Japanese
Steam locomotive

Class D62

 1950 - 1966

The heaviest tender engine for main line heavy freight trains.

D62 was planned for future main line electrification, because of electrification, surplus large heavy engines were turned over to sub-main lines.
As a result, heavy axle loaded class D52 was altered with a relieved axle load (4-8-2 to 4-8-4). Concurrently with axle arrangement reconstruction, D-52s coarse parts made during the war were replaced to normal modern parts, and the class named D62 came into being.
The first D62 came on the scene from the D52_368 in 1950. A total of 20 D62s were made from 1950 and 1951.
According to the original plan, a total of 500 heavy engines would be remodeled. But definitely this number was grossly reduced, because of earlier electrification and dieselization progress. Originally it was planned to have more than 20 engines, but they were suspended after 20.

The D62 appeared in the year of 1950, because electrification progress was still slow. Therefore, D62s still worked on arterious main lines of Tokaido and Sanyo, together with heavy axle loaded D52s, for another 10 years. Thus, there was no point in axle load relief, during this 10 year period.
But, when the Sanyo line began electrification during 1959 at Himeji, the D62 came into play with axle load relief remodeling. All D62s were moved to the Tohoku line, Ichinoseki depot, and worked between Sendai and Morioka.

D62_4 Maibara depot. 1950.
(Photo credit to K.Nishio)
Surplus culling began during 1966 because of Tohoku line Morioka electrification. Before electrification, it was planned to use D62s north of Morioka. But, the more popular model D51 was already in surplus. Eventually, all D62s were retired.

The D62_20 was regarded as the "Good-bye D62" train at the Nagamachi (Sendai) yard on the 30th September, 1966. The last three D62s were D62_10, 15 and 20. Afterward, "The Largest Japanese Freight type engine D62" was considered for preservation. But in the end, all engines were scrapped during 1966.


Primary ran line in last 10 years Tohoku line (Nagamachi, Sendai-Morioka)
Last line/depot and year Tohoku line / Ichinoseki depot.1966.
Restored engine none
Preserved engine none






Configuration 2-8-4 Dimensions Length (mm) 21105
Engine Weight (Operating tons) 87.9 Driver size (mm diameter) 1400
Boiler pressure (Kg/cm2) 16.0 Max Tractive effort (tons) 14.8
Driver Max Power (PS) 1660 Max Speed (km/h) 85
Manufactured years 1950-1951 Total production 20
Gauge 3ft 6in (1067mm)


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