Class 1 (Locobase 12949)

Data from "Consolidation Locomotive for the Nippon Tetsudo Kwaisha Railroad", Railroad Gazette, Volume 42, No. 10 (8 March 1907), pp. 296-297. Works numbers were 41261-41272 in October 1906.

The Nippon Railway ordered a dozen locomotives from each of the two biggest locomotive builders in the USA. The Baldwins are shown in Locobase 12948. These Alcos were a little bigger and had fireboxes that included 18 sq ft (1.67 sq m) of heating surface in arch tubes.

Class 576 (Locobase 12948)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University, Volume 28, p. 280. Works numbers were 28914-28917, 28946-28947, and 28960-28965 in September 1906.

Like the Alco Consolidations shown in Locobase 12949, these Baldwins were quite the largest 2-8-0s to go into Japanese service. Their backbones were frames of "thoroughly annealed" cast steel, the cast iron pistons were to be "as light as possible", and all bearing surfaces were required to be "large with ample means of lubrication for a run of 40 miles [64 km] and to permit a speed of 45 miles [72 kph] per hour without heating."

In the same year that the NR ordered these locomotives, the 861-mile (1,386 km), privately held railway was taken into the Japanese Imperial Government Railways system.

Class 70/9030 (Locobase 12656)

Data from DeGolyer, Volume 25, p. 213; nd "JGR Class 9040" in Locomotive Wiki at [], last accessed 13 January 2024).. Works numbers were 21574-21576 in January 1903.

Baldwin's spec on this trio of narrow-gauge Consolidations mandated a mazimum axle loading of 25,000 lb (11,340 kg).They represented the last batch of a total of twelve engines from the Philadelphia builder that began in 1893 with eight Class G engines (Locobase 10934) that later fell under a Class 9040 JGR designation. All twelve were known as "Kokons" (small Consolidations) to distinguish them from the larger. Class 9200s.

See Locobase 10934.for the eight earlier class Gs.

The 9030s essentially duplicated the boiler, but held eight more tubes. Increased direct heating surface area and slightly less grate area describe a shallower, wider firebox.

Like the other 9040s, these engines served the Japanese Government Railways (recast after World War II as the Japanese National Railways) until 1964, when several continued on private railways.

Class 800 (Locobase 10984)

Data from Record of Recent Construction #54 (Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1905), p. 20-21; and DeGolyer, Volume 28, p. 97. Works numbers, all in 1905 were:

August 26226-26228, 26245, 26257, 26272-26274, 26290, 26310-26311, 26331-26333, 26346, 26368, 26369

September 26404, 26437, 26461-26462, 26479, 26494, 26496, 26509

October 26573, 26586, 26590-26591, 26654, 26699-26700, 26715, 26734, 26741

November 26784-26786, 26829, 26841-26842, 26849, 26893-26894, 26906, 26924-26925

December 26959-26960, 27074

In the same year that Baldwin was supplying 165 0-6-2Ts to the IGR (Locobase 10983), it was turning out these 50 powerful (for the Cape Gauge) Consolidations. Information on what class this might have become under the JNR in 1912 is not available, apparently -- unlike many of the other classes imported by Japan during this time.

Class 9550 (Locobase 3814)

Data from Hiroshi Takagi, both from his website ([]) and personal communication August 2000. His indispensable assistance is gratefully acknowledged. See also "JGR Class 9550" in Steam Locomotives, Locomotive Wiki at []

One of the first significant production runs by a Japanese builders, these Consolidations didn't quite make the grade. Locomotive Wiki's account says that on service entry, they were "immediately dogged by problems" and were "largely disliked by crews."

They served eastern railways before being sent south to Kyushu and north to Hokkaido.

All 9550s were retired by 1933, but latre gained some respect as prototypes for the latter-day 9600 class.

Class 9580 (Locobase 3815)

Data from Hiroshi Takagi, both from his website ([]) and personal communication August 2000. His indispensable assistance is gratefully acknowledged. See also "JGR Class 9550" in Steam Locomotives, Locomotive Wiki at [], last accessed 20 January 2024.

Superheated version of the American-designed 9550 (Locobase 3814), originally placed in class 9600, but underwent a class ID change to 9580 when a later Class 9600 came on the scene. (Locobase 3816)

What's particularly noticeable about this superheater upgrade is the increase in total heating surface. That was an unusual outcome for such makeovers, which more often yielded a net loss in area (although the smaller surface yielded better steam). In this case, the less-dense layout of tubes typical for a Japanese boiler allowed the substitution of flues at the sacrifice of fewer tubes.

