JNR Class EF58

Infobox Locomotive
name=EF58
electricsystem=1,500 V DC
tractionmotors=DC
powertype=Electric

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caption=Preserved EF58 89 at Ōmiya Works Open Day, 2004-05-29
builddate=1946-1958
builder=Hitachi, Tōshiba, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, Tōyō & Kisha
weight=115 tons
uicclass=2Co-Co2
gauge=1,067 mm
firstrundate=
disposition=
numinclass=172
wheeldiameter=1,250 mm (driving wheels)
poweroutput=1,900 kW
wheelbase=
tractiveeffort=
topspeed=100 km/h
length=19,900 mm
width=2,800 mm
height=3,947 mm
transmission=
railroad=JNR, JR East, JR Central, JR West|

The EF58 is a class of Japanese 2Co-Co2 wheel arrangement electric locomotives. 172 locomotives were built between 1946 and 1958.

The later years

In 1984, 64 out of 172 EF58 locos built were still in service or temporary storage. However, they were withdrawn en masse from Tōkaidō and Sanyō Main Line freight duties in 1984, and by 1987, immediately prior to privatization of JNR, there were just four members of the class (EF58 61, 89, 122, and 150) remaining in service. Details of the four locos currently in operational service (EF58 61, 122, 150 and 157) are as follows.

EF58 61

Owned by JR East and based at Tabata Depot in Tōkyō, this locomotive was built in 1953 by Hitachi specially for use as the official Imperial Train loco, a role it performs to the present day. While other locos had chrome-plated “whiskers” on the cab ends, this loco was built with stainless steel whiskers extending as a thin band along the body sides. The loco remains in its original brown livery, and is maintained in immaculate condition.

EF58 122

Owned by JR Central and based at Shizuoka Depot, this loco was built in 1957 by Hitachi. It was repainted from the standard blue/cream livery to its current all-over brown for use on special event trains on the Tōkaidō and Iida Lines.

EF58 150

This loco was built in 1958 by Tōshiba. It was withdrawn from service in 1985, but was reinstated in 1987 to Miyahara Depot in Ōsaka, where it has been based ever since for use on special event trains. It was repainted into its original all-over brown livery to coincide with the restoration of observation car Maite49 2. It is still equipped with a train heating steam generator. In 2006, this loco was featured in the movie "Tabi No Okurimono 0:00 Hatsu".

EF58 157

This loco was built in 1958 by Mitsubishi, and was withdrawn from regular service in 1985 before being reinstated to Shizuoka Depot in 1988 for use hauling special event trains on the Tōkaidō and Iida Lines. It was equipped with a train heating steam generator only, and operated in blue and cream livery until its withdrawal in 2007. ["Japan Railfan Magazine" July 2008 issue, p46]

Preserved examples

*EF58 36: No. 1 end section only preserved privately in Hiroshima. In very poor condition (blue livery).
*EF58 89: Preserved at the Railway Museum from October 2007. This loco saw mainline operation until 1999, based at Tabata Depot. After withdrawal, it was preserved at JR-East Ōmiya Works. It was repainted from all-over brown to blue and cream in 2000 at Ōmiya. For the Railway Museum exhibition, it was again repainted to brown.
*EF58 93: Preserved at JR-East Ōmiya Works in green livery with yellow stripe along lower body.
*EF58 113: Front end section only preserved at JR-West Hiroshima Depot, in blue livery.
*EF58 144: No. 1 end cab preserved privately in Saitama Prefecture, in brown (primer?) livery. No. 2 end cab is preserved in front of a restaurant in Nasu-machi, Tochigi Prefecture, in blue livery.
*EF58 154: Cab end only preserved at JR-East Ōmiya Works in light green livery.
*EF58 172: Preserved at Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Yokokawa, in blue livery.

References

*Kōichi Inoue, “Kokutetsu Kikansha Jiten” (JNR Locomotive Guide), Man To Man Books, 1999
*“Japan Railfan Magazine” March 2006
*“2005 JR Rolling Stock Handbook”

ee also

*Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification