JNR Class EF62
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The is a Co′Co′ wheel arrangement DC
electric locomotive An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or on-board energy storage such as a battery or a supercapacitor. Locomotives with on-board fuelled prime movers, such as diesel engines or g ...
type built between 1962 and 1969 for use hauling passenger and freight on the
Shinetsu Main Line The Shinetsu Main Line ( ja, 信越本線, ) is a railway line, consisting of three geographically separated sections, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. It was originally one continuous line connecting and via . S ...
and particularly over the extreme 66.7
Per mille (from Latin , "in each thousand") is an expression that means parts per thousand. Other recognised spellings include per mil, per mill, permil, permill, or permille. The associated sign is written , which looks like a percent si ...
, (6.67 %), gradient of the
Usui Pass The is a mountain pass that lies between Nagano and Gunma prefecture in Japan. It has served as one of the major transportation routes in central Japan since at least the eighth century. Road The pass on the ancient Tōsandō highway was d ...
between and . The prototype, EF62 1, was built by Kawasaki Sharyō in 1962, with the full-production locomotives built by Kawasaki, Tōshiba, and Tōyō & Kisha delivered from 1963 onward.


Design

The EF62s were the first adhesion locomotives used on the Shinetsu Main Line following the abandonment of the under-powered ED42
rack-and-pinion A rack and pinion is a type of linear actuator that comprises a circular gear (the ''pinion'') engaging a linear gear (the ''rack''). Together, they convert rotational motion into linear motion. Rotating the pinion causes the rack to be driven i ...
locos dating from the 1930s. They were designed to work in multiple with pairs of the specially-designed JNR Class EF63 "Sherpa" locomotives between Yokokawa and Karuizawa. While high adhesion was clearly an important requirement, the locos had to be designed with a low axle load (16 t, compared to 18 t for the EF63s) allowing them to be used on other sections of the Shinetsu Main Line with stricter axle-load restrictions. The need to reduce overall weight was one reason behind the decision to use the unique Co′Co′ wheel arrangement rather than the more commonly used Bo′Bo′Bo′ arrangement. The need to reduce unnecessary weight led to the EF62s being the first DC electric locomotives in Japan to include an electric generator (320 kW) for train heating rather than using a
steam generator A Steam generator is a device used to boil water to create steam. More specifically, it may refer to: *Boiler (steam generator), a closed vessel in which water is heated under pressure *Monotube steam generator *Supercritical steam generator or Ben ...
. The locos also made extensive use of FRP (fibreglass-reinforced plastic) for roof panels, again to reduce weight.


Operations

Adhesion working started between Yokokawa and Karuizawa in 1963, and the journey time between these two stations was reduced from the 42 minutes taken on the old rack-and-pinion line to 17 minutes (ascending) and 24 minutes (descending). This enabled train frequency to be increased, and freight trains of up 400 tonnes could be handled by an EF62 assisted by two EF63s. The EF62s were able to operate over the entire route from Ueno to Nagano, and were thus seen on a wide range of duties from freight to express passenger workings. The 1970s however saw a switch from loco-hauled to EMU passenger trains during the daytime, and so the EF62s primarily became freight locomotives. Two members of the class, EF62 12 and 35, suffered an early demise when they were withdrawn following an accident in which they and two EF63s overturned after running away down the Usui Pass section. The capacity and speed restrictions of the Usui Pass still represented a serious bottleneck, and in 1984, all freight operations over the section were discontinued and rerouted via the Chūō Main Line. This made a large number of the class surplus to requirements, and 26 were reallocated to Shimonoseki depot in 1984 for use on Shiodome (Tokyo) to Shimonoseki freight services. However, the EF62s proved unsuitable for these duties, and this sub-fleet was withdrawn before JNR became JR in 1987, leaving a small number of locomotives still working on Shinetsu Mainline duties.


Post-privatization and withdrawal

Privatization saw six EF62s pass into JR East's books for use on the overnight "Noto" express and seasonal trains. Three operational locos (EF62 43, 46, 54) remained when the Yokokawa – Karuizawa section was closed in October 1997, and their final duties involved hauling withdrawn EF63s for scrapping before they themselves were withdrawn in 1998.


Preserved examples

Three Class EF62 locomotives are preserved statically. * EF62 1: Preserved at
Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park The is an open-air railway museum located in Annaka, Gunma, Japan. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and was opened on 18 April 1998 on the site of the former Yokokawa motive power depot alongside the Shinetsu Main Line ...
in
Annaka, Gunma 240px, Edo-period Usui Magistrate’s office in Annaka is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 47,911 in 24,749 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km². The total area of t ...
* EF62 3: Stored at JR East's Nagano Works (this unit was dismantled in September 2019) * EF62 18: JR East's Omiya Works in Saitama, Saitama (cab section only) * EF62 54: Preserved at
Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park The is an open-air railway museum located in Annaka, Gunma, Japan. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and was opened on 18 April 1998 on the site of the former Yokokawa motive power depot alongside the Shinetsu Main Line ...
in
Annaka, Gunma 240px, Edo-period Usui Magistrate’s office in Annaka is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 47,911 in 24,749 households, and a population density of 210 persons per km². The total area of t ...
File:EF62-1.JPG, EF62 1 at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, April 2007 File:EF62-54.jpg, EF62 54 at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, March 2011


See also

*
Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification 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. Steam locomotives Pre-nationalization Prior to the natio ...


References

* {{Toshiba Electric locomotives of Japan Co′Co′ locomotives 1500 V DC locomotives Preserved electric locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1962 Toshiba locomotives Kawasaki locomotives 1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan