The JNR Class EF61 was a Japanese DC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor companies from 1960 to 1991.
History[]
The EF61 and EF60 were designed as the JNR's first new DC electric locomotives. The EF61 was designed as a replacement for the EF58 locomotives. It featured sufficient performance to pull freight trains but was finicky at high speeds, nor were the locomotives fitted with heating systems for passenger car usage. With a plan to convert passenger trains to electric multiple units as opposed to having locomotives haul passenger cars, only eighteen locomotives were built.
Assigned to Miyahara Rolling Stock Depot when introduced into service, the EF61s were used to pull express trains and often substituted for the EF58s they were intended to replace. The locomotives were withdrawn from pulling sleeper trains in 1963 following the introduction of the EF60-200 locomotives but remained in use pulling express trains until 10 March 1975 with the opening of the full San'yō Shinkansen line when they were relegated to freight services.
EF60 1 through 14 were intended to be converted into EF61-200 banking locomotives in 1977, although due to problems being discovered with the locomotives conversion was canceled after eight cars had been converted. Withdrawals began in the early 1980s, with all EF61-0 locomotives retired by 1984. The eight EF61-200 locomotives were retired by 1991.
EF61 201 was the only preserved EF61; it was scrapped in 1998 with the closure of the roundhouse in the Suita Rolling Stock Depot. The cab of EF61 4 was also preserved at Hiroshima Rolling Stock Depot but it was scrapped in 2022.
Design[]
The EF61s featured large box-shaped bodies with large headlights mounted on the roof.
Specifications[]
The EF61 locomotives utilized a Quill drive system; due to maintenance problems involving the Quill drive, future locomotives reverted to using a nose suspension drive system. This however came at the cost of keeping the rated rotation speed of the traction motors low. MT49B traction motors were used on the locomotives. The locomotives themselves were largely based on the EF60 locomotives.
Preservation[]
The following Class EF61 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Number | Manufacturer | Equipment manufacturer | Date manufactured | Date retired | Last location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EF61 201 | Kisha Seizō | Tōyō Denki | 22 January 1960 | 19 February 1991 | Suita Locomotive Depot, Osaka, Japan | Ex-EF60 1, stored in roundhouse; scrapped 1998 with demolition of roundhouse |
EF61 4 | Kawasaki Heavy Industries | Kawasaki Denki | 20 October 1961 | 11 September 1984 | Hiroshima Rolling Stock Depot, Hiroshima, Japan | Cab only, displayed outdoors alongside cab of EF59 16; scrapped 2022 |