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The JNR Class DE15 is a diesel-hydraulic locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successors since 1966.

History[]

The DE15 was designed as a dedicated snow-clearing locomotive. A total of 85 locomotives were produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Nippon Sharyo; some specification changes were made midway through production. In addition to snow clearing duties, the DE15 was also used for occasional switching jobs with its snowplows removed. When the JNR was privatized and split in 1987, JR East, West, Central and Hokkaido took ownership of the DE15s.

From the 2000s to 2010s, the DE15s were replaced with newer locomotives, such as the ENR-1000 and the KiYa 143 series. As of 2023, JR West and Hokkaido operate DE15s, with JR Central retiring their fleet in 2013 and JR East in October 2020. A total of fourteen locomotives are in service, most of them with JR Hokkaido, as well as another four on private railways.

Design[]

The DE15 features a steeplecab-like design, giving it an appearance similar to that of a switcher locomotive; this design was chosen to help the locomotive reduce its weight by reducing its axle load. Unlike the similar-looking DD51 and DD13 locomotives, the DE15 features a long hooded design due to it only having one engine as opposed to two. The driver's cab is notably off-center; it was designed as such to allow for switching and short turnaround operations.

Specifications[]

The DE15s are fitted with a single V12 prime mover, designated the DML61Z, based on the DMF31S prime mover used on the earlier DD13 locomotives; this engine features strengthened pistons and a differently mounted intercooler to increase power output. Total power output is about 1,250 PS (919 kW). The DE15 uses a DW6 hydraulic transmission; the transmission works similarly to a Voith turbo transmission and features three built-in torque converters and two speed switching valves to change the locomotive's running characteristics for different applications.

JR Group motive power
JNR Diesel prototype DB10DC10DC11DD10
4-axle diesel DD11DD12DD13DD14DD15DD16DD17DD20DD21DD40DD41DD42DD50DD51DD53DD54DD90DD91DD92DD93
5-axle diesel DE10DE11DE15DE50
6-axle diesel DF40DF41DF50DF90DF91 (gen 1)DF91 (gen 2)DF92DF93
Shinkansen 911912
Narrow-gauge diesel Ke DB10Ke DB11
Early 2/4-axle freight electric AB10EB10ED10ED11ED12ED13ED14ED15ED16ED17ED18 (gen 1)ED18 (gen 2)ED19ED23ED24
Early 4-axle passenger electric ED50ED51ED52ED53ED54ED55ED56ED57
Early 6-axle freight electric EF10EF11EF12EF13EF14EF15EF16EF18
Early 6-axle passenger electric EF20EF50EF51EF52EF53EF54EF55EF56EF57EF58EF59HEF10HEF50
Early 8-axle electric EH10EH50HEH50HEH150
Early Abt rack rail electric EC40ED40ED41ED42
Acquired from private railways ED20ED21ED22ED25 (gen 1)ED25 (gen 2)ED26 (gen 1)ED26 (gen 2)ED27 (gen 1)ED27 (gen 2)ED28 (gen 1)ED28 (gen 2)ED29 (gen 1)ED29 (gen 2)ED30 (gen 1)ED31ED32ED33ED34ED35ED36ED37ED38Ke ED10DeKi 1RoKo 1DeKi 501RoKo 1000
DC 4-axle ED60ED61ED62ED63ED95
AC 4-axle ED44ED45ED70ED71ED72ED73ED74ED75ED76ED77ED78ED79ED90ED91ED93ED94
DC 6-axle EF60EF61EF62EF63EF64EF65EF66EF67EF90
AC 6-axle EF70EF71
Dual-current ED30 (gen 2)ED46ED92EF30EF80EF81
Other AH100
JR Group Dual-current electric ED500EF500EF510EH500
DC electric EF200EF210EH200
DC EMU M250
AC electric EH800
Diesel DD18DD19DB500DD200DF200ENR-1000
Hybrid HD300
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