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Class EF66
JR Freight EF66 27 in May 2013
Type and origin Builder Kawasaki Sharyo, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kisha Seizo, Toshiba Total produced 89
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′Bo′  • Commonwealth Bo-Bo-Bo Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Bogies DT133A (outer), DT134A (centre) Wheel diameter 1,120 mm (44.09 in) Length 18,200 mm (59 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Width 2,800 mm (9 ft 2+1⁄4 in) Height 4,200 mm (13 ft 9+3⁄8 in) Loco weight 100.8 tonnes (99.2 long tons; 111.1 short tons) Electric system/s 1,500 V DC overhead lines Current pickup(s) Pantograph Traction motors DC motors (MT56) (x6) Transmission Single-stage reduction gear (20:71), flexible quill drive
Performance figures Maximum speed 110 km/h (70 mph) Power output 3.9 MW (5,200 hp) Tractive effort 192 kN (43,000 lbf)
Career Operators ■ JNR ■ JR West ■ JR Freight Number in class 39 (as of 1 April 2016) Delivered 1966 Withdrawn EF66-0 1992–2024(All Units) Disposition In service
This train won the 12th Blue Ribbon Award in 1969.

The Class EF66 (EF66形) is a six-axle, three-bogied (Bo′Bo′Bo′) DC electric locomotive designed for fast freight used by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later operated by its descendants JR West and JR Freight. As of 1 April 2016, 39 locomotives remained in service, all operated by JR Freight.

Variants

• EF66-900: Prototype locomotive EF66 901, delivered in 1966
• EF66-0: Full-production type (EF66 1 – 55), built 1968 to 1975
• EF66-100: Later type (EF66 101 – 133), built 1989 to 1991

Technical

The locomotives were designed to be able to haul 1,000-tonne trains at 100 km/h (60 mph). Each traction motor has a power output of 650 kW (870 hp), (about 50% more powerful than the Class EF65). The bogies have an air suspension system to limit the impulsive forces on the track.

Operations

During the JNR era, these locomotives were used for freight trains and also for passenger work – primarily hauling night trains such as the Hayabusa sleeping car limited express.

By 1 April 2009, 73 EF66s (including all 33 EF66-100s) were in service, with 63 owned by JR Freight (all based at Suita Depot in Osaka), and 10 owned by JR West (all based at Shimonoseki Depot). In the timetable revision in 2022 all EF66 Units were withdrawn from regular service.

As of 1 April 2016, 39 locomotives remained in service (six EF66-0 and 33 EF66-100 locomotives), all operated by JR Freight.

As of July 2021 just two EF66-0 examples remain in service, those being EF66-27 & EF66-30

History

Background

With the opening of the Meishin Expressway between Nagoya and Kobe in 1965 and the Tomei Expressway between Tokyo and Nagoya in 1968, JNR faced increasing competition for freight transport from road hauliers. JNR therefore developed the "10000 series" freight wagons (KoKi 10000 and KoKiFu 10000 container flat wagons, ReSa 10000 and ReMuFu 10000 refrigerated wagons, and WaKi 10000 bogie vans) capable of operating at 100 km/h (60 mph). Express freight services formed of these wagons were introduced on the Tokaido Main Line and Sanyo Main Line from October 1966 using Class EF65-500 electric locomotives built in 1965. These locomotives were designed to be used in pairs hauling 1,000-tonne freight trains, but as pairs of locomotives drew excessive current from the overhead wires, 1,000-tonne freight trains had to be split into 600-tonne and 400-tonne sections when operating on the Sanyo Main Line. This led to the need for a new locomotive design that would be capable of hauling 1,000-tonne trains singly.

Prototype

A prototype locomotive, initially classified EF90 and numbered EF90 1, was built by Kawasaki Sharyo in 1966. It had a total power output of 3.9 MW (5,230 hp), making it the world's most powerful narrow-gauge locomotive at the time.

EF66 901 was retired from service in 1996, and has been stored at Hiroshima Depot since February 2001, but it was taken apart in March.

Full-production series

The production series of locomotives were delivered from 1968, with 55 built in two batches between 1968 and 1975.

The second batch of locomotives, EF66 21 to EF66 55, delivered between 1973 and 1975, incorporated a number of minor changes and improvements. Most noticeable was the extension of the cab roofs over the windscreens to reduce the deposition of abrasion dust from the pantographs on the windscreens. Some of the first-batch locomotives (EF66 1 to 20) were also subsequently modified with the "sun visor" style cab end roofs.

• First-batch EF66 3 on a freight working in June 1984
• First-batch EF66 11 in 2007
• Second-batch EF66 49 on a sleeping car service in March 2009

Post-privatization

Following the privatisation of JNR on 1 April 1987, JR Freight received the prototype (EF66 901) and 39 of the original series (EF66 1 to EF66 39) as well as the Class EF66-100 machines. JR West obtained the remainder of the machines (EF66 40 to EF66 55) – a total of 16.

