International Railroad Discussion > Japan's Hudson Steam Locomotive (C61-20)

C61 was a post-World War II steam locomotive produced between 1947 and 1949, to meet the needs of an increasing passenger traffic in Japan. Freight traffic was declining after the war, so JNR decided to modify the mainly-freight 2-8-2 D51 steam locomotive by using its boiler as the platform, then using larger drivers for the speed needed for express and limited express services. So C61 became the first 4-6-4 ("Hudson") to be produced in Japan.

C61-20 was retired from service in 1973, and was transported from Kagoshima, Kyushu to Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture) then eventually ended up in a park in the city of Isesaki in Gunma Prefecture from 1974.

In December of 2008, JR East's 2-8-2 D51-498 suffered damages to the boiler after a crew (fireman?) made a mistake during a non-revenue test run, and was sidelined for 10 months. JR East was already suffering from "excursion steam shortage" by this time, borrowing the 1998-restored tank engine C11-325 from Mouka Railway, 2-6-2 C58-363 from Chichibu Railway, as well as moving around the 1999-restored 4-6-2 C57-180 from Niigata to Takasaki to answer excursion demands.

So JR East decided they needed to restore a 3rd steam locomotive to operation, and C61-20 was picked for that purpose. Its first revenue run was out of Takasaki in June of 2011.

- C61-20 "Shirokuichi" Daruma doll displayed in Takasaki Station.
- "Welcome to Gunma" banner displayed on the platform.
- Video to be described next.

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C61-20 was part of the excursion train "EL & SL Minakami Story" last Saturday (10/4/2014), where the first portion from Ageo to Takasaki was pulled by an electric locomotive (EF65-501). At Takasaki, the EL was pulled off, and the SL (C61-20) placed on the head end. In the first and second clips, C61-20 shows up, and heads to the north end of the station to wait for the train to arrive.

Rather than wait on the crowded platform at Takasaki for the train's departure, I hopped on an EMU two stations to the north to Ino, where I get the C61-20 running by, third clip. Note the observation cars on either end of the train.

I then took a local EMU, then a limited express train to catch up to the C61-20 at Shibukawa, then another EMU to Minakami to wait for its arrival there. In the fourth clip, the C61-20 is arriving at Minakami as Niigata-to-Sumidagawa JR Freight #2082 gets a green signal and departs for a meet.

After turning itself around on a turntable, C61-20 heads to the service area for the inspection before the return trip to Takasaki, fifth clip.

- C61-20 at Takasaki.
- EF65-501 and the Minakami Story train arrives at Takasaki.
- Celebrity sighting! Masayuki Watanabe is a well-known comedian/actor wearing the brown hat, with a professional video crew behind him. I wonder if he's a foamer?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/14 20:45 by cchan006.

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- At Shibukawa Station, C61-20 takes a break, which allows chasers on trains like me to catch up. The young lady at the right/bottom corner of the frame is trying to go for an artsy angle, and might be a "tori-testu" railfan.

- C61-20 on a turntable at Minakami. I recorded video of the D51-498 on the turntable back in March, so I didn't record video this time. I'll try to post that later.

- C61-20 at the service area in Minakami.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/14 20:10 by cchan006.

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The second video I'm posting is for the return trip back to Takasaki from Minakami.

In the first clip, C61-20 heads to the front of the train after exiting the service area. I'm standing on the platform next to the rear observation car, which has a diesel generator to provide HEP (electric power), which you can hear too clearly.

In the second clip, C61-20 backs into the train to couple. You can see the crowd inside the observation car waiting to capture the moment.

In the third clip, C61-20 tries to sound its departure whistle, but it sounds choked from moisture. At the end of the clip, I zoom in on "Oidechan," Minakami mascot standing next to the station master and his kids, all in matching uniforms.

I took an EMU to catch up to the C61-20 at Shibukawa, then continued onto Takasaki where I decided to try a location outside the station. In the fourth clip, classic Series 115 EMU in JNR colors depart Takasaki and meet the C61-20 coming into Takasaki.

- The crew of the C61-20, focused on the job.
- C61-20 and the train ready to depart Minakami.
- Second video, as described above.

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- The sign says, "Please come again." At Minakami.

- Japanese railfans stake their claim to their locations by leaving their ladders and tripods, and tying them down next to a post or something appropriate. These guys went to lunch in the meantime, no need to wait hours to prevent others from "claim jumping" your spot. :-)

- I hopped on the train at Minakami and took the EL portion of the "EL & SL Minakami Story" to Kumagaya, then hopped on a Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Here's a classic railfan shot at Kumagaya, where lack of light is no deterrent to the Tripod Brigade.

