Japanese Rail Car Nomenclature (KuHa, SaHa, MoHa, KiHa)

I've seen some EMUs and/or trainsets with coaches described as:

 

KUHA or KUHANE

SAHA or SAHANE

MOHA or MOHANE

KURO

SAROHANE

 

etc...

 

What does all this mean?

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

 

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's

some prefixes:

MO = electric motor powered car

SA = trailer car

KU = trailer cab car

KI = diesel-powered car

 

some suffixes:

HA = regular class

RO = green class

NE = sleeper accomodations

 

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

Thanks! I figured it was something like that, but couldn't work it out.

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

 

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's

some prefixes:

MO = electric motor powered car

SA = trailer car

KU = trailer cab car

KI = diesel-powered car

 

some suffixes:

HA = regular class

RO = green class

NE = sleeper accomodations

 

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posing the question....

 

If you could make this a 'sticky' that would be very useful. As you say, I have seen queries of this nature in the past and a reference of this would be much appreciated. :)

I keep thinking I should sticky a post describing these, as it's a very common question, and a big source of confusion for the uninitiated. In other words: An excellent question!

 

JR uses a series of syllables to describe their cars. Here's a small sampling used for MU's

some prefixes:

MO = electric motor powered car

SA = trailer car

KU = trailer cab car

KI = diesel-powered car

 

some suffixes:

HA = regular class

RO = green class

NE = sleeper accomodations

 

I'll post a fuller list a little later, but this should help you for now!

 

LOL, you've said that before about posting that full list :D

DMUs

 

Ki = Diesel multiple unit

 

Ha  - Standard class car

 

Ro -  Green class car

 

Shi  - Catering car

 

 

EMUs

 

KuMo  - motor car with cab

 

Mo  - motor car (intermediate car)

 

Ku  - trailer car with cab

 

Sa  - trailer car (intermediate car)

 

Ha  - Standard class car

 

Ro -  Green class car

 

Shi  - Catering car

 

Ne - Sleeping car

 

Ni - Luggage car

 

Yu - Mail car

 

Ya - Departmental/inspection car

 

E - Emergency car

 

Ru - Supply car

 

 

LOCO - HAULED STOCK

Car Weight

 

Ko - Less than 22.5t

 

Ho- 22.5 - 27.5t

 

Na - 27.5 - 32.5t

 

O - 32.5 - 37.5t

 

Su - 37.5 - 42.5t

 

Ma - 42.5 - 47.5t

 

Ka - Over 47.5t

 

Ha - Standard class car (formerly third class)

 

Ro - Green class car (formerly second class)

 

I - First class car

 

Shi - Catering car

 

Ne - Sleeping car

 

Te - Observation car

 

Fu - Brake car (with guard's/conductor's compartment)

 

Ni - Luggage car

 

Yu - Mail car

 

Ya - Departmental/inspection car

 

E - Emergency car

 

Ru - Supply car

 

Freight car designations will follow, as soon as I find my list!  :)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Thanks, Mark! That's really useful.

 

But if i try to memorize it, I'll end up walking around muttering "kumo - mo - so - ha - ro - she - ne - ni - yu...." and they'll lock me up.

 

Is the first car of the Sunrise Express a kumorone?

Here, you have some explainations:

http://www.japaneserailwaysociety.com/jrs/members/etal/class/class.htm

Plaza Japan has kindly posted to the web a detailed and easy to read explanation of the various rail car nomenclature systems! Never wonder what an OHANEFU, KOKI, or KUMORO means ever again!

 

http://sunny-life.net/train_symbol/trainsymbol.htm

 

And, if you encounter a name written in Japanese characters, you will find this handy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana

 

Now you know オハネフ, コキ, and クモロ now too!

Now I'll spend hours coming up with weird combinations like KUMOSIRONE.

 

Now I'll spend hours coming up with weird combinations like KUMOSIRONE.

 

That's a hell of a car: A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

LOL

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

 

I like it! And I wouldn't be surprised if something like this gets built, either.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

KuMoShiNeNiYuITe.....

 

My perfect railcar!!!

 

Motorized cab car with catering, sleeping, luggage, mail, First Class with observation!!!!!

 

Now I gotta build one! 

 

 

    underworld

I ran across one of these not mentioned above, although it is briefly mentioned in the japaneserailwaysociety.com page: DEHA (デハ), which is apparently an old pre-JNR equivalent for MOHA (motor car, normal class) still used "by some private railways" (I could only find references to its use by the Tokyu Corporation, but I didn't try too hard).

 

Does anyone know if "DE" is short for some word, and if so what? Given the Japanese tendency to form short terms from the first phoneme of words in a phrase I'd be inclined to think so, but I don't speak/read Japanese, so I could easily be wrong.

 

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dky%C5%AB_8500_series

 

and

 

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%9B%BD%E9%89%84%E3%83%87%E3%83%8F63100%E7%B3%BB%E9%9B%BB%E8%BB%8A

Does anyone know if "DE" is short for some word, and if so what

 

Yes, "DE" is short for dendosha(electric powered vehicle).  As you note, the "HA" is short for normal class (i.e. third class before 1960).

KenS: Good point! Don't forget the tiny little デキ locos!

 

What about some older electric trains that go simply by モ? Obviously they are motorized (the model I have isn't even an MU), but why no suffix indicating class or weight?

Thanks, Mark! That's really useful.

 

But if i try to memorize it, I'll end up walking around muttering "kumo - mo - so - ha - ro - she - ne - ni - yu...." and they'll lock me up.

 

Is the first car of the Sunrise Express a kumorone?

According to Wikipedia, the end cars are KuHaNe.  The middle is a SaRoHaNe, however, and that's pretty cool. 

i have a question whats the (het) for i seen in  a few sets http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/92781-2_2419.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtomix%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D599%26rlz%3D1R2GPRE_ja%26prmd%3Divnsl&rurl=translate.google.com.au&usg=ALkJrhhey0Vdw49_t-w-SHJICLnk00AedQ

i have a question whats the (het) for i seen in  a few sets http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/92781-2_2419.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtomix%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D599%26rlz%3D1R2GPRE_ja%26prmd%3Divnsl&rurl=translate.google.com.au&usg=ALkJrhhey0Vdw49_t-w-SHJICLnk00AedQ

 

HET stands for "Hokkaido Express Train", basically a marketing term used by JR Hokkaido for their 183 series ltd. express diesel trainsets.

ahh makes sense. most annoying thing is hw was selling the car only but not the sets ...

A motorized cab car with a dining room and first-class sleepers!

Whatchu think?

Way Cool !!

Rich C

anyone able to tell me what l/c means??

 

examples

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10115536

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10156194

anyone able to tell me what l/c means??

 

examples

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10115536

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10156194

 

l/c is the Kintetsu designation for rolling stock with dual seat capability.  The seats have automatic rotating mechanisms which can change seats either to cross seating or longitidinal seating, or just changing the direction of seating at the terminal.