Shortly after privatization, JR Freight tried out a number of new experimental liveries on its various locomotives, and one Class EF66, locomotive number EF66 20, received an experimental cream and blue livery with large "JR" logos in August 1987. No other members of the class were reliveried, however, and EF66 20 received the new JR Freight two-tone blue livery when it underwent refurbishment in October 1993.

From 1988, JR Freight retrofitted a number of its EF66s (numbers 22– 4, 26–27, 30–33, 37) with roof-mounted cab air-conditioning units.

From 1993, JR Freight started refurbishing its fleet of EF66s (numbers 1–5, 7–10, 11–12, 16–39, 41, 44, 53, 55). Refurbishment included rewinding of the traction motor coils, removal of the former JNR decorations on the front-end number plates, and repainting into a two-tone blue livery similar to that carried by the EF66-100s. Locomotives refurbished from 2004 onward, however, received a simplified blue livery, similar to the original JNR-style livery.

• EF66 20 in experimental JR Freight livery in the late 1980s
• JR Freight EF66 29 in revised livery in June 2003
• JR Freight EF66 28 in February 2007 in the later livery applied to refurbished locomotives

EF66-100

Due to increased demand, JR Freight began building more EF66s in 1989. This batch of locomotives was classified EF66-100, with locomotive numbered EF66 101 to EF66 133. The Class EF66-100 locomotives were fundamentally the same design as the EF66-0, but with slightly more modern external styling. The driver's cabs are air-conditioned. The Class EF66 100 locomotives were also built in two batches, EF66 101 to 108 and EF66 109 to EF133. The second batch differed in having rectangular headlamps and tail lamps, while the first batch had round lamps.

• First-batch EF66 108 in December 2009
• Second-batch Class EF66-119 in February 2007

Build histories

The individual locomotive build histories are as follows.

Notes

1. Originally built as EF90 1. Renumbered EF66 901 in August 1968.

Preserved examples

• EF66 1: Stored at Hiroshima Depot in Hiroshima.
• EF66 11: Preserved at The Railway Museum in Saitama.
• EF66 35: Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto.
• EF66 45: (No. 1 end cab section) Preserved at a museum located next to Torokko Saga Station in Kyoto.
• EF66 45: (No. 2 end cab section) Preserved outside the Hoshiai Eye Clinic in Midori-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture.
• EF66 49: (No. 1 end cab section) Preserved at a museum located next to Torokko Saga Station in Kyoto.
• EF66 49: (No. 2 end cab section) Preserved at the Pain Aux Seigle bakery in Kizugawa, Kyoto, located near Kizu Station.

• EF66 35 at the Kyoto Railway Museum in October 2016
• The cab end of EF66 45 in Saitama in July 2014

See also

• Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification
• RENFE Class 251, an electric locomotive type operated by Renfe in Spain based on the EF66

References

1. Fujii, Katsuhisa (November 1991), 国鉄最大最強力電機EF66形のすべて [All about Class EF66, the largest and the most powerful electric locomotive of JNR], Japan Railfan Magazine, vol. 31, no. 367, Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd., p. 8 et seq
2. ^ Miyahara, Masakazu, ed. (December 2016). 国鉄最終章LAST (鉄道ジャーナル2017年2月号別冊) [JNR – The Final Chapter (Railway Journal February 2017 Extra issue)]. Tetsudō Jānaru (in Japanese). Japan: Railway Journal: 23–27. ASIN B01N59AJPB. ISSN 0288-2337.
3. "EF66-100". Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
4. Jēāru zensharyō handobukku: Rail Magazine 2009 JR全車輌ハンドブック2009 [JR Rolling Stock Handbook 2009]. Japan: Neko Publishing. 2009. ISBN 978-4-7770-0836-0.
5. ^ Matsuo, Yoshitaka (February 2017). 国鉄最強の電気機関車 EF66 [EF66 – JNR's most powerful electric locomotive]. Rail Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 34, no. 401. Japan: Neko Publishing Co., Ltd. pp. 28–64.
6. ^ Sasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&jr 保存車大全 2015-2016 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. 122. ISBN 978-4863209282.
7. 京都鉄道博物館 [Kyoto Railway Museum]. Japan Railfan Magazine (in Japanese). Vol. 56, no. 662. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. June 2016. p. 47.
8. ^ Shimizu, Kaoru (January 2011). 栄光のブルトレ牽引機EF66 45・49 新たなる任務を負って（前編）～嵯峨野への旅～ [Famous Blue Train locomotives EF66 45&49 start new duties (Part 1) The journey to Sagano]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 51, no. 597. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 104–107.
9. Shimizu, Kaoru (September 2014). 栄光のブルトレ牽引機EF66 45・49 新たなる任務を負って [Famous Blue Train locomotives EF66 45&49 start new duties]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 54, no. 641. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. pp. 138–139.
10. パン屋さんの店頭に４９号機！ [Loco No. 49 in a Baker's!]. Japan Railfan Magazine. Vol. 51, no. 607. Japan: Koyusha Co., Ltd. November 2011. pp. 104–5.
11. Johnston, Howard; Harris, Ken (2005). Jane's Train Recognition Guide. HarperCollins. pp. 95, 344. ISBN 978-0-06-081895-1.

