JNR Class DF50

Class DF50

A pair of DF50s on a farewell tour in 1983

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Hitachi Kawasaki Kisha Mitsubishi Nippon Sharyo Toshiba Build date 1957–1963 Total produced 138

Specifications UIC class Bo-Bo-Bo Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Wheel diameter 800 mm (2 ft 7 in) Length 16,400 mm (53 ft 10 in) Width 2,932 mm (9 ft 7.4 in) Height 3,987 mm (13 ft 1.0 in) Loco weight 85.1 t Traction motors MT48 x 6

Performance figures Maximum speed 90 km/h (55 mph) Power output 1,060 hp (DF50-0), 1,200 hp (DF50-500)

Career First run 1957 Last run 1983 Preserved 3

The Class DF50 (DF50形) is a class of Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement diesel-electric locomotives operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR) in Japan from 1957 until 1983.

Variants

DF50-0

First batch of 65 locomotives built between 1957 and 1962 with Sulzer 8-cylinder 8LDA25A 1,060 hp diesel engines. Production was shared between Kisha, Mitsubishi, and Nippon Sharyo.

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  DF50 1 on a passenger service in 1979

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  DF50 65 on a freight working in 19823

DF50-500

Later batch of 73 locomotives built between 1958 and 1963 with MAN V6-cylinder V22/30 1,200 hp diesel engines. Production was shared between Hitachi, Kawasaki, and Toshiba.

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  DF50 573 on a passenger service in Shikoku in 1979

Operations

A pair of Class DF50s on a limestone freight working in 1983

Class DF50 locomotives were intended for use on both passenger and freight services, and included a steam generator for train heating. They operated on the following lines, including use hauling "Blue Train" sleeping car services.

• Hokuriku Main Line
• Sanin Main Line
• Dosan Line (Shikoku)
• Kisei Line
• Nippo Line (Kyushu)

In later years, operations were restricted to Kyushu and Shikoku, with the remaining locomotives withdrawn in 1983, except for DF50 1, which later passed into JR Shikoku ownership.

Livery

The locomotives were initially painted in all-over maroon with stainless steel bands, but were subsequently repainted into the standard JNR diesel locomotive livery of vermillion and grey.

Preserved examples

Three Class DF50 locomotives were preserved.

• DF50 1: Preserved at The Railway History Park in Saijo, Ehime
• DF50 4: Preserved in a park in Osaka
• DF50 18: Formerly preserved at the Modern Transportation Museum, Osaka, but moved to the Tsuyama Roundhouse in Tsuyama, Okayama in March 2015

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  Preserved DF50 1 at The Railway History Park in Saijo, January 2009

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  Preserved DF50 18 at the Modern Transportation Museum in Osaka, January 2007

See also

• Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification