Locomotives of Japan

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 27. Chapters: Diesel locomotives of Japan, Electric locomotives of Japan, Steam locomotives of Japan, Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification, JGR Class 7100, JNR Class EF64, JNR Class C61, JNR Class EF63, JNR Class EF60, JNR Class EF66, JNR Class EF58, JNR Class EF62, JR Freight Class EF510, JR Freight Class HD300, JNR Class DD51, JNR Class D51, JNR Class EF65, JNR Class ED76, JR Freight Class DF200, JR Freight Class EH500, JNR Class ED62, JNR Class EF81, JNR Class EF55, JR Freight Class EF210, JGR Class 7170, Seibu Class E31, JR Freight Class EH200, JNR Class D60, Toei Class E5000, JR Freight Class ED500, JR Freight Class EF200, JNR Class EF57, JNR Class ED60, JNR Class DE10, JNR Class DF50, JNR Class E10, JNR Class C60, DeKi 300, DeKi 400, DeKi 600, Seibu Class E851, JNR Class D52, JR Freight Class EF500, JNR Class EH10, JNR Class C62, JNR Class D50, JNR Class C57, JNR Class D61, JNR Class D62. Excerpt: This page explains the numbering and classification schemes for locomotives employed by the Japanese Government Railways, the Japanese National Railways and the Japan Railways Group. The first locomotive of Japan, historically classified as E, A1 and 150Prior to the nationalization of Japanese railways in 1906 and 1907, the government-run railways had numbered their steam locomotives only with serial numbers without consideration of the types of the locomotives. From the beginning of the Kobe-Osaka railway in 1874, they allocated odd numbers to locomotives in Tokyo area and even numbers to locomotives in Kobe area, but this was not maintained after the completion of railway between Tokyo and Kobe in 1889. Later, some locomotives, such as Classes A8 and B6 and rack railway locomotives, were renumbered to make groups for easy recognition of classes. Classes were introduced by Francis H. Trevithick (1850-1931), a grandson of Richard Trevithick employed by the government of Japan for supervision of rolling stock management. He classified the locomotives with one Latin letter (A through Z), which was then expanded to use two letters (AB, AC, AD, and so on). Later, this simple method was revised to use one letter and one or two digit numerals with consideration of locomotive types. The meanings of the letters were as follows: No. 8620, top numbered engine of Class 8620Following the railway nationalization, in 1909, the railway authority adopted a new system where locomotives were numbered and classified by four-digit numerals. All existing locomotives were reclassified. Numbers 1 through 4999 were allocated for tank locomotives and 5000 through 9999 were allocated for tender locomotives. Here the classes and the numbers acquired a distinct relationship. Locomotives were grouped in numbers and the classes were represented by the earliest number of the group. Numbers within a class were serial in principle. When the number overflowed (as in Classes 8620, 9600 and 9900), one