Meitetsu KiHa 8500 series

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Meitetsu KiHa 8500 series

The KiHa 8500 were five single-car diesel trains built by Nippon Sharyo in 1991 to replace the aging KiHa 8000 fleet. They were based on the KiHa 85 design and entered service the same year. The five cars were numbered 8501–8504 and 8555.

Service history
- Meitetsu (Nagoya Railroad): 1991–2001, used on the Kita Alps and Hida services.
- 2001: A high-speed bus service between Nagoya and Takayama reduced ridership, and Meitetsu retired the entire set on September 30, 2001.
- Aizu Railway: Sold in 2001–2002 and began service on March 23, 2002.
- Aizu Railway: Used until May 30, 2010, then replaced by newer AT-700 series cars.
- A planned special final run in 2011 was canceled due to the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
- Sabah State Railway: Two cars, 8502 and 8503, were shipped in 2015; refurbished in 2016. 8502 entered service on October 27, 2016 on Sabah’s first-class services, with 8503 slated to begin operation in 2017.

Preservation and fate of the cars
- 8501 and 8504 are preserved in operational condition by the Nakagawa Clear Stream Railway Preservation Society in Nasukarasuyama.
- 8555 was scrapped in 2007.
- 8502 and 8503 are in service with Sabah State Railway.

Specifications (typical for the fleet)
- Car body: steel, length 20,800 mm (about 20.8 m), width 2,740 mm, height 3,640 mm
- Doors: one per side
- Maximum speed: 120 km/h
- Power: Cummins NTA-855-R1 diesel engine
- Transmission: C-DW14
- Bogies: ND-719
- Braking: air
- Safety systems: Meitetsu ATS, ATS-S
- Gauge: 1,067 mm

Each KiHa 8500 is a single-car DMU, designed for high-speed operation but later finding roles on different regional networks after Meitetsu retired them.