The JR Freight Class EF200 is a DC electric locomotive operated by the Japan Freight Railway Company from July 1992 to March 2019.
History[]
The EF200 is a B-B-B DC electric locomotive operated by JR Freight; the locomotives were introduced to increase the number of trains on the Tōkaidō Main Line and other major lines such as the San'yō Main Line as well as to replace older locomotives such as the EF66 and EF81.
The first locomotive, EF200-901, was manufactured in June 1990 and entered service in July 1992. Mass-production locomotives began production in 1992, with production ending in 1993 with twenty locomotives produced.
These were the last JR Freight locomotives to not feature a nickname until the EH800, although they are branded Inverter Hi-Tech Loco similar to the EF500. The locomotives were slowly withdrawn starting 2016 due to a difficulty in securing spare parts, and all were withdrawn by 28 March 2019.
Two locomotives, EF200-10 and EF200-901, have been preserved. EF200-2 was also preserved in the past but has since been scrapped.
Specifications[]
The locomotives use Hitachi GTO variable frequency drives and a nose suspension drive system; all locomotives produced after the EF70 would use a nose suspension drive system. The locomotives use FMT4 squirrel cage induction traction motors.
Preservation[]
The following Class EF200 locomotives have been preserved:
Number | Manufacturer | Equipment manufacturer | Date manufactured | Date retired | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EF200-901 | Hitachi | Hitachi | 30 June 1990 | 31 March 2016 | Hitachi Mito Plant, Ibaraki, Japan | Prototype locomotive, displayed under shelter, restored to original livery; not open for public viewing |
EF200-10 | 17 June 1992 | 10 November 2017 | Hiroshima Locomotive Depot, Hiroshima, Japan | Displayed outdoors; not open for public viewing |
The following Class EF200 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Number | Manufacturer | Equipment manufacturer | Date manufactured | Date retired | Last location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EF200-2 | Hitachi | Hitachi | 1 May 1992 | 25 March 2019 | Suita Locomotive Depot, Osaka, Japan | Scrapped March 2021 |