The JNR Class ED51 was a Japanese DC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways from 1925 to 1938.
History[]
The ED51 was an early electric locomotive used on Japan's freight network. The locomotives were imported with the mass electrification of the Tōkaidō Main Line and Yokosuka Line.
A total of three locomotives were built in 1925; the locomotives were rebuilt from three Class 6000 locomotives which had fallen into the sea as they were being unloaded, numbered 6000 through 6002. The locomotives were classified Class 6000 and retained their numbers they had pre-rebuild; the locomotives were commonly known as the "New Class 6000" locomotives as they were technically built later than what would be known as the "Old Class 6000" locomotives; they were reclassified to Class ED51 when a rule regarding the standardization of locomotive names was enacted in 1928, these being significantly different from other Class 6000 locomotives.
The locomotives were used on the Tōkaidō Main Line and the Yokosuka Line to pull freight trains. They were usually operated in multiples for fear of one locomotive breaking down; during that time, British electric locomotives were lowly regarded for their unreliability, but by this time their performance had improved and the Japanese began to trust the locomotives more. The three ED51s would continue to see use on the Tōkaidō Main Line before they were converted to ED17 locomotives ED17 24 through ED17 26 in 1938.
No ED17 locomotives that were converted from ED51 locomotives have been preserved.
Design[]
The ED51s featured large box-shaped bodies with large top-mounted headlights.
Specifications[]
The ED51s used a nose suspension drive system. MT6 traction motors were used on the locomotives.