JNR Class C11 No. C11 312

JNR Class C11 No. C11 312
C11 312 in October 2023
Technical specifications
Serial number(s)	1394
Manufacturer(s)	Nippon Sharyo
Build date	10 January 1946
Rebuilder	Ōigawa Railway (both rebuilds)
Rebuilt	1988 2018 – 2020
Classification	2-6-4T
Model	C11
Dia. of Drivers	1,520 mm
Dimensions	12,650 mm × Unknown × 3,900 mm
Weight	66.1 t (145,615 lbs)
Rail gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Firegrate area	1.6 m2
Fuel type	Coal
Service information
Years in-service	17 March 1946 – 24 January 1975 23 July 1987 – 8 September 2007 (excursion service)
Disposition details
Disposition	Static display

Japanese National Railways No. C11 312 is a Class C11 2-6-4T Adriatic-type side tank steam locomotive built for the Japanese National Railways by Nippon Sharyo in January 1946.

History

C11 312 was built by Nippon Sharyo; the locomotive was completed on 10 January 1946 at their Nagoya Plant, with a serial number of 1394. C11 312 was first assigned to Sendai Depot, only entering service on 17 March 1946 likely due to the situation in Japan following World War II; it would be taken out of service on 1 September 1947, a little over a year after it entered service; the locomotive re-entered service some time in 1947. C11 312 was transferred to Aizu-Wakamatsu Depot in December 1955, where it spent the rest of its service life. C11 312 pulled a special train on 20 August 1963 to celebrate the Aizu Line's extension from Aizu-Kawaguchi to Tadami. C11 312 was withdrawn on 24 January 1975.

Following withdrawal, C11 312 was purchased by Shinnojō Aratake, the second-generation owner of the Aratake Ekiben bento box company, and put on display at their flagship Drive In Aratake restaurant (now closed) in Taiki, Mie from December 1975. Notably preserved in good condition, it is said that the Ōigawa Railway approached Aratake to purchase the locomotive, with the purchase of the locomotive finalized in October 1987. C11 312 was removed from the restaurant on 18 March 1988, arriving at the Ōigawa Railway the next day; it was then restored to operational condition at Shin-Kanaya Depot, with the necessary safety equipment installed on the locomotive. C11 312 first ran under its on power on 20 July 1988, with its boiler also hydrostatically tested; its first excursion service on the Ōigawa Railway occurred on 23 July 1988, double-heading with C11 227. A special train was also run using C11 312 on 26 March 1989 to commemorate a year since the locomotive arrived; on this trip it double-headed with C56 44.

C11 312's last major inspection occurred in December 2005. Due to a structurally compromised underframe, axle burn and financial difficulties, the Ōigawa Railway would make the decision to retire C11 312 from active service, noting that building a new underframe would be highly expensive; C11 312 pulled its last service on 8 September 2007. Following its retirement from service, C11 312 was stored behind Shin-Kanaya Station and used as a parts donor for the Ōigawa Railway's other locomotives; its cab, boiler and whistle among other parts were transferred to C11 227, while its safety systems were transferred to C56 44; by the mid-2010s the locomotive had become virtually unrecognizable, with most usable parts removed and transferred to other locomotives and the locomotive left to rust. In October 2019, the Ōigawa Railway stated they were planning to rebuild C11 312 for use as a static exhibit at the planned KADODE OOIGAWA (stylized in all caps) "food-type experiential theme park", scheduled to open in fall 2020. C11 312 would be rebuilt by the Ōigawa Railway in 2020 and shipped to the planned site of KADODE OOIGAWA on 13 February 2020; KADODE OOIGAWA opened on 12 November 2020, with C11 312 on display indoors in the compound.

Trivia

• C11 312 appeared in the film 1971 Dare No Tame Ni Aisuru Ka where it was shown pulling a passenger train.

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)