Ōsumi Railway Class 4

Ōsumi Railway Class 4
Technical specifications
Serial number(s)	46, 131
Manufacturer(s)	Nippon Sharyo
Build date	1921, 1924
Total produced	3
Classification	0-6-0
Dimensions	5,905 mm × 1,870 mm × 3,010 mm
Rail gauge	2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Cylinders	2
Boiler pressure	12.0 kg/cm²
Fuel type	Coal
Heating area	8.4 m²
Service information
Years in-service	1921 – November 1949
Running numbers	4 – 5, later Ke 280 – Ke 281, then 8
Disposition details
Preserved	None
Number operational	None
Number scrapped	3

The Ōsumi Railway Class 4 was a 0-6-0T Switcher-type narrow gauge side-well tank steam locomotive operated by the Ōsumi Railway and later other railway companies from 1921 to September 1949.

History

The Class 4 was an early steam locomotive used in Japan. The locomotives were ordered by the Ōsumi Railway in 1921; one locomotive, numbered 4, was completed in December 1921 by Nippon Sharyo, with a second, numbered 5, completed in October 1924 due to increased demand. The locomotive is of a similar design to the Tokachi Railway's No. 3 to 5 locomotives and is heavily influenced in design by various locomotives produced by Orenstein & Koppel; notably, Nippon Sharyo had produced close or carbon copies of Orenstein & Koppel locomotives in the past, such as the Ke 110 locomotives.

After being completed, the locomotives were put into service on the Ōsumi Railway, where they were reliable runners and became the main locomotives of the Ōsumi Railway. When the Ōsumi Railway was nationalized on 1 June 1935, the locomotives came under the ownership of the Japanese Government Railways, where they were reclassified as the Class Ke 280 and renumbered Ke 281 and Ke 282. With gauge changing works completed on what was now the Furue Line (later the Ōsumi Line) on 10 October 1938, the locomotives were relocated to the Matsuura Line, where they were operated until 30 August 1943 when track regauging works were in progress on that line.

Following this, Ke 280 was resold to the Ikasa Railway while Ke 281 was presumably scrapped; on the Ikasa Railway, Ke 280 was reclassified as the Class 7 and renumbered 8, being the second locomotive to bear the number after a highly unreliable locomotive introduced in 1918. This locomotive was deemed too heavy and large for the Ikasa Railway after some use; while it was used for some time 8 essentially became redundant after older steam locomotives were repaired. The locomotive was withdrawn in November 1949 and stored at the back of a depot for many years before steam locomotive operations were abolished on the Ikasa Railway on 16 October 1961.

No Class 4 locomotives have been preserved. Few photos exist of the locomotives.

References

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