The JGR Class 5500 was a type of

4-4-0 4-4-0 is a locomotive type with a classification that uses the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives by wheel arrangement and represents the arrangement: four leading wheels on two axles (usually in a leading bogie), four po ...

steam locomotive used for 60 years on

Japanese Government Railways The Japanese Government Railways (JGR) was the national railway system directly operated by the Japanese Ministry of Railways ( ja, 鉄道省, Tetsudō-shō, ) until 1949. It was a predecessor of Japanese National Railways and the later Japan Rai ...

. The locomotives were built by

Beyer, Peacock & Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. The company exported locomotives, ...

in England.

Sulfur Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...

was added to the forged steel used for the cylinders. The cylinders were set in a slightly canted position and were used without replacement for the entire life of the locomotive. Japan was unable to produce cylinders of comparable durability. In 1929, ten were converted to tank locomotives and reclassified as Class B10. One Class 5500 locomotive, 5540, is preserved at the Ome Railway Park. A Class B10 locomotive, B104, is preserved at the Kominato Railway headquarters.

References

{{Japanloco Beyer, Peacock locomotives Steam locomotives of Japan 1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan 4-4-0 locomotives

See also

References