v t e Japanese National Railway Electric Locomotives
Old types	Two-axle EB10/AB10 Four-axle ED10 ED11 ED12 ED13 ED14 ED15 ED16 ED17 ED18 ED19 ED20 ED21 ED22 ED23 ED24 ED25 I ED26 I ED27 I ED28 I ED29 I ED30→ED25 II ED31 ED32 ED33→ED26 II ED34→ED27 II ED35→ED28 II ED36 ED37→ED29 II ED38 ED50 · ED51 · ED52 ED53 ED54 ED55 (proposed) ED56 ED57 ケED10 Six-axle EF10 EF11 EF12 EF13 EF14 EF15 EF16 EF18 EF50 EF51 EF52 EF53 EF55 EF56 EF57 EF58 EF59 Eight-axle EH10 EH50 Abt-type EC40 ED40 ED41 ED42
New types	Four-axle DC ED60 ED61 ED62 ED63/ED95 Six-axle DC EF60 EF61 EF62 EF63 EF64 EF65 EF66/EF90 EF67 Four-axle AC ED44/ED90 · ED45/ED91 ED70 ED71 ED72 ED73 ED74 ED75 ED76 ED77/ED93 ED78/ED94 ED79 Six-axle AC EF70 EF71 AC/DC 2-system ED30 II ED46/ED92 EF30 EF80 EF81

v t e Japan Freight Railway Motive Power
Electric	AC+DC ED500 EF81 EF500 EF510 EH500 DC ED62 EF61 EF64 EF65 EF66 EF67 EF200 EF210 EH200 AC ED75 ED76 ED79 EH800
Diesel	DB500 DD51 DD200 DE10 DE11 DF200
Hybrid	HD300
EMU	M250
Note: Withdrawn locomotive classes are shown in italics

v t e Locomotives of West Japan Railway Company
Electric	DC EF15 EF58 EF59 EF60 EF64 EF65 EF66 AC+DC EF81
Diesel	DD14 DD15 DD16 DD51 DE10 DE15
Steam	8620 C56 C57 C61 C62 D51
Note: Withdrawn locomotive classes are shown in italics

v t e Japanese railway locomotives
Steam locomotives	150 160 500 860 900 950 1070 2120 3080 3150 3380 3800 3900 4100 4110 5100 5500 5700 6120 6200 6400 6700 7010 7100 7170 8150 8250 8620 8700 8900 9550 9600 9700 B20 C10 C11 C12 C50 C51 C52 C53 C54 C55 C56 C57 C58 C59 C60 C61 C62 C63 D50 D51 D52 D60 D61 D62 E10
Diesel locomotives	DB10 DB500 DC10 DC11 DD10 DD11 DD12 DD13 DD14 DD15 DD16 DD17 DD18 DD19 DD20 DD21 DD50 DD51 DD53 DD54 DD200 DE10 DE11 DE15 DE50 DF50 DF200 HD300 KiYa 143 KiYa 291 Seibu D15 Seibu D21 Ooikawa DB1 Ooikawa DB51 Ooikawa DD100 Ooikawa DD20
Electric locomotives	EB10 ED10 ED15 ED16 ED17 ED18 ED19 ED60 ED61 ED62 ED70 ED71 ED72 ED73 ED74 ED75 ED76 ED77 ED78 ED79 EF10 EF13 EF15 EF16 EF30 EF50 EF51 EF52 EF53 EF55 EF56 EF57 EF58 EF59 EF60 EF61 EF62 EF63 EF64 EF65 EF66 EF67 EF70 EF71 EF80 EF81 EH10 EH50 ED500 EF200 EF210 EF500 EF510 EH200 EH500 EH800 Chichibu DeKi 1 Chichibu DeKi 100 Chichibu DeKi 200 Chichibu DeKi 300 Chichibu DeKi 500 Meitetsu DeKi 300 Meitetsu DeKi 400 Meitetsu DeKi 600 Meitetsu Class EL120 Tobu ED4010 Tobu ED5000 Tobu ED5010 Tobu ED5060 Seibu E31 Seibu E851 Ooikawa E10 Ooikawa ED90 Toei E5000

• Electric locomotives of Japan
• Japan Freight Railway Company
• Bo′Bo′Bo′ locomotives
• Bo-Bo-Bo locomotives
• 1500 V DC locomotives
• 1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan
• Kawasaki locomotives
• Kisha Seizo locomotives
• Railway locomotives introduced in 1966