Locomotive Wiki
Advertisement

The JNR Class EF63 is a Japanese DC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor the East Japan Railway Company from July 1963 to September 1997.

History[]

The EF63 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. Developed based on the ED60 locomotives, the EF63s began service on 15 July 1963 on the Shin'etsu Main Line.

From 1962 to 1978, a total of 25 locomotives were built. The locomotives were also used to pull the imperial train a number of times. With the expected closure of the rail section of the Shin'etsu Main Line in 1997, the locomotives were thus no longer needed; the fleet of trains was retired on 30 September 1997 with a number of special services. The locomotives were last used in service on 18 October 1997 for an exhibition, pulling EF55 1 and EF60 19.

Eight locomotives have been preserved, seven of which are located at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park; the park maintains EF63 11, 12, 24 and 25 in operational condition, with operation opportunities given through balloting.

Design[]

The EF63s featured large box-shaped bodies with large top-mounted headlights.

Specifications[]

The EF63s 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 EF63 locomotives have been preserved:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Location Notes
EF63 11 Shin-Mitsubishi Jukōgyō Mitsubishi Electric 16 May 1963 7 May 1998 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan Operationally preserved
EF63 12 28 May 1963
EF63 24 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Fuji Electric 2 July 1976
EF63 25 8 July 1976 Las EF63 built; operationally preserved
EF63 1 Toshiba Toshiba 25 May 1962 7 August 1986 Prototype locomotive, painted in dark brown; displayed outdoors
EF63 10 Shin-Mitsubishi Jukōgyō Mitsubishi Electric 11 May 1963 7 May 1998 Displayed indoors
EF63 18 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Fuji Electric 26 August 1967 20 April 1998 Painted in dark brown; used as simulator
EF63 2 Toshiba Toshiba 6 March 1963 20 March 1998 Karuizawa Station, Nagano, Japan Preserved at Shinano Railway side; preserved outdoors near EC40 1
EF63 22 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Fuji Electric 5 June 1974 5 November 1997 Annaka, Gunma, Japan Displayed outdoors; privately owned
EF63 13 Shin-Mitsubishi Jukōgyō Mitsubishi Electric 29 May 1963 5 June 1998 Ōmiya General Rolling Stock Center, Saitama, Japan Cab only; viewing possible on depot open days
EF63 3 Toshiba Toshiba 8 March 1963 20 March 1998 Yokokawa Station, Gunma, Japan Wheels only; one of last two EF63s in service, pulled last trains on 30 September 1997

The following Class EF63 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:

Number Manufacturer Equipment manufacturer Date manufactured Date retired Last location Notes
EF63 19 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Fuji Electric 5 September 1967 20 March 1998 Nagano General Rolling Stock Center, Nagano, Japan Painted in dark brown, one of last two EF63s in service, pulled last trains on 30 September 1997; 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
Advertisement