Japanese
Steam locomotive

Class D60

 1951 - 1974

A middle to large Tender-Engine for sub-main line freight trains.


D60 No. 59
At Yanagigaura on the Nippo line,
during April 1959.
(Photo credit to S.Sumino)

The reason for the newly designed D60, was for the replacement of the old time class 9600, from the surplus D50s. As a result, D50's axle load was reduced to the basic class 9600's lightweight axle load. So, seventy-eight D50s with an axle relieved load (4-6-2 to 4-6-4), and were named the D60. The remodeling was done in the JNR Hamamatsu, Nagano and Tsuchizaki (Akita) workshops during 1951-1956.

The first D60 was remodeled from the D50_162 at the JNR Hamamatsu workshop during September 1951. Her first deployment was to Tsuwano depot and after that it worked on the Yamaguchi line for it's entire lifetime until its retirement during December 1966. Afterward, she was preserved at Yamaguchi Museum in Yamaguchi city, and you can see her even now.

After its appearance, the D60 went into sub-main line service. The original purpose for the D60 was that it was to be used on light grade lines with its relieved axil load, however, in time, it was used for other purposes and only a few lines used it for its original purpose .... they were Okoku (Kitakami), East-Banetu, Yamaguchi and Kyudai lines.

The weeding out of surplus D60's began in 1963. All of 78 D60s were still active during 1962, but during 1966, the number was decreased to 48, and was decreased to 23 during 1969. They were 12 in the Oita depot (No.21, 57, 58, 60-65, 67, 69 and 71) for the Kyudai line, and 11 in the Nogata depot (No.22, 25-28, 31-34, 46 and 52) for the Chikuho line.
In the end, two D60s (D60_46, 61) survived at the Wakamatsu depot. They were retired after finishing the Chikuho line operation during June 1974.


Primary ran line in last 10 years Tihoku, East-Banetu, Kitakami, Kisei, Yamaguchi, Tikuho, and Kyudai line
Last line/depot and year Tikuho line / Wakamatu, Nogata depot 1973. (irregular service continued until Jun 1974)
Restored engine (2017) none
Preserved engine (2017) 4 (No.1, 27, 46, 61)



After just clearing the summit,
a D60 rushes down the Hiyamizu pass
on Chikuho line in 1970.
(Photo in T.S. possession)
D60_62, on Chikuho line.
(Photo in T.S. possession)

D60_75 at Koriyama depot on the East-Banetu line.
Mar.1960.
(Photo credit to S.Sumino)
D60_32, Chikuho line.
(Photo in T.S. possession)
The last D60, D60_46 at the Wakamatsu depot.
During Mar 1974.
(Photo credit to Nicholas Pertwee)






Configuration 2-8-4 Dimensions Length (mm) 20030
Engine Weight (Operating tons) 81.6 Driver size (mm diameter) 1400
Boiler pressure (Kg/cm2) 13.0 Max Tractive effort (tons) 13.7
Driver Max Power (PS) 1280 Max Speed (km/h) 85
Manufactured years 1951-1955 Total production 78
Gauge 3ft 6in (1067mm)


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