You may remember that I posted about the 90th anniversary of Hachiko line last month. Today, I’d like to follow up on that topic a little more.
After observing the E231-3000 series EMU, which was displaying special memorial plates on both ends of the train, I moved on to the northern half of the Hachiko Line. As I mentioned before, the JR East-operated Hachiko Line consists of two distinct sections.
The southern section, between Hachioji and Komagawa (31 kilometers), is an electrified commuter route in an urban area, operating on 1,500 V DC.
In contrast, the northern section, between Komagawa and Kuragano (61 kilometers), is a non-electrified local route in a more suburban setting, where the KiHa 110 series DMUs are in service.
I was delighted to find that a train on the northern section was also displaying the 90th anniversary plates. It was a 2-car formation—KiHa 111-204 and KiHa 112-204 of the KiHa 110 series. Incidentally, the KiHa 110 series is composed of three types: KiHa 110, KiHa 111, and KiHa 112. What are the differences among them?
The KiHa 110 type has two driving cabs, allowing it to operate as a single-car train. On the other hand, KiHa 111 and KiHa 112 each have only one cab, so they must be operated as part of a 2-car (or longer) train. KiHa 110 and KiHa 111 are equipped with toilets, while KiHa 112 is not. Learning these subtle distinctions between the models is one of the small pleasures for trainspotters like me.
