JNR Class C10 No. C10 8

Japanese National Railways No. C10 8 is a Class C10 2-6-4T Adriatic-type side tank steam locomotive built for the Japanese National Railways by Kawasaki Sharyō in July 1930. It is the sole preserved Class C10 locomotive.

History[]

C10 8 was built by Kawasaki Sharyō; the locomotive was completed on 24 July 1930 at their Hyōgo Plant, with a serial number of 1363. Entering service on 2 August 1930, C10 8 was assigned to Ōmiya Depot and used to pull freight trains; C10 8 was transferred to Takasaki Depot on 1 September 1932 and was briefly used at Shin-Koiwa Depot in October the same year. C10 8 was also loaned to Tabata and Mito Depots in 1933; its boiler pressure was boosted on 12 May 1935. The locomotive was loaned to Himeji Depot in Okayama on 18 April 1936, although it was effectively a transfer as the locomotive was not returned to Takasaki. C10 8 was later moved to Niimi Depot for use on 1 July 1936, followed by Sendai Depot on 6 November 1938. Following numerous other moves, the locomotive was effectively withdrawn from service on 5 November 1961, when it was located in Morioka Depot; it was officially withdrawn on 31 March 1962.

Following withdrawal, C10 8 was purchased by chemical manufacturer Rasa Industries on 30 August 1962, where it worked as a switcher locomotive at their Miyako factory; it was taken out of service in April 1976, whereupon it was stored on-site until November 1986 when it was officially withdrawn. The city of Miyako would acquire the locomotive in March 1987, and following some restoration work began running it as the SL Shiokaze tourist train on ex-JNR lines on 19 July 1987; this service ceased on 3 January 1990 due to a lack of seaside views despite running along the coast, although it would run once more in 1992 to coincide with an event in the area and subsequently stored. C10 8 would be put up for sale by the city of Miyako due to rising maintenance costs; it would find a buyer in the Ōigawa Railway, who were looking for a new steam locomotive to cope with rising passenger numbers. C10 8 was officially transferred to the Ōigawa Railway on 17 April 1994, arriving at Shin-Kanaya Depot on 24 April and later displayed at an event at Senzu Station where the locomotive was fired up.

For commencement of operation, the Ōigawa Railway undertook full-scale restoration work of C10 8 in 1997; main line test running commenced in September 1997, with full-scale operation commencing on 14 October 1997, double-heading with C11 227. Today, C10 8 remains based on the Ōigawa Railway, pulling passenger trains; it is stated to be capable of pulling up to four passenger cars on its own. C10 8's original 3-chime whistle, noted for a shrill shrieking cadence, was replaced in 2015 with a 5-chime whistle typically used on JNR passenger steam locomotives. C10 8 was taken out of service on 19 June 2020 after a derailment at a set of switches at Shin-Kanaya Depot; repair work was conducted on the locomotive, with a test run occurring on 17 November 2022. C10 8 re-entered service on 16 December 2022 between Kanaya and Ieyama.

Notable steam locomotives of the Japanese National Railways
Class 10	17
Class 110	110
Class 150	150
Class 160	165
Class 230	233
Class 400	403
Class 860	860
Class 1275	1275
Class 1290	1292 Zenkō
Class 2100	2109
Class 7100	7101 Benkei • 7105 Yoshitsune • 7106 Shizuka
Class 7150	7150 Taishō
Class 8620	8620 • 8630 • 58654
Class 9600	9608 • 9633 • 49671
Class 9850	9856
Class B20	B20 10
Class C10	C10 8
Class C11	C11 1 • C11 64 • C11 123 • C11 171 • C11 190 • C11 207 • C11 227 • C11 312 • C11 325
Class C12	C12 66 • C12 164
Class C51	C51 5 • C51 239
Class C53	C53 43 • C53 45
Class C55	C55 1
Class C56	C56 31 • C56 44 • C56 135 • C56 160
Class C57	C57 1 • C57 135 • C57 180
Class C58	C58 1 • C58 239 • C58 363
Class C59	C59 1 • C59 164
Class C61	C61 2 • C61 20
Class C62	C62 2 • C62 3 • C62 17 • C62 48
Class D50	D50 140
Class D51	D51 1 • D51 146 • D51 200 • D51 498 • D51 827
Class D52	D52 1 • D52 468
Class E10	E10 2

Ōigawa Railway rolling stock
Active	Electric multiple unit	6000 • 7200 • 16000 • 21000
	Steam locomotive	C10 (8) • C11 (190 • 227) • C56 (44)
	Diesel locomotive	DD20
	Electric locomotive	E10 • E31 • ED90 • ED500
Withdrawn	Electric multiple unit	KuHa 86 • MoHa 200 • MoHa 300 • 310 • 420 • KuHa 500 • 1000 • MoHa 1100 • SaHa 1411 • MoHa 1900 • 3000 (gen 1) • 3000 (gen 2) • 3800 • 6010 • KuHa 6050
	Diesel multiple unit	KiHa 10 • KiHa 50 • KiHa 100
	Steam locomotive	1 • 5 • 6 • 15 (gen 1) • 15 (gen 2) • 16 • 17 • 1275 (1275) • 2100 (2109) • C11 (312) • C12 (gen 1)
	Diesel locomotive	DB1 • DB51 • DB100
	Electric locomotive	ED10 • E31 • ED90 • ED500
Future	Steam locomotive	C12 (gen 2) (164) • C56 (135)