A diesel railcar, KiHaYuNi 51 is exhibited in Kaya Steam Locomotive Square
Following the precious steam locomotive, I am going to continue to show you a unique exhibition in Kaya Steam Locomotive Square in Kyoto Prefecture.
KiHaYuNi 51 is an old railcar launched in 1936. It was originally a gasoline-powered vehicle built for Geibi Railway (present JR West Geibi line) in Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures. The manufacturer was Nippon Sharyo. It is 17.05 meters long, 2.72 meters wide, and it weighs 21.5 tons.
The original name was KiHaYuNi 18 of the Class 40900. KiHaYuNi means that it's a railcar, which has an internal combustion engine, and consists of a third-class cabin, a mailroom and a baggage room. It is multi-purpose. After being operated on Geibi Railway, this railcar was moved to Funaki Railway in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1952. In this period, it was modified from a gasoline-powered vehicle to a diesel railcar, and renamed KiHaNi 51. It was, then, moved again to Kaya Railway in 1962, and modified again to a simple passenger car named KiHa 51. Eventually, KiHa 51 was retired from the track in 1985. In 1994, it was restored to the original state for exhibition, and named KiHaYuNi 51. It is a complicated history, isn't it?
Apart from its function as a multi-purpose railcar, KiHaYuNi 51 has another uniqueness in its appearance. You can see a bucket on the front of the railcar. It was used for transportation of perishable food such as fish and vegetables. KiHaYuNi 51 was a unique railcar for local people's everyday life.
Currently, KiHaYuNi 51 is exhibited at the right hand side of the turntable.
KiHaYuNi 51 is an old railcar launched in 1936. It was originally a gasoline-powered vehicle built for Geibi Railway (present JR West Geibi line) in Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures. The manufacturer was Nippon Sharyo. It is 17.05 meters long, 2.72 meters wide, and it weighs 21.5 tons.
The original name was KiHaYuNi 18 of the Class 40900. KiHaYuNi means that it's a railcar, which has an internal combustion engine, and consists of a third-class cabin, a mailroom and a baggage room. It is multi-purpose. After being operated on Geibi Railway, this railcar was moved to Funaki Railway in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1952. In this period, it was modified from a gasoline-powered vehicle to a diesel railcar, and renamed KiHaNi 51. It was, then, moved again to Kaya Railway in 1962, and modified again to a simple passenger car named KiHa 51. Eventually, KiHa 51 was retired from the track in 1985. In 1994, it was restored to the original state for exhibition, and named KiHaYuNi 51. It is a complicated history, isn't it?
Apart from its function as a multi-purpose railcar, KiHaYuNi 51 has another uniqueness in its appearance. You can see a bucket on the front of the railcar. It was used for transportation of perishable food such as fish and vegetables. KiHaYuNi 51 was a unique railcar for local people's everyday life.
Currently, KiHaYuNi 51 is exhibited at the right hand side of the turntable.
Interior of KiHaYuNi 51
Official information about Kaya Steam Locomotive Square: