C57 180 |
East Japan Railway Company
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C57_180 was manufactured at the Mitsubishi-Jyuko Co. Mihara workshop, serial No. 513,
on the 8th of August 1946, and she was deployed to the Niigata depot. She worked in Niigata area's Uetsu, Shinetsu, West-Banetsu lines ..... for it's entire lifetime until retirement. On the 30th of September 1969, West-Banetsu line steam service was closed. C57_180 pulled a "Good-Bye West-Banetsu steam" train, and also she was retired during the day. After retirement, C57_180 was transferred to Niitsu city, and Niitsu city decided the preservation place would be at the Niitsu No.1 Elementary School ground. On the 12th of October 1969, C57180 independently ran on a temporary laid rail track to the school ground, running very slowly. She arrived at the exhibition place on her own power. When D51-468 was restored, a number of Niitsu city people raised their voices and said "Why not restore C57_180 also ?". As a result, JR-East decided on C57_180's restoration during October 1997. On the 6th of March 1998, C57_180 was transferred to the JR Omiya works for restoration. Restoration was completed during March 1999, and the restored C57_180 was opened to the public at Niitsu depot on the 4th of April 1999. And the regular steam train "SL Banetsu Monogatari (The story of Banetsu)" was started from the 29th of April 1999. |
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Photo ; C57_180s Niitsu depot's mate engine C57_167. Imagawa station on the Uetsu line during Dec 1969. During West-Banetsu line dieselization, 14 C57s (No.1, 18, 35, 69, 84, 92, 166, 167, 172, 179, 180, 182, 186 and 189) survived at the Niitsu depot. Afterward, five (No. 1, 19, 103, 167 and 181) of Niitsu depot's C57s survived until Uetsu line's electrification during March 1972. |
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