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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 The locomotives were withdrawn from pulling sleeper trains in 1963 following the introduction of the EF60-200 locomotives but remained in use pulling express trains until 10 March 1975 with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
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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