JGR Class 8620

Specifications
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	2-6-0
Gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Leading dia.	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Driver dia.	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Minimum curve	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Length:;
• Over couplers	16,765 mm (55 ft 0 in)
Width	2,581 mm (8 ft 5.6 in)
Height	3,785 mm (12 ft 5.0 in)
Frame type	Plate
Loco weight	48.83 t (48.06 long tons; 53.83 short tons)
Tender weight	34.50 t (33.96 long tons; 38.03 short tons)
Cylinder size	470 mm (1 ft 7 in)
Valve gear	Walschaerts

Type and origin
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi, Nippon Sharyo, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company, Kisha Seizo
Build date	1914-1929
Total produced	672

JGR Class 8620
Taiwan Railways Class CT150
JGR Class 8620; Taiwan Railways Class CT150
	58654 in service
Power type
Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi, Nippon Sharyo, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Rolling Stock Company, Kisha Seizo
Build date	1914-1929
Total produced	672
Configuration:;
Specifications
Configuration:;
• Whyte	2-6-0
Gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Leading dia.	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Driver dia.	1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Minimum curve	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Length:;
• Over couplers	16,765 mm (55 ft 0 in)
Width	2,581 mm (8 ft 5.6 in)
Height	3,785 mm (12 ft 5.0 in)
Frame type	Plate
Loco weight	48.83 t (48.06 long tons; 53.83 short tons)
Tender weight	34.50 t (33.96 long tons; 38.03 short tons)
Cylinder size	470 mm (1 ft 7 in)
Valve gear	Walschaerts
Maximum speed
Performance figures
Maximum speed	90 km/h?
Power output	558kw（630hp） ?
Tractive effort	89.2kN
Operators
Career
Operators	JNR; JR Kyushu; Taiwan Railways
Number in class	672
Numbers	8620 - 88651
Nicknames	Hachiroku, Mugen Train
Retired	1975

The Class 8620 (8620形) is a type of 2-6-0 steam locomotive built in Japan from 1914 to 1929. It was Japan's first mass-produced passenger locomotive. A total of 672 Class 8620 locomotives were built.^[1] Originally they had a symmetry of line with shapely cast iron chimneys which gave way to plainer chimneys and smoke deflectors were added in later years.

A total of 42 Class 8620 locomotives were built for Imperial Taiwan Railway from 1919 to 1928. After World War II, they were taken over by Taiwan Government Railways, and were classified CT150.^[2]^[3]

Preserved examples

As of 2014^[update], twenty Class 8620 locomotives have been preserved in Japan, as follows.^[4] (They have also been preserved in Taiwan.)

Taiwan

CT152: Preserved at Miaoli Railway Museum in Miaoli

Taiwan Railway CT152 in October 2020

Japan

8620: Preserved at the Ome Railway Park in Ome, Tokyo
8630: Preserved in working order at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto
28651: Preserved in Ono, Fukui
48624: Preserved in a park in Otofuke, Hokkaido
48640: Preserved in Hirosaki, Aomori
48647: Preserved in Takachiho, Miyazaki
48650: Preserved in Miyoshi, Hiroshima
48696: Preserved at the municipal zoo in Omuta, Fukuoka
58623: Preserved in Toyokawa, Aichi
58654: Preserved in working order as the SL Hitoyoshi at Kumamoto Depot in Kumamoto, Kumamoto
58680: Preserved in a park in Mobara, Chiba
58683: Preserved in a park in Sakura, Chiba
58685: Preserved in front of Tadotsu Station in Tadotsu, Kagawa
68691: Preserved in a park in Yamagata, Yamagata
68692: Preserved in a park in Tokushima, Tokushima
78626: Preserved in a park in Onga, Fukuoka
78653: Preserved at Wespa Tsubakiyama in Fukaura, Aomori
78675: Preserved in a park in Gojo, Nara
78693: Preserved at Koriyama Depot in Koriyama, Fukushima
88622: Preserved in Iki, Nagasaki

8620 No. 8630 dressed as Mugen Train in the Kyoto Railway Museum

8620 at the Ome Railway Park in September 2015
Preserved 8630 in operation at the Kyoto Railway Museum in August 2016
48640 in Aomori Prefecture in June 2011
Preserved 58654 in operation in September 2010
58685 in Tadotsu in October 2004
78653 in August 2007

In popular culture

Steam locomotive 58654 operated by Kyushu Railway Co. during the film's release for publicity.

KATO have made models in N gauge of the 8620 in the Tohoku region as well as SL Hitoyoshi in a special 4-car limited edition boxed set. Plarail have also depicted the 8620 in the form of SL Hitoyoshi and SL Aso Boy.

The Class 8620 has made appearances in notable forms of Japanese media. Maitetsu, a visual novel developed by now-disbanded visual novel developer Lose, featuring anthropomorphic depictions of steam locomotives known as "Raillords". Hachiroku, a depiction of class leader No. 8620, is the main heroine of the novel.

The Class 8620's popularity would rise when the locomotive would be featured in the movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, taking place on a train pulled by the Mugen Train, modeled after the real No. 8620 on display at the Ome Railway Park. The two operational Class 8620s, 8630 and 58654, were cosmetically modified to match the train as seen in the movie and operated with these cosmetic modifications.

References

^ Inoue, Kōichi (1999). 国鉄機関車辞典 [JNR Locomotive Encyclopedia]. Japan: Sankaido. pp. 28–31. ISBN 4-381-10338-6.
^ "Taiwan Railway 2-6-0 Locomotives in Taiwan". Steam Locomotive dot Com. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
^ "History of Locomotive". Taiwan Railways Administration. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
^ Sasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&JR保存車大全2015-2016 [JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide 2015-2016] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 126. ISBN 978-4863209282.

[inoue1999-1] Inoue, Kōichi (1999). 国鉄機関車辞典 [JNR Locomotive Encyclopedia]. Japan: Sankaido. pp. 28–31. ISBN 4-381-10338-6.

[2] "Taiwan Railway 2-6-0 Locomotives in Taiwan". Steam Locomotive dot Com. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

[3] "History of Locomotive". Taiwan Railways Administration. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

[sasada2014-4] Sasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&JR保存車大全2015-2016 [JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide 2015-2016] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 126. ISBN 978-4863209282.

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