The JGR Class 3300 (originally the Kyushu Railway Class 73 and 167) was a 2-6-2T Prairie-type side tank steam locomotive operated by the Japanese Government Railways from 1890 to 1932.
History[]
The Class 3300 was an early steam locomotive operated in Japan. The type was manufactured initially for the Chikuhō, Bantan and Toyosu Railway, with twenty-four locomotives manufactured by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and delivered from 1890 through 1896 for the three companies. When the Chikuhō and Toyosu Railway were acquired by the Kyushu Railway in 1903 and 1901 respectively, the locomotives from those railroads were classified the Class 73 and 167 respectively; when the Bantan Railway was acquired by the Sanyo Railway in 1903, the locomotive was classified the Class 6 and 23. The locomotives were the workhorses for many of these railroads and were often used to haul fast freights. Many of these locomotives had minor differences from each other.
When a rule was enacted to standardize locomotive naming conventions in 1909, the locomotives were reclassified as the Class 3300 and renumbered to 3300 through 3323. The last locomotives were retired in 1932, with many sold to private railroads. The last locomotive in service, 3323, was retired in 1950 on an industrial railroad. No Class 3300s have been preserved.
Trivia[]
Baldwin's model number for this locomotive was 10-24 1/4D.
