The is a single-car diesel multiple unit

Diesel multiple unit

A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...

 train type operated by East Japan Railway Company

East Japan Railway Company

is the largest passenger railway company in the world and one of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo....

 (JR East) in the Niigata

Niigata Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...

, Fukushima

Fukushima Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....

, and Yamagata

Yamagata Prefecture

-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...

 region of Japan since November 2008.

Operations

Eight cars (numbered KiHa 120-1 to 8) are based at Niitsu Depot and are used interchangeably with KiHa 110 series DMUs on the following routes.

• Banetsu West Line ( – )
• Uetsu Main Line
  Uetsu Main Line
  The is a railway in the Tōhoku and Chūbu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita...
  
   (Niitsu – )
• Shinetsu Main Line (Niitsu – )
• Hakushin Line
  Hakushin Line
  The is a Japanese railway line that runs between and stations in the cities of Niigata and Shibata in Niigata Prefecture. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company network.-Basic data:*Operators, distances:...
  
  
• Yonesaka Line
  Yonesaka Line
  The is a rail line in Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company system, it runs from Yonezawa Station in Yamagata Prefecture to Sakamachi Station in Niigata Prefecture...
  
  

Exterior

The body design is based on the KiHa E200

KiHa E200

The is a single-car hybrid diesel multiple unit operated by East Japan Railway Company on the Koumi Line. Three cars were delivered in April 2007, and introduced on 31 July 2007....

 DMU, and uses a new diesel engine reducing NOx

NOx

NOx is a generic term for the mono-nitrogen oxides NO and NO2 . They are produced from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen gases in the air during combustion, especially at high temperatures...

 emissions.

Externally, the orange colour scheme is intended to evoke the autumn leaf colour of the beech

Beech

Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...

 forests of the Iide mountains

Iide Mountains

The or is a mountain range that spans over the Fukushima, Niigata and Yamagata prefectures in Japan. Its highest peak is at 2,128m, and the main peak of the range is Mount Iide at 2,105m above sea level...

 in Niigata

Niigata Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...

, Fukushima

Fukushima Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....

, and Yamagata Prefecture

Yamagata Prefecture

-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...

s.

Interior

Passenger accommodation consists of 1+2 abreast facing seating bays in the centre of each car, and longitudinal bench seating at the ends of cars. Each car has a wheelchair accessible toilet.

The cars are equipped with fare machines for use on wanman driver-only-operated services.

History

Eight cars were built by Niigata Transys in May 2008, and entered service from 1 November 2008.

External links

• JR East E120/E130 information
• 米坂線、磐越西線等に新型気動車投入します (Introduction of new trains on Yonesaka and Banetsu West Lines, JR East Niigata Region press release, 16 April 2008