KiHa 183 series

In 1979, 12 prototype cars were manufactured, which were numbered the -900 series. They were intended to be in sets made up of 7 cars, which could be extended to 10 cars for long-distance services. All cars were eventually modified to be included in production sets; all were eventually scrapped by 2001 due to age.[5]

KiHa 183-900 (901 - 904)

An ordinary car with a cab and a capacity of 40 passengers - four were produced in 1979. One engine was installed, along with a power generator.[5][6]

KiHa 182-900 (901 - 906)

An intermediate passenger car with a capacity of 68 passengers, equipped with a bathroom. Six cars were manufactured in 1979.[5]

KiHa 184-900 (901)

An intermediary power car equipped with one engine, an equipment room and a power generator. One car was produced in 1979, which in 1985 was integrated and remodeled into the KiRo 184-901 green car.[6]

KiRo 182-900 (901)

A green car equipped with a washroom and toilet. One car was manufactured in 1979, and scrapped in 2001.[6]

KiHa 183-900 series pictures

• 
  KiHa 182-901 car stopped at Sapporo Station
• 
  KiRo 182-901 car

183-0 series
183-0 series train in Sapporo, 1986
Constructed	1981 - 1983
Entered service	1981
Scrapped	2002 - 2018
Number built	89 cars
Number scrapped	89 cars
Capacity	40 (KiHa 183-0) 68 (KiHa 182-0) 44 (KiHa 184-0) 32 (KiRo 184-0)
Specifications
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph) (early) 110 km/h (68 mph) (later)

The initial production sets were manufactured between 1981 and 1983, resulting in 89 cars, which were divided into 4 types. With the introduction of successor vehicles such as the 283 series and 261-1000 series, all vehicles were scrapped by 2018.[7]

KiHa 183-0 (1 - 20)

20 cars were manufactured. Unlike the 183-900 front cars, the windows could not be opened and the front decorative band was changed to stainless steel. Two cars were placed on the Asahiyama Zoo service, and cars 11 - 15 were refurbished into KiHa 183-200 series front cars in 1992, with an improved engine and transmission. 17 cars were donated to Thailand.[8][9]

KiHa 182-0 (1 - 48)

48 cars were produced. The side ventilation openings are enlarged compared to the KiHa 182-900 cars. Three cars were remodeled for Asahiyama Zoo services.[7] Some were upgraded with a larger engine and a new transmission to become the KiHa 182-200.

KiHa 184-0 (1 - 11)

11 cars were manufactured. The passenger capacity was increased to 52 by omitting the bathroom and water tank provided at the rear end. The layout of the side aisles, compared to the KiHa 182-900 cars, had been changed to eliminate the door between the deck and the equipment room.[6]

In 1985, four cars were remodeled to KiHa 183-100 series front cars by installing a driver's cab with the same capacity as the original cars. Of those cars, two (183-101 and 183-102) were scrapped in 2008, one (183-103) was transferred to Myanmar Railways in 2009 and Thai Railway acquired the 183-104 car in 2016.[10][11]

KiRo 182-0 (1 - 10)

10 cars were manufactured. Food services were expanded in this car - which included shops and kitchen-type facilities. The cabin door at the front end of the 900 series (prototype car) was relocated closer to the center of the car body, and the passenger capacity was reduced to 32 people. In 1996, 5 cars were remodeled to KiRoHa 182 cars, and by 2001, 4 cars were scrapped.[6][12]

183-500 & 183-1500 series (N183 series)
N183 Hokuto service near Osatsu Station, 1992
Constructed	1986
Entered service	1986
Scrapped	1994-2019
Number built	36 cars
Number scrapped	7 cars
Capacity	60 (KiHa 183-500) 68 (KiHa 183-1500) 60 (KiHa 182-500)
Specifications
Maximum speed	110 km/h (68 mph) (initial) 120 km/h (75 mph) (later)

36 cars of what would become the 183-500 and 183–1500 series were manufactured in 1986 at Niigata Engineering Co., Ltd. and Fuji Heavy Industries, with the main purpose of improving the management base of JR Hokkaido. These cars were also known as the N183 series.[13]

KiHa 183-500 (501 - 507)

