sorry, I'm very late to the party but been seeing a lot of this train on You Tube lately. Nice looking train - modern yet traditional front design and full window bands.  I like the simple color scheme except for the small stripe over the lights.  Is it available in N Scale?

Edited March 7, 2016 by serotta1972

I don't think so... But there are some guys who have self kit-bash them from various other cars:

 

 

Here's an article on how he did one:

 

http://www.diotown.com/creative/2011/12/jrwest-kiha189-type.html

I know next to nothing about N scale releases, but it appears nothing has been done in N scale, at least by the big commercial makers.  Endo made an HO scale set for close to 200000 yen for rich old guys.

 

Already five years have passed since these units were introduced to revenue service.  It still seems not so long ago that I was riding the "rolling thunder" 12 cylinder-powered kiha 181's from Osaka to hinterland destinations like Toyooka. The roof-mounted radiators on these units really stood out, as did their "pick up and go" acceleration on the Kobe Line (Tokaido Line) to keep up with the shin kaisoku trains.

Edited March 7, 2016 by bikkuri bahn

 

Already five years have passed since these units were introduced to revenue service.  It still seems not so long ago that I was riding the "rolling thunder" 12 cylinder-powered kiha 181's from Osaka to hinterland destinations like Toyooka.

 

Yap... The 181 was a classic! Now we have another option right, the HOT 7000 series...