181 series

For the 181 series diesel multiple unit trains, see KiHa 181 series.

151/161/181 series
A JNR 181 series train on a Toki service in 1982
Stock type	Electric multiple unit
In service	1958–1982
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kinki Sharyo, Toshiba
Constructed	1958–1963
Entered service	1 November 1958
Scrapped	1986
Operators	JNR
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	Cab cars: 21,250 mm (69 ft 9 in) Intermediate cars: 20,500 mm (67 ft 3 in)
Width	2,946 mm (9 ft 8.0 in)
Doors	1 or 2 per side
Maximum speed	110 km/h (68.4 mph) 163 km/h (101.3 mph) (Record speed for a narrow gauge train in Japan for 151 Series)
Traction system	Resistor control MT46 (151 & 161 Series) MT54 (181 Series)
Power output	100kW (MT46) 120kW (MT54)
Transmission	Gear Ratio; 22:77
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC
Current collector(s)	overhead catenary
Bogies	DT23, TR58
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Notes/references
This train won the 2nd Blue Ribbon Award in 1959.

The 181 series (181系) (and the earlier 151 and 161 series variants) was a Japanese limited express electric multiple unit (EMU) type operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR).

Variants

• 151 series
• 161 series
• 181 series

The 151 series trains were introduced in 1958 on Kodama limited services on the Tokaido Main Line. 161 series trains were introduced in 1959 on Toki limited services on the Joetsu Line. All 151 and 161 series cars were subsequently modified to become 181 series alongside newly built 181 series cars.

• 
  A 151 series on a Fuji limited express service
• 
  A JNR 181 series train on an Azusa service in January 1975

Preserved examples

• KuHa 181 1: Preserved outside the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe, and restored in November 2016 to its original style and numbering as "KuHa 26001"
• KuHa 181 45: Preserved at the Railway Museum in Saitama Prefecture

• 
  KuHa 181 1 (formerly Kuha 151 1) preserved outside the Kawasaki Heavy Industries factory in Kobe
• 
  KuHa 181 45 preserved at Niitsu in May 2007 before being moved to the Railway Museum
• 
  KuHa 181 45 preserved at the Railway Museum in Saitama in 2015

Further reading

• Sato, Hiroshi (September 2005). 151系（モハ20系）電車 車両のあゆみ [History of the 151 series (MoHa 20 series) EMU trains]. The Railway Pictorial (in Japanese). Vol. 55, no. 765. Japan: Denkisha Kenkyukai. pp. 10–32.
• Sato, Hiroshi (October 2005). 161系・181系電車 車両のあゆみ [History of the 161 and 181 series EMU trains]. The Railway Pictorial (in Japanese). Vol. 55, no. 766. Japan: Denkisha Kenkyukai. pp. 10–32.