A passenger car with a capacity of 60 people, equipped with a driver's cab and a bathroom. It uses the larger engine on the intermediate KiHa 182-500 cars and without the electricity generating engine, in order to shorten train sets and increase frequency. Six cars of this type were produced in 1986 - 502 was scrapped due to damage in 1994, 501 was scrapped in 2010, and 503 and 504 were scrapped in 2019. 505 and 506 were remodeled to 405 and 406 after upgrade works and a reduction in engine power, and 507 was remodeled to a KiHa 183-6001 car.[13]

KiHa 183-1500 (1501 - 1507)

A passenger car with a capacity of 68 people and a driver's cab - no bathroom was in this car. This follows the KiHa 183-0 and has two smaller engines, one for generating electricity. Seven cars of this type were manufactured in 1986.[13]

KiHa 182-500 (501 - 514)

An intermediate passenger car equipped with a bathroom, with a seating capacity of 68 passengers. 14 cars were produced in 1986.[13] Some were modified into the KiHa 182-400, similar to the KiHa 183-400.

KiRo 182-500 (501 - 508)

Eight cars of this type were built in 1986.[13]

183-550 & 183-1550 series (NN183 series)
NN183 series set on Okhotsk service in 2021
Constructed	1988 - 1991
Entered service	1988
Number built	32 cars
Number scrapped	4 (KiSaRoHa 182-550)
Capacity	68 (KiHa 183-1550) 68 (KiHa 182-550) 10 ordinary + 24 green (KiSaRoHa 182-550)
Specifications
Maximum speed	120 km/h (75 mph) - 130 km/h (81 mph) (KiSaRoHa 182-550 limited to 120 km/h (75 mph))

28 cars of what would become the 183-550 and 183–1550 series were manufactured by Fuji Heavy Industries between 1988 and 1990. Also known as the NN183 series, these cars would feature changes to the bathroom and interior from the N183 series cars. These cars would also see installation of a fresh air intake to ensure no engine smoke entered the cabin.[14][15][16][17][18]

KiHa 183-1550 (1551 - 1566)

An ordinary passenger car with a driver's cab; these cars did not feature a bathroom and had a capacity of 68 people. 16 cars of this type were manufactured between 1988 and 1990.[14][15][16][17] They also come with two smaller engines, one for electricity.

Cars 1555 - 1566 would introduce cosmetic changes, which included changes to seat numbers and the window frame. KiHa 183-1557 was eventually remodeled into KiHa 183-6101. Some received brake upgrades to become 130km/h capable, and they became the KiHa 183-3550 and -4550 (Which can also control the brake systems of the 110/120km/h cars). Some of them have the engine swapped with a unit similar to that of a KiHa 261, and -3550/4550 were then renamed KiHa 183-8550/9550.[19][20][10]

KiHa 182-550 (551 - 562)

An intermediate passenger car with a boys' bathroom; 12 cars of this type were manufactured between 1988 and 1989.[14][15][16]

Cars 555 - 562 were improved in the same way that KiHa 183-1555 to 183-1566 were, along with bathroom improvements. Some of these also received brake upgrades to become 130km/h capable, and they were renamed KiHa 183-2550. All cars were eventually refurbished into -7550 cars by engine replacement.[9][21][22]

KiSaRoHa 182-550 (551 - 554)

A double deck car with 10 ordinary seats on the first floor, and 24 green class seats in a 2+1 arrangement on the second floor; four cars of this type were manufactured in 1991.[18]

This car was used on Super Tokachi services from 1991 until 2000, when they were demoted to Tokachi services due to the introduction of 283 series trains.

In 2001, these cars were placed into storage and all four of this type were scrapped in 2013.[23]

183-5000, 183-5100 & 183-5200 series
183-5000 series Niseko Express on Hakodate Main Line near Sapporo, 2010
Crystal Express in 3-car configuration near Shintoku, 1990
Constructed	1988 - 1991
Entered service	1989 (Niseko Express)
Number built	12 cars (3 sets)
Specifications
Maximum speed	120 km/h (75 mph)

Due to the Sekishō Line opening in 1981 and the number of passengers to resort areas in the Central Hokkaido area increasing, a decision was made to modify the Alpha Continental 56 series train in 1985. After adding two services (the Furano Express and Tomamu-Sahoro Express) based on the 80 series trains, the design was changed to that of the 183 series. In total, 3 sets (12 cars) were built, and the new sets began service, starting with the Niseko Express in 1989. This was followed by the Crystal Express Tomamu & Sahoro set in the same year and the North Rainbow Express set in 1992.[24][25]

Due to age, the Crystal Express set was withdrawn from service on November 30, 2019, and was scrapped in May 2020.

