JGR Class 8620

Class of Japanese 2-6-0 steam locomotives

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.)

• 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
• CT152: Preserved at Miaoli Railway Museum in Miaoli

• 
  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
• 
  Taiwan Railway CT152 in October 2020

In popular culture

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.

See also

• Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification
• JNR Class C50
• JNR Class C56

References

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.
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.