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The JNR Class ED78 is a Japanese AC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor the East Japan Railway Company from 1967 to 2000.

History[]

The ED78 was designed as an AC locomotive capable of scaling the 33‰ gradients of the Usui Pass.

An initial prototype, classified the Class ED94 and numbered ED94 1, was built in 1965 by Hitachi. Full-production locomotives were manufactured from 1968 to 1970; a total of thirteen locomotives were manufactured. All full-production locomotives were also manufactured by Hitachi. ED94 1 was modified to full-production standards in 1968 and renumbered ED78 901 as a result. When introduced, the locomotives were used on the Ōu Main Line to pull passenger trains between Fukushima and Yamagata, with notable services including the Akebono sleeper train. They were typically double-headed with a EF71 locomotive.

On most services, the locomotives would co-operate with EF71s. When the JNR was privatized and split in 1987, JR East assumed ownership of the ED78s; at this point, twelve locomotives were in service. The locomotives were relocated from Fukushima to Sendai in 1993, where they were used on the Senzan Line; despite the track being strengthened to allow the ED75s to be used on the line, they are unable to pull freight trains due to the graded sections of the line and as such the ED78s remained in use. With the abolishment of freight services on the line, all ED78s were withdrawn from service in 1998, with the exception of ED78 12 and ED78 13 which were used for "leaf cleaning operations" until they were withdrawn in 2000.

ED78 1, located at Hitachi's Mito Plant, is the only preserved ED78; ED78 901 was also preserved in the past but has since been scrapped.

Design[]

The ED78s featured large box-shaped bodies with a slight rake with dual large circular headlights mounted on the top of the cars in two recesses.

Specifications[]

The ED78s used a nose suspension drive system with MT52 traction motors; the use of the nose suspension drive was due to maintenance problems involving the Quill drive, so all locomotives after the earlier EF70 would use the nose suspension drive. This however came at the cost of keeping the rated rotation speed of the traction motors low.

Preservation[]

The following Class ED78 locomotives have been preserved:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Location Notes
ED78 1 Hitachi Hitachi 29 May 1968 7 February 1987 Hitachi Mito Plant, Ibaraki, Japan Displayed under shelter; not open for public viewing

The following Class ED16 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Last location Notes
ED78 901 Hitachi Hitachi 28 February 1967 31 March 1986 Suita Locomotive Depot, Osaka, Japan Ex-ED94 1, stored in roundhouse; scrapped 1998 with demolition of roundhouse
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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