The China Railways JF12 (解放12, ''Jiěfàng'', "liberation") class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the China Railway, built by the

ALCo The American Locomotive Company (often shortened to ALCO, ALCo or Alco) was an American manufacturer of locomotives, diesel generators, steel, and tanks that operated from 1901 to 1969. The company was formed by the merger of seven smaller locomo ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

in 1922.

History

In 1922, the Jingsui Railway (

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

− Hohhot, now part of the Beijing–Baotou Railway) took delivery of 46 2-8-2 locomotives from ALCo, which they numbered 301−346. After the Japanese established the puppet Provisional Government of the Republic of China, this and other privately owned railways in the territory of the collaborationist government were merged in 1938 to form the North China Transportation Company to manage all railway and bus transportation in the territory. As a subsidiary of the

South Manchuria Railway The South Manchuria Railway ( ja, 南満州鉄道, translit=Minamimanshū Tetsudō; ), officially , Mantetsu ( ja, 満鉄, translit=Mantetsu) or Mantie () for short, was a large of the Empire of Japan whose primary function was the operatio ...

, North China Transport used the same

classification system Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood. Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes. It may also refer to: Business, organizat ...

for locomotives as the SMR did, under which these engines were designated Mikana (シカナ) class.

Postwar

After the end of the Pacific War, thirty of these locomotives were passed on to the Republic of China Railway. After the establishment of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, China Railways designated them ㄇㄎ12 (MK12) class in 1951, and subsequently 解放12 (JF12) class in 1959. JF12 3822, 3832−3834, and 3838 were noted to be in dump around Lanzhou, Hohhot, Baotou and other places in October 1985.JF12 3811 to JF12 3840
_Railography : Chinese Locomotive Lists The last of these locomotives were retired in 1990.

References

{{Locomotives of China 2-8-2 locomotives Škoda locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1922 Steam locomotives of China Standard gauge locomotives of China Freight locomotives