Steam Locomotive

No. C51_5

Class C51
1919 - 1965


The First Japanese domestically produced standard high speed passenger engine.



Please see

the Class C51 Steam Locomotive

for more details on Class C51 Steam Engine.




Preserved engine C51 No.5 (1919 - 1962)

Class C51 No.5 was manufactured at the Ministry of Railways Hamamatsu workshop, it's manufactured number was 5 during 1919.
She was named class 18900 No. 18904, and was changed to C51_5 during October 1928.
First deployment was to the Kobe area, and later it was transferred to Himeji, Takasaki and Umekoji depot. After WW2, she was placed at the Nara depot, and was active on Kansai line until her retirement. During December 1959, she was transferred to Ise depot, and retired on the 28th of February 1962.


C51's prime time at Nara dipot during 1959.
From the left, C51_25, C51_114 and C57_56
(Photo credit to S.Sumino)
C51_5 was chosen as the preservation engine for the 90th anniversary of railroads in 1962 for the reason that it had earliest number in class C51. On the 19th of October 1962, C51_5 was exhibited at Ome Railway Park.
During the night of the 12th of September 1982, C51_5 tumbled over a cliff from the park by typhoon 18's mudslide and was badly damaged. Afterward, she went unattended, for a half year under a cliff, however restoration was started from the 21st of March 1983. During January to March 1997, C51_5 was fully made up.

On the 31st of May 2007, she was transferred from Ome Railway Park to Saitama's new Railway Museum which opened from the 14th of October 2007.

Class C51, No.5 Biographic Data Chart

Date Location Application
1919 JGR Hamamatsu works Sil No.5 Manufacture
24 Jan 1919 Kobe area as No.18904 Deployment
Oct 1928 Class C51 No.C515 Renamed
Aug 1930 Himeji
Service
Nov 1934 Takasaki
Service
Sep 1942 Fukuchiyama
Service
Mar 1943 Maibara
Transferred
Aug 1943 Toyooka
Transferred
Dec 1945 Nara
Service
Dec 1959 Ise
Service
28 Feb 1962 JNR, Ise Deregistered
Oct 1962 Ome Railway Museum, Tokyo Exhibited
Oct 2007 Saitama Railway Museum Moved




Ome Railway Park the C51_5 during 1967.
Right is dining car SuShi28_102. It was scrapped during 1972.

Ome Railway Park with C51_5
During Jun 1987.



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