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Sharp looking engine. Never seen one of the Japanese styling with a plow before. I always thought the black and gold look was just beautiful.

Seems like the cylinder cocks have three drains, the standard cyl front and cyl rear, and one in the middle that is always on when open. I'd say that the middle one is draining from the valve chest, but it's a piston valve engine so there's no chest volume to speak of.

Are the air conditioners on top of the cars original or retrofit? When do those cars date from?

The front car with the observation end looks interesting.

-M

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

Smoothest sounding steam locomotive I have ever heard or seen.
It runs like clock works.


Uncle Joe,Seffner,Fl.

Harlock Wrote:
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> Are the air conditioners on top of the cars
> original or retrofit? When do those cars date
> from?
>
> The front car with the observation end looks
> interesting.
>
> -M

The passenger cars are Type 12, assigned to the Ban-etsu Story train, usually pulled by the 4-6-2 C57-180 between Niigata and Aizu-Wakamatsu. The cars were repainted late last year, so those who have ridden the train in the past might not recognize them. As far as I know, the end observation cars were recent modifications. In the past, the observation car was in the middle of the train.

I believe the Ban-etsu Story Type 12s were manufactured between 1977-1978, the last set to be made new, and originally came with air conditioning. Whether they are the original ones, or retrofitted with new ones, I'm not sure.

cchan006
These are great shots. Thank you so much for sharing these.
Here is a shot of C57 180 with coaches before repainting as it crosses the bridge between Yamato and Kitagata on the way to Aizu-Wakamatsu on May 2, 2002. You can see the old observation car in the middle.

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Surely Japan's handsomest steam locomotive.

Beautiful locomotive. Gracefully proportioned and the smoke deflectors and pilot lend it a great, tough look.

Something about the hardware on it seems vaguely Swiss to me.

So smooth, and dare I say the "p" word...pretty. Just wonderful footage. Very glad it was saved

Posted from iPhone

What's the Mitsubishi logo on the cab from?

As the article below shows C61 20 was built on July 31, 1949 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The brass plate on the cab says "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 1949."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JNR_Class_C61

To be exact the plate says "mitsu (=three) {logo) bishi (<hishi =lozenge), 24th year of Showa (=1949), no.xxxx." The number I cannot make out, presumably a factory production number.

There's no trash, no graffiti visible.
What's wrong with those people? ;)

Beautiful locomotive.
Why two headlights?

Ardenwood Wrote:
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> To be exact the plate says "mitsu (=three) {logo)
> bishi (<hishi =lozenge), 24th year of Showa
> (=1949), no.xxxx." The number I cannot make out,
> presumably a factory production number.

Thanks for posting the wonderful C57 shot near Kitakata. Hope you had some ramen noodles while you were there!

I zoomed in on the image, and the number is 659, and I agree with you that it's probably the factory production number.

Abqfoamer Wrote:
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> There's no trash, no graffiti visible.
> What's wrong with those people? ;)
>
> Beautiful locomotive.
> Why two headlights?

I was wondering that, too, so I looked it up:

In AC catenary territory, an object or person does not need to make actual contact with the overheard wires to get electrocuted. Steam locomotives in those territories (Kyushu, Tohoku, and Hokkaido) often had a second "back up" headlight in case the primary one burned out, since it was too dangerous to change the bulb enroute.

While I don't know whether the double headlight came from the factory, it's very possible they were mounted and used during C61-20's last revenue service before retirement in the Kyushu area.

Wow... Great work, Charles! A lonnng way from Donner Pass, indeed!! haha!
And... thanks for the human interest, too--everything from the 'tori-testu' railfannette to the famous comedian.... Not to mention your stellar videography, as always!

cchan006 Wrote:
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> - At Shibukawa Station, C61-20 takes a break,
> which allows chasers on trains like me to catch
> up. The young lady at the right/bottom corner of
> the frame is trying to go for an artsy angle, and
> might be a "tori-testu" railfan.

Charles -

The young lady is dressed far too "chic" to be a "tori-tetsu"... rather than her being a Tetsuko, she is probably a photography student and wants to take a unique angles shot to impress her "shashin-sha no sensei" (photography teacher) and "Wow!" her classmates. Interesting article on train spotters/train spotting in Japan: http://katnsatoshiinjapan.blogspot.com/2010/11/tetsudo-fan.html

Don
Honolulu