KuHa, SaHa, MoHa, KiHa: Japanese Rail Car Nomenclature

[scott]

I've seen some EMUs and/or trainsets with coaches described as:

KUHA or KUHANE
SAHA or SAHANE
MOHA or MOHANE
KURO
SAROHANE

etc...

What does all this mean?

[CaptOblivious]

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's
some prefixes:
MO = electric motor powered car
SA = trailer car
KU = trailer cab car
KI = diesel-powered car

some suffixes:
HA = regular class
RO = green class
NE = sleeper accomodations

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

[scott]

Thanks! I figured it was something like that, but couldn't work it out.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's
some prefixes:
MO = electric motor powered car
SA = trailer car
KU = trailer cab car
KI = diesel-powered car

some suffixes:
HA = regular class
RO = green class
NE = sleeper accomodations

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

Thanks for posing the question....

If you could make this a 'sticky' that would be very useful. As you say, I have seen queries of this nature in the past and a reference of this would be much appreciated. :)

[Shashinka]

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's
some prefixes:
MO = electric motor powered car
SA = trailer car
KU = trailer cab car
KI = diesel-powered car

some suffixes:
HA = regular class
RO = green class
NE = sleeper accomodations

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

LOL, you've said that before about posting that full list :D

[marknewton]

DMUs

Ki = Diesel multiple unit

Ha  - Standard class car

Ro -  Green class car

Shi  - Catering car


EMUs

KuMo  - motor car with cab

Mo  - motor car (intermediate car)

Ku  - trailer car with cab

Sa  - trailer car (intermediate car)

Ha  - Standard class car

Ro -  Green class car

Shi  - Catering car

Ne - Sleeping car

Ni - Luggage car

Yu - Mail car

Ya - Departmental/inspection car

E - Emergency car

Ru - Supply car


LOCO - HAULED STOCK

Car Weight

Ko - Less than 22.5t

Ho- 22.5 - 27.5t

Na - 27.5 - 32.5t

O - 32.5 - 37.5t

Su - 37.5 - 42.5t

Ma - 42.5 - 47.5t

Ka - Over 47.5t

Ha - Standard class car (formerly third class)

Ro - Green class car (formerly second class)

I - First class car

Shi - Catering car

Ne - Sleeping car

Te - Observation car

Fu - Brake car (with guard's/conductor's compartment)

Ni - Luggage car

Yu - Mail car

Ya - Departmental/inspection car

E - Emergency car

Ru - Supply car

Freight car designations will follow, as soon as I find my list!  :)

Cheers,

Mark.

[scott]

Thanks, Mark! That's really useful.

But if i try to memorize it, I'll end up walking around muttering "kumo - mo - so - ha - ro - she - ne - ni - yu...." and they'll lock me up.

Is the first car of the Sunrise Express a kumorone?

[lbriand_fr]

Here, you have some explainations:
http://www.japaneserailwaysociety.com/jrs/members/etal/class/class.htm

[CaptOblivious]

Plaza Japan has kindly posted to the web a detailed and easy to read explanation of the various rail car nomenclature systems! Never wonder what an OHANEFU, KOKI, or KUMORO means ever again!

http://sunny-life.net/train_symbol/trainsymbol.htm

And, if you encounter a name written in Japanese characters, you will find this handy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana

Now you know オハネフ, コキ, and クモロ now too!

[scott]

Now I'll spend hours coming up with weird combinations like KUMOSIRONE.

[CaptOblivious]

Now I'll spend hours coming up with weird combinations like KUMOSIRONE.

That's a hell of a car: A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

[Mudkip Orange]

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

[CaptOblivious]

LOL

[marknewton]

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

I like it! And I wouldn't be surprised if something like this gets built, either.

Cheers,

Mark.

[underworld]

KuMoShiNeNiYuITe.....

My perfect railcar!!!

Motorized cab car with catering, sleeping, luggage, mail, First Class with observation!!!!!

Now I gotta build one! 


     underworld

[KenS]

I ran across one of these not mentioned above, although it is briefly mentioned in the japaneserailwaysociety.com page: DEHA (デハ), which is apparently an old pre-JNR equivalent for MOHA (motor car, normal class) still used "by some private railways" (I could only find references to its use by the Tokyu Corporation, but I didn't try too hard).

Does anyone know if "DE" is short for some word, and if so what? Given the Japanese tendency to form short terms from the first phoneme of words in a phrase I'd be inclined to think so, but I don't speak/read Japanese, so I could easily be wrong.

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dky%C5%AB_8500_series

and

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9B%BD%E9%89%84%E3%83%87%E3%83%8F63100%E7%B3%BB%E9%9B%BB%E8%BB%8A

[bikkuri bahn]

Does anyone know if "DE" is short for some word, and if so what

Yes, "DE" is short for dendosha(electric powered vehicle).  As you note, the "HA" is short for normal class (i.e. third class before 1960).

[CaptOblivious]

KenS: Good point! Don't forget the tiny little デキ locos!

What about some older electric trains that go simply by モ? Obviously they are motorized (the model I have isn't even an MU), but why no suffix indicating class or weight?

[miyakoji]

Thanks, Mark! That's really useful.

But if i try to memorize it, I'll end up walking around muttering "kumo - mo - so - ha - ro - she - ne - ni - yu...." and they'll lock me up.

Is the first car of the Sunrise Express a kumorone?

According to Wikipedia, the end cars are KuHaNe.  The middle is a SaRoHaNe, however, and that's pretty cool. 

[keitaro]

i have a question whats the (het) for i seen in  a few sets http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/92781-2_2419.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtomix%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D599%26rlz%3D1R2GPRE_ja%26prmd%3Divnsl&rurl=translate.google.com.au&usg=ALkJrhhey0Vdw49_t-w-SHJICLnk00AedQ

[bikkuri bahn]

i have a question whats the (het) for i seen in  a few sets http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/92781-2_2419.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtomix%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D599%26rlz%3D1R2GPRE_ja%26prmd%3Divnsl&rurl=translate.google.com.au&usg=ALkJrhhey0Vdw49_t-w-SHJICLnk00AedQ

HET stands for "Hokkaido Express Train", basically a marketing term used by JR Hokkaido for their 183 series ltd. express diesel trainsets.

[keitaro]

ahh makes sense. most annoying thing is hw was selling the car only but not the sets ...

[JRF-1935]

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

Way Cool !!
Rich C

[keitaro]

anyone able to tell me what l/c means??

examples

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10115536
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10156194

[bikkuri bahn]

anyone able to tell me what l/c means??

examples

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10115536
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10156194

l/c is the Kintetsu designation for rolling stock with dual seat capability.  The seats have automatic rotating mechanisms which can change seats either to cross seating or longitidinal seating, or just changing the direction of seating at the terminal.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/LzNCftaZhRc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/LzNCftaZhRc</a>

[keitaro]

awesome thanks bikkuri bahn

[sportinglife]

...the prefix "De"="KuMo"

[Kumo]

...the prefix "De"="KuMo"

Did someone call me there?!


 

[bikkuri bahn]

...the prefix "De"="KuMo"

The prefix "de" is an old designation of the government railways for motored electric multiple units.  It was superseded by the "mo" prefix in 1928.  However, private railways continued to use the "de" prefix, and even now some still do, such as Tokyu or Kobe Dentetsu.

[sportinglife]

Thanks bikkuri indeed Choshi use "DeHa" for it's eletric railcar!
 

[sportinglife]

...what's the difference between Deha and Deo (for instance 叡山電鉄株式会社 Eizan Dentetsu)

[keitaro]

heres another link explaining a bit about number systems etc

http://www.uraken.net/zatsugaku/zatsugaku_80.html 
i think some of these have been posted but good reads none the less

http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yoshi01/kotetsu_001.html
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BD%A2%E5%BC%8F%E7%A7%B0%E5%8F%B7

[Shashinka]

I'm waiting for the new BaKa 210 to come out.

Ba - Bar/Lounge
Ka - Drunks only

Figure the ladies get their own, why not something for the business men.

[worldrailboy]

I had always looked at this thread a few times before I finally registered but just to continue the fun for now either way here's one I've thought about

kiha 55-1
naha 01-2
naha 01-3
kini 55-4

don't tell me I'm not supposed to put baggage service on this train!! hehe

[The_Ghan]

I'm waiting for the new BaKa 210 to come out.

Ba - Bar/Lounge
Ka - Drunks only

Figure the ladies get their own, why not something for the business men.

ROFL ... How'd I miss this post?

Great work!

Cheers

The_Ghan

[marknewton]

I'm waiting for the new BaKa 210 to come out.

I missed it too. Good one!

Cheers,

Mark.

[ISO8]

...what's the difference between Deha and Deo (for instance 叡山電鉄株式会社 Eizan Dentetsu)

"Deo" is very unique format used only Eizan Dentetsu,I don't know the case on the other railroad.
that means large("Oogata") motorized rollingstock.

[Dani]

Does anybody know this nomenclature for freight cars? I've seen ToKi (open wagon?), TaKi (cistern?), KoKi.... and many others.

Sorry, I found the answer in this post: http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,6017.0.html

There is a link to a page in SumidaCrossing with all the information you can be searching for and many more!!! ==> http://www.sumidacrossing.org/Prototype/JRFreight/FreightCars/

Cheers,

Dani.

[sportinglife]

...what's the difference between Deha and Deo (for instance 叡山電鉄株式会社 Eizan Dentetsu)

"Deo" is very unique format used only Eizan Dentetsu,I don't know the case on the other railroad.
that means large("Oogata") motorized rollingstock.

Thanks, and "DeNa" (always Eizan Dentetsu) which appear even bigger and very american Thanks

[ISO8]

Thanks, and "DeNa" (always Eizan Dentetsu) which appear even bigger and very american Thanks

Hi all, "Na" means the middle size "Naka Gata",
 but this phrase is uncommon in Japanese.  Usually , we use "Chu gata".

Kindly regards,
ISO8

[sportinglife]

Thanks ISO8