Do you like slugs? In Japan, they appear with the advent of spring. I try to stay away from them as they are so slimy and disgusting. I like snails, though. Speaking of which, I remembered that a "slug locomotive" is exhibited in the metropolitan area.
Unit 14 of the Class D51 (hereafter D51 14) is a precious steam locomotive preserved in Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture. D51 14 was built by Kisha-seizo Osaka Factory in 1936 as the first batch of the Class D51. After 37 years' commission on the Japanese Government Railways (later the Japanese National Railways), it was retired from the track, and has been preserved in Nagareyama Sports Park since 1976. I would like to thank a local volunteers' group, who preserve D51 14 in a very good condition. Many rail-fans affectionately refer to D51 14 as "the slug locomotive". Why? Because, its smokestack, feed water heater, sandbox and steam reservoir are integrated, and look like a slug. This shape is different from that of the later batches of the Class D51. Please review my previous posts on the later batches of the Class D51, such as Unit 408, 498 and 516.
Incidentally, the steam locomotive (SL) Class D51 was Japan's largest force of SL fleet. 1,115 units in total were built until 1950. It's a 2-8-2 (Whyte notation) type SL that has a tender attached. It's 19.73 meters long. The driving wheel diameter is 1,400 millimeters. The maximum operating speed was 85 kilometers per hour.
