SRT to finish refurbishing six used Kiha trains for service this year

The Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) said on Monday that six of 20 used Kiha trains donated by Japan would be refurbished and put into service by the end of this year.

SRT Governor Veeris Ammarapala was referring to 20 Kiha 40 and Kiha 48 model trains recently donated by JR East in Japan.

As part of the refurbishment, the bogies of the 20 trains were removed and sent to the SRT's Makkasan factory to adjust the wheel width to fit Thailand’s one-metre-wide tracks.

Veeris stated that the adjustment could take 25 to 30 days, after which the bogies would be sent to Laem Chabang deep seaport to be refitted to the train carriages.

Once refitted, the trains could be transported on tracks to the Makkasan factory for further refurbishment to meet SRT safety and quality standards.

SRT engineers will inspect all key components, including the brake system, transmission system, and diesel engines.

This process is expected to take around 60 days, with final system checks on the refurbished trains beginning in late June, Veeris added.

Testing will cover acceleration speed, braking distance, vigilance systems, vibrations inside passenger carriages, and air-conditioning performance.

As part of the refurbishment, the used trains will also be repainted, and their toilets will be renovated.

Veeris stated that the first six of the 20 donated trains would be ready for use as part of the urban railway feeder system within this year.

The 20 donated trains include nine Kiha 40 models with double cabs, each capable of carrying 65 passengers per carriage, and 11 Kiha 48 models with single cabs, each with 82 seats.

This latest shipment marks the sixth time the SRT has received used trains from JR West and JR Hokkaido since 1997.