On the way back from Hinuma Natural Park last month, I came across a freight train pulled by an old electric locomotive (EL) at Matsudo station on the Joban line. It was unit number 2096 of the JR Freight (JRF) Class EF65
The EF65 is one of the representative ELs in Japan. It was commissioned in 1965 as a new standard EL to replace the old model, Class EF60. 308 units were built from 1965 to 1979 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Toshiba, Nippon Sharyo and so on. 53 units are still operated by JRF, JR East and JR West. The axis arrangement is Bo-Bo-Bo in UIC notation. Six sets of 425 kW DC motors are mounted.
A Recent topic of the EF65 is its body color change. Many units were returned to so-called "JNR color" as a rail-fans service. JNR stands for Japanese National Railways, which was abolished and split into seven JR companies in 1987. The JNR-colored ELs are still very popular among rail-fans, since JNR operated popular overnight sleeper trains such as Asakaze and Sakura pulled by JNR-colored ELs.
When will all units of the EF65 retire? I don't know exactly, but it's not a long way off. The successor of the EF65 is the EF210, which was launched in 1996. Pulling a total of 1,300 ton cargo container wagons, the EE210 can travel with a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour. I hope that the old EF65 will be operated in good condition for some time now.
The EF65 is one of the representative ELs in Japan. It was commissioned in 1965 as a new standard EL to replace the old model, Class EF60. 308 units were built from 1965 to 1979 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Toshiba, Nippon Sharyo and so on. 53 units are still operated by JRF, JR East and JR West. The axis arrangement is Bo-Bo-Bo in UIC notation. Six sets of 425 kW DC motors are mounted.
A Recent topic of the EF65 is its body color change. Many units were returned to so-called "JNR color" as a rail-fans service. JNR stands for Japanese National Railways, which was abolished and split into seven JR companies in 1987. The JNR-colored ELs are still very popular among rail-fans, since JNR operated popular overnight sleeper trains such as Asakaze and Sakura pulled by JNR-colored ELs.
When will all units of the EF65 retire? I don't know exactly, but it's not a long way off. The successor of the EF65 is the EF210, which was launched in 1996. Pulling a total of 1,300 ton cargo container wagons, the EE210 can travel with a maximum speed of 110 kilometers per hour. I hope that the old EF65 will be operated in good condition for some time now.
Official promotion movie, the "Momotaro" poster EL, JR Freight Class EF210: