The JNR Class DD53 is a diesel-hydraulic locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor the East Japan Railway Company from 1965 to April 2007.
History[]
The DD53 was designed as a dedicated snow-clearing locomotive, after the DD13 locomotives used to clear snow from the 1963 snowstorm in Japan proved insufficient during test runs in the Niigata region; the DD13 was not powerful enough to clear the wet, heavy snow in the regions near the Sea of Japan.
Three locomotives were built by Kisha Seizō between 1965 and 1967, along with their rotary snowplow attachments. Operating mainly in the Niigata region, the DD53s would be used for their intended purpose; what would usually happen is that the DD53 would be used as the main propulsion mechanism for the snowplow while another locomotive, usually a DD20, would push the locomotive. While the DD53s were effective at their role they were considered too powerful for other regions; snow from the locomotive would be thrown at 20 km/h (12.4 mph), unprecedented for the time, and would often be thrown into private properties and cut power lines. There exists an urban legend claiming that snow thrown from a DD53 destroyed a piano in a room. JNR accepted that some damage of property through removing snow was unavoidable. Due to frequent damage from the locomotive's snow throwing, DD53 2 and 3 were modified with the driver's seat moved to directly behind the snowplow to better confirm the direction where the snow was being thrown.
The DD53s were also envisioned to pull standard passenger trains with their snowplows removed during the non-winter months where snow clearing would not be needed; this was done for a time but would become increasingly less common as time went on and by the late 1970s it was rare for the snowplow to be removed at all, outside of inspections. DD53 1 would be transferred to Asahikawa Rolling Stock Depot, where it would be used as a banking locomotive for the Shiokari Pass with its snowplow removed before being moved to Shinjō Rolling Stock Center in 1976, while DD53 2 and 3 remained in Niigata. At Shinjō, DD53 1 would be used more often in its intended purpose but cut power lines and building damage limited its use, leading the locomotive to not be used much before it was retired in 1986; prior to this its snowplow was used as a parts donor for the snowplows of DD53 2 and 3.
When the JNR was privatized and split into seven different companies, JR East assumed ownership of DD53 2 and 3. Mainly used for snow removal along the Jōetsu Line, DD53 2 pulled a passenger train between Nagaoka and Niigata Station as part of the Niigata Shinkansen Depot's open day; this was done in a push-pull format with the assistance of a DE15 and EF64-1000 and was the first time a DD53 pulled passengers since the 1970s. DD53 2 would be used to pull two Banetsu Monogatari services, replacing C57 180 in this regard in 2006 and 2007. DD53 3 would be retired in 2001 and scrapped due to being replaced by the DD14 while DD53 2 was retired on 10 March 2010 after sitting in storage at Nagaoka Rolling Stock Depot for some years and scrapped.
DD53 1, located at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, is the only preserved DD53. It is fitted with its snowplow and is on static display.
Design[]
The DD53s featured a semi-streamlined design, being painted in red with silver accents. Two sets of headlights are mounted on the sides of the cabs.
Specifications[]
The DD53s are fitted with two V12 prime movers, designated the DML61Z-R. Total power output is about 2,200 PS (1,600 kW). The DD53 uses a DW2A-R hydraulic transmission, developed specifically for this locomotive; the transmission works similarly to a Voith turbo transmission and features three built-in torque converters. The locomotive itself is heavily based on the DD51.
Preservation[]
The following Class DD53 locomotives have been preserved:
| Number | Manufacturer | Date manufactured | Date retired | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DD53 1 | Kisha Seizō | 20 January 1965 | 31 March 1987 | Mikasa Railway Memorial Hall, Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan | Displayed outdoors with snowplow |
Gallery[]