KiHa 183-5000 (5001 - 5002)

An ordinary driving car with a capacity of 48 people and equipped with a bathroom. Two cars of this type were built in 1988.[26]

KiHa 182-5000 (5001)

An intermediate passenger car with a capacity of 56, equipped with a telephone room.[26]

KiHa 183-5100 (5101 - 5102)

An ordinary driving car equipped with an observation deck. It had eight observation seats, but due to risk mitigation measures caused by a 789 series train colliding with a level crossing in January 2010, the deck was closed off.[27][28]

KiHa 182-5100 (5101)

An intermediate passenger car with a capacity of 56 people, equipped with a skylight.[28]

KiSaRoHa 182-5100 (5101)

A double-deck car built in December 1990. It is not equipped with an engine.[29]

KiHa 183-5200 (5201 - 5202)

An ordinary driving car with a capacity of 47 people. KiHa 183-5201 was damaged in an accident in February 1997, and was substituted with the KiHa 183-1 car while repair works took place.[30]

KiHa 182-5200 (5201, 5251)

An intermediate passenger car with a capacity of 60 people.[30]

KiSaHa 182-5200 (5201)

A double deck passenger car with a capacity of 36 people, equipped with a buffet room on the first floor and private rooms on the second floor.[30]

KiHa 183 series resort train pictures

• 
  KiHa 183-5200 North Rainbow Express train on Hakodate Express service, 1992
• 
  Crystal Express train, 1992

183-1000 series
183-1000 series set on Aso Boy service, 2011
Constructed	1988 - 1989
Entered service	1988
Number built	4 cars (1 set)
Capacity	52 (KiHa 183-1000) 48 (KiHa 182-1001) 68 (KiHa 182-1002)
Specifications
Maximum speed	120 km/h (75 mph)
Multiple working	485 series

Three cars of what would be known as the 183-1000 series were manufactured in 1988 (a fourth car was built in 1989), originally exclusively for services to the Holland Village located in Nagasaki. Due to the Tosu to Mojikō section of the Kagoshima Main Line experiencing high demand, a coupler was added to the front end to enable joint working with 485 series trains.[31]

KiHa 183-1000 (1001, 1002)

Two cars were produced in 1988. They do not have an in-built power supply.[31]

KiHa 182-1000 (1001, 1002)

An intermediate car; one (1001) was manufactured in 1988, and was equipped with a power supply as well as cafe and small rooms. Another car (1002) was manufactured in 1989 and came equipped with an engine as well as having an onboard children's play area.[31]

KiHa 183-1000 series pictures

• 
  KiHa 183-1000 Holland Village Express service coupled with 485 series train at Kokura, 1990
• 
  KiHa 183-1000 Yufuin no Mori II train stopped at Hakata, 1992

In 2007, several KiHa 183–0 series cars were renovated for use on the Asahiyama Zoo limited express service (which was named because of the zoo's popularity) from Sapporo to Asahikawa, which also made stops at Iwamizawa and Takikawa stations.[11]

Designed by former zookeeper and children's book author Hiroshi Abe, the complete set consisted of the Polar Bear (KiHa 183–3), Wolf (KiHa 182–46), Lion (KiHa 182–47), Chimpanzee (KiHa 182–48), and Penguin (KiHa 183–4) cars, and the external livery consisted of drawn children and animals.[11]

In addition to changes to the children's playroom in the Polar Bear car and the introduction of a nursing room in the Penguin car, each car was equipped with a seat that was shaped like an animal (known as a "hug-hug" chair), intended for photography. These were replaced with stuffed animals in some seats in 2013.[11][32]

This set ran from 2007 (with a brief pause between April and July 2013 due to refurbishment works) to March 2018, when the set was scrapped.[33][34][7] The Asahiyama Zoo service was transferred to 789 series trains, and was eventually integrated with Lilac services.

The restoration of 183-214 was funded by crowdfunding, and after being restored to JNR colors, it eventually was placed in the Abira Roadside Station, alongside 183–220.[35][36]

Whilst 183-214 is on public display, 183-220 is in storage.[35]

After having its restoration crowdfunded, it is now stored at the Arishima Memorial Hall.[37]