Hamamatsu Works

Hamamatsu Works (Japanese: 浜松工場 Hamamatsu Kōjō) is a rolling stock maintenance facility under the jurisdiction of the Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). It currently specializes in the maintenance of Shinkansen trains and was formerly a manufacturer of rolling stock.

History[]

Hamamatsu Works was opened on 1 November 1912 by the Japanese Government Railways (JGR), taking over the locomotive maintenance functions from Numazu Works which closed in October 1911. Hamamatsu Works completed its first steam locomotive, 18900 (later C51 1), on 1 December 1919; a total of 103 steam locomotives were manufactured by Hamamatsu (18 C51s, 70 D51s and 15 D52s), with the last steam locomotive being manufactured by Hamamatsu being D52 15 on 29 December 1944 and the last steam locomotive manufactured by any JGR plant overall. It was originally intended for D52 16 through D52 20 to be manufactured at Hamamatsu but the worsening war situation put paid to those plans. Hamamatsu Works manufactured the most steam locomotives of any of JGR's own plants, the second most being Takatori Works with 71 and Kokura Works with 45.

Hamamatsu Works was heavily damaged by Allied air raids to Hamamatsu in July 1945; bullet holes can still be seen on the premises if looked at closely. Ownership of Hamamatsu came under the Japanese National Railways (JNR) following JGR's reorganization post-war. The factory was made a designated repair facility for the then-upcoming Shinkansen system in 1962. The last steam locomotive to be repaired at Hamamatsu was 49601 on 23 March 1964; steam locomotive maintenance was transferred to Nagano Works the next month. Scrapping of Shinkansen sets begun in earnest in 1977. Following the privatization of the JNR, Hamamatsu Works came under the ownership of the JR Central.

Today, Hamamatsu Works remains a major repair and maintenance facility for Shinkansen services, it running parallel to the Tōkaidō Shinkansen. It is also the site of the Nishiiba No. 1 level crossing, the only level crossing on the Shinkansen system and a haunt for trainspotters.

Preserved steam locomotives[]

The following steam locomotives built by Hamamatsu Works have been preserved:

Number	Class	Serial number	Date manufactured	Date withdrawn	Location	Disposition
C51 5	C51	5	24 January 1920	28 February 1962	The Railway Museum, Saitama, Japan	Static display
D51 86	D51	19	26 March 1938	10 August 1973	Hamamatsu Flower Park, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan	Static display
D51 89	D51	22	26 March 1938	17 April 1971	Non Hoi Park (Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park), Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan	Static display
D51 200	D51	25	30 September 1938	28 March 1979	Kyoto Railway Museum, Kyoto, Japan	Operational
D51 201	D51	26	31 October 1938	20 June 1973	Gamagori City Museum, Gamagori, Aichi, Japan	Static display
D51 206	D51	31	7 March 1939	20 August 1974	Saga City Office, Saga, Kyushu, Japan	Static display
D51 209	D51	34	31 July 1939	20 July 1973	Ina Park, Ina, Nagano, Japan	Static display
D51 245	D51	36	28 September 1939	20 July 1973	Sakakimachi Bunkasentafukushi Center Wanpaku-hiroba, Hanishina, Nagano, Japan	Static display
D51 522	D51	51	25 September 1940	16 June 1973	Seibu Ryokuchi Park, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan	Static display
D51 688	D51	67	13 August 1942	28 July 1973	Minami Park, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan	Static display
D51 822	D51	72	9 February 1943	19 March 1970	Mattō Station, Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan	Static display
D51 824	D51	74	16 March 1943	6 August 1970	Suwa Lakeside Park, Suwa, Nagano, Japan	Static display
D51 827	D51	77	25 February 1943	22 November 1973	Naoetsu D51 Rail Park, Jōetsu, Niigata, Japan	Operational (compressed air)
D51 862	D51	87	18 November 1943	19 August 1971	Sumire Kaikan, Machida, Tokyo, Japan	Static display
D52 1	D52	89	19 December 1943	11 July 1966	Hiroshima Freight Rolling Stock Depot, Hiroshima, Japan	Static display

Factories operated by the JR Group
JR Central	Hamamatsu • Nagoya • Shizuoka
JR West	Gōto • Hiroshima • Suita
JR East	Kōriyama • Morioka • Nagano • Ōfuna • Ōmiya
JR Kyushu	Kagoshima • Kokura
JR Hokkaido	Kushiro • Naebo
JR Shikoku	Tadotsu
Defunct/Former	Hatabu • Hyōgo • Kobe • Mattō • Niitsu • Ōi • Shimbashi • Takatori • Toyokawa • Tsuchizaki • Yokkaichi