JNR Class ED76

The JNR Class ED76 is a Japanese AC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its successor companies since 1965.
==History==
The ED76 was designed as a versatile AC electric locomotive for use on the JNR. The locomotive was introduced as an improvement on the ED73 locomotives which had been used in Kyushu for some time.
From 1965 to 1979, 139 locomotives were manufactured based on the ED75, the de facto AC electric locomotive in use at the time. The locomotives were split into two subseries; the -0 subseries for use in Kyushu and the -500 subseries for use in Hokkaido, the latter being developed in 1968. In Kyushu, the locomotives were used to pull passenger trains thanks to their SG3B-S steam generators; these locomotives also replaced the older ED72 and ED73 locomotives in Blue Train operations. In Hokkaido, the locomotives pulled both freight and passenger trains and were mainly used on the Hakodate Main Line.
Withdrawals commenced in the 1980s; by the JNR's privatization and division in 1987 nearly half the locomotives had been withdrawn from service. JR Kyushu, JR Hokkaido and JR Freight inherited ownership of the remaining ED76s, with JR Kyushu receiving the bulk of the locomotives, with a total of 36 locomotives. JR Hokkaido retired their locomotives on 31 March 2001, while JR Kyushu retired their locomotives in November 2012. Ten locomotives remain in service, all with JR Freight. One locomotive has been preserved; one additional locomotive, ED76 91, was preserved in the past but has since been scrapped.
==Design==
The ED76s featured large box-shaped bodies with dual large circular headlights mounted on the top of the cars.
==Specifications==
The ED76s used a nose suspension drive system with MT52 traction motors; the use of the nose suspension drive was due to maintenance problems involving the Quill drive, so all locomotives after the earlier EF70 would use the nose suspension drive. This however came at the cost of keeping the rated rotation speed of the traction motors low.
==Preservation==
The following Class ED76 locomotives have been preserved:
Number 	Manufacturer 	Equipment manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Location 	Notes
ED76 505	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries	Mitsubishi Electric 	9 August 1968 	10 February 1987	Mikasa Railway Memorial Hall, Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan 	Displayed indoors in same compound as 59609, C12 2 and DD13 353, cab open for public viewing; PCB-related equipment removed in 2014
ED76 1 	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	1 September 1965 	3 February 1987 	Kyushu Railway History Museum, Kitakyushu, Kyushu, Japan	Cab only; displayed under shelter, preserved with cabs of EF30 3 and KuHa 481-246
ED76 509	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries	Mitsubishi Electric 	7 September 1968 	10 February 1987	Otaru City General Museum, Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan 	First half only; PCB-related equipment removed in August 2023 and locomotive cut in half
The following Class ED76 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Number 	Manufacturer	Equipment manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Last location 	Notes
ED76 91	Toshiba 	Toshiba 	18 June 1976 	25 January 2010	Hita Tenryosui no Sato Genki no Eki, Ōita, Kyushu, Japan	Displayed under shelter coupled to passenger cars ORoNe 15 3005 and SuHaNeFu 14 5; scrapped August 2021 due to deterioration
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric locomotives
Category:B-2-B locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Mitsubishi locomotives
Category:Toshiba locomotives
Category:Japanese locomotives