The is a type of

2-6-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and no trailing wheels. ...

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...

built in Japan from 1914 to 1929. It was Japan's first mass-produced passenger locomotive. A total of 672 Class 8620 locomotives were built. Originally they had a symmetry of line with shapely cast iron chimneys which gave way to plainer chimneys and

smoke deflectors Smoke deflectors, sometimes called "blinkers" in the UK because of their strong resemblance to the blinkers used on horses, and "elephant ears" in US railway slang, are vertical plates attached to each side of the smokebox at the front of a ste ...

were added in later years. A total of 42 Class 8620 locomotives were built for Imperial Taiwan Railway from 1919 to 1928. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, they were taken over by Taiwan Government Railways, and were classified CT150.

Preserved examples

, twenty Class 8620 locomotives have been preserved in Japan, as follows. (They have also been preserved in Taiwan.) * 8620: Preserved at the

Ome Railway Park The is a railway museum in Ōme, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1962, and is operated by the East Japan Railway Culture Foundation, a foundation established by East Japan Railway Company. Exhibits Eight steam locomotives, one electric locomotive an ...

in Ome, Tokyo * 8630: Preserved in working order at the

Kyoto Railway Museum The (formerly the until 2016) is a railway museum in Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The original Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum opened in 1972, but was expanded and modernized in 2016, becoming the Kyoto Railway Museum. The museum is owned by We ...

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

* 28651: Preserved in Ono, Fukui * 48624: Preserved in a park in

Otofuke, Hokkaido is a town located in Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of September 2016, the town has an estimated population of 45,208 and a density of 97 persons per km2. The total area is 466.09 km2. Climate Notable persons from Otofuke ...

* 48640: Preserved in

Hirosaki, Aomori is a city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. On 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 168,739 in 71,716 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Hirosaki developed as a castle town fo ...

* 48647: Preserved in

Takachiho, Miyazaki is a List of towns in Japan, town in Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. As of October 1, 2019, the town has an estimated population of 11,959 and a density of 50.3 persons per km². The total area is 2 ...

* 48650: Preserved in Miyoshi, Hiroshima * 48696: Preserved at the municipal zoo in Omuta, Fukuoka * 58623: Preserved in

Toyokawa, Aichi is a city in the eastern part of Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 183,930 in 72,949 households, and a population density of 1,141 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Toyokawa, famous for its Toyoka ...

* 58654: Preserved in working order as the

SL Hitoyoshi The SL Hitoyoshi (SL 人吉) is a named steam hauled excursion train operated by the Kyushu Railway Company ( JR Kyushu) on the Kagoshima Main Line and the Hisatsu Line since April 2009. Overview The SL Hitoyoshi runs a return journey between K ...

at Kumamoto Depot in

Kumamoto, Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a population of 1,461 ...

* 58680: Preserved in a park in Mobara, Chiba * 58683: Preserved in a park in

Sakura, Chiba is a city located in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 173,740 in 78,483 households and a population density of 1700 people per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Sakura is located in northeastern C ...

* 58685: Preserved in front of

Tadotsu Station is a junction passenger railway station located in the town of Tadotsu, Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Shikoku. The station is also a freight depot for the Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) Lines T ...

Tadotsu, Kagawa 270px, Shorinji Kempo head dōjō is a town located in Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 22,124 in 10365 households and a population density of 270 persons per km². The total area of the t ...

* 68691: Preserved in a park in

Yamagata, Yamagata is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 248,772 in 103,165 households, and a population density of 650 persons per km2. The total area of the city i ...

* 68692: Preserved in a park in

Tokushima, Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 249,865 in 122085 households and a population density of 1305 persons per km².The total area of the city is . Geography The ...

* 78626: Preserved in a park in

Onga, Fukuoka is a town located in Onga District, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 2016, the town has an estimated population of 18,762 and a density of 850 persons per km2. The total area is 22.15 km2. The Onga river A river is a natural flo ...

* 78653: Preserved at Wespa Tsubakiyama in

Fukaura, Aomori is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 7,903 in 3695 households, and a population density of 16 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Fukaura is in Nishitsugaru District ...

* 78675: Preserved in a park in Gojo, Nara * 78693: Preserved at Koriyama Depot in Koriyama, Fukushima * 88622: Preserved in

Iki, Nagasaki is a city on the island of Iki, in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of November 2022, the city has an estimated population of 25,042 and a population density of 202 persons per km2. The total area is 138.57 km2. Geography Iki is located in ...

* CT152: Preserved at Miaoli Railway Museum in Miaoli File:Jnr-8620-ome20150919.jpg, 8620 at the Ome Railway Park in September 2015 File:8630 steam locomotive at Kyoto Railway Museum 2016-08-26.jpg, Preserved 8630 in operation at the Kyoto Railway Museum in August 2016 File:Japanese-national-railways-48640-20110614.jpg, 48640 in Aomori Prefecture in June 2011 File:JNR 58654 bs-digital-go 20100904 001.jpg, Preserved 58654 in operation in September 2010 File:58685 steam locomotive preserved in Tadotsu 20041025.jpg, 58685 in Tadotsu in October 2004 File:JNR 78653 Steam Locomotive at WeSPA Tsubakiyama.jpg, 78653 in August 2007 File:CT152 Steam Locomotive in Miaoli Railway Museum in October 2020.jpg, Taiwan Railway CT152 in October 2020

In popular culture

The Class 8620 has made appearances in notable forms of Japanese media. One being

Maitetsu is a visual novel developed by Lose, which has also been adapted into the anime series . ''Maitetsu'' was initially released in Japan in 2016, and it was released internationally by Sekai Project on Steam in 2018. Sekai Project also release ...

, a

visual novel A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...

developed by Lose about anime girls paired with locomotives as "Raillords." Hachiroku being the raillord of class leader No.8620 is the main heroine of the novel.

References

{{Taiwanloco 1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan Steam locomotives of Japan Steam locomotives of Taiwan 2-6-0 locomotives Hitachi locomotives Kawasaki locomotives Preserved steam locomotives of Japan Railway locomotives introduced in 1914 Mixed traffic locomotives

Preserved examples

In popular culture

See also

References