Locomotive Wiki reports that this variant suffered from superheater installation issues "...as apparently the superheater tubes were arranged in a different way than what Schmidt had recommended."

Class 9600 (Locobase 3816)

Data from Hiroshi Takagi, both from his website ([]) and personal communication August 2000. His indispensable assistance is gratefully acknowledged. See also "Locomotive Practice on the Japanese Railways", Railway Engineer, Volume 44, No 2 (February 1923), pp. 68-70. See also "JGR Class 9600", Steam Locomotives, Locomotive Wiki at [], last accessed 20 January 2024.

Obviously a standard-design Consolidation with typical distribution of tubes and flues; this entry shows the specifications for the first 58 locomotives. Locomotive Wiki offerered a more emphatically positive appraisal as "the quintessential Japanese steam locomotive of the time, matching performance with Japanese ingenuity." NIcknames included "Kyuroku, Kunroku (96 in Japanese) or The Old Man of the Mountain among railfans."

The locomotives were retired in 1976, and were among the longest serving steam locomotives in Japan.

See Locobase 3817 for an extended discussion and data on the remainder of the class. RE's 1923 report noted that this was "the largest and most powerful 2-8-0 locomotive ever built in this country [Japan]." He added that the class was "particularly good for slow freight and heavy grade passenger services."

Information from Ejii Nozawa's web site ([]) says the entire 9600 class (see also #3817) was built from 1913-1925 by Hitachi, Kawasaki, KSK, and JNR's own Kokura works. Several dozen were delivered to Formosa (fka Taiwan) as Taiwan Railway Administration DT580s during its period as a Japanese dependency; see Locobase 3869). Nine more landed on Sakahlin Island north of Hokkaido as Sakhalin Railway's Class 80.

The locomotives were retired in 1976, and were among the longest serving steam locomotives in Japan.

Class 9658 (Locobase 3817)

Data from Hiroshi Takagi, both from his website ([]) and personal communication August 2000. His indispensable assistance is gratefully acknowledged. See also "Locomotive Practice on the Japanese Railways", Railway Engineer, Volume 42, No 2 (February 1923), pp. 68-70.

Information about the first 58 is found at Locobase 3816. At the 59th example, the class settled on a tube-flue layout that had eight fewer tubes, one more flue. Over time the 9600s saw a slight increase in boiler pressure to 185 psi and acquired pre-heaters, an extended stack, and smoke deflectors.

Akira Saito, in an overview of Japan's modern steam locomotives published in December 2002 on [], observes that compared to the earlier Baldwin 9300 class, which had a bar frame, the 9600s used a plate frame. The firebox now lay over the rear driving axle, not sloping down between the last two and the driver diameter increased by 130 mm (5.2"). As a result the boiler center was almost a full foot higher (300 mm).

Saito adds that the 9600 "stood out by adopting superheated steam and a design of frame and axle box suitable for easy revamping to standard gauge." Compared to the earlier Baldwin 9300 class, which had a bar frame, the 9600s used a plate frame.

Information from Ejii Nozawa's web site ([]) says the entire 9600 class (see also #3816) was built from 1913-1925 by Hitachi, Kawasaki, KSK, and JNR's own Kokura works. They operated in Japan until the mid-1970s. Because the Japanese also ruled Formosa (Taiwan) and Korea and occupied China for several years, 9600s wound up there, too.

Class G/9000/9040 (Locobase 10934)

Data from Wikipdia [], last accessed 19 November 2009. See also DeGolyer, Volume 19, p. 42; and "JGR Class 9040" in Locomotive Wiki at [], last accessed 13 January 2024). Works numbers were 13823 and 13826 in October 1893; 13836 in November; 14248-14249 in March 1895; 15151 in December 1896; and 15651-15652 in January 1898.

Baldwin's specification page included the guarantee that one of these tanks would move 130-160 gross tons (of 2,240 lb/1,016 kg) up a 2 1/2% grade and around curves with 410 ft radii. They'd roll on 45 lb/yard (22.5 kg/metre) rail with sleepers set 30" (762 mm) apart.

Tender water capacity was more than adequate as the railway had "water stations" spaced 11 1/2 and 15 miles (9.9 and 24.15 km), respectively.

Locobase 12656 describes Baldwin's 1903 batch designated JGR Class 9030 that later fell under the Class 9040 designation..

These engines served the Japanese Government Railways (recast after World War II as the Japanese National Railways) until 1964, when several continued on private railways.