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The JNR Class EF62 is a Japanese DC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor the East Japan Railway Company from 1962 to January 1999.

History[]

The EF62 was developed specifically to haul freight trains up the steep 66.7‰ gradients of the Usui Pass; prior to this, ED42 Abt rack rail locomotives were used for the steep sections. The EF62s began service in 1962 on the Shin'etsu Main Line. Unlike the similar EF63 locomotives introduced about a year later, the EF62s were designed specifically for use as auxiliary banking locomotives for the Usui Pass section of the Shin'etsu Main Line and featured optimizations for traction and braking power.

An initial prototype, EF62 1, was produced in 1962; a total of fifty-three additional locomotives would be produced from 1963 to 1969. Initially used to pull passenger trains up the pass, these were relegated to freight services in 1975 with electric multiple units such as the 489 series taking over limited express operations and the 80 and 115 series taking on local trains. They were subsequently relegated to baggage train operations, replacing the aging EF58 locomotives in this role.

Most locomotives had been scrapped by JNR's privatization and split in April 1987, with the remaining six locomotives taken under JR East's ownership. Under JR East, the EF62s pulled the Noto sleeper train and the occasional freight train, with regular operations ceasing on 18 March 1993, with the 489 series taking over Noto operations. With the closure of the rail section of the Shin'etsu Main Line in 1997, the locomotives were thus no longer needed, with the remaining locomotives withdrawn from service; their final duties were hauling EF63s for scrapping before being withdrawn themselves. EF62 54, the last locomotive in service, was withdrawn from service on 4 January 1999.

Two locomotives, EF62 1 and EF62 54, the first and last EF62s built respectively, are preserved at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park. EF62 3 was preserved at Nagano General Rolling Stock Center in the past but was scrapped in September 2019.

Design[]

The EF62s featured large box-shaped bodies with large top-mounted headlights.

Specifications[]

The EF62s used a nose suspension drive as opposed to the Quill drive of more recent locomotives; 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. MT52 traction motors were used on the locomotives, as well as an adhesion system for use on the Usui Pass.

Preservation[]

The following Class EF62 locomotives have been preserved:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Location Notes
EF62 1 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kawasaki Denki 16 May 1962 10 February 1986 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan Prototype locomotive, painted brown; displayed outdoors
EF62 54 Kisha Seizō Tōyō Denki 13 December 1969 4 January 1999 Last EF62 built and last in service; displayed indoors

The following Class EF62 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Last location Notes
EF62 3 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kawasaki Denki 21 March 1963 2 February 1987 Nagano General Rolling Stock Center, Nagano, Japan Scrapped September 2019

Gallery[]

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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