JNR Class C54

The JNR Class C54 was a 4-6-2 Pacific-type steam locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways from 1931 to 1963.
==History==
The C54 was designed as the successor locomotive to the Class C51 and C53 locomotives; the locomotives were designed by Kiichi Asakura under the supervision of Hideo Shima. 
The locomotives were only produced for one year, 1931, with just seventeen locomotives produced over the year; Kawasaki Sharyō (now known as Kawasaki Heavy Industries) produced eleven locomotives while Kisha Seizō (now defunct) produced the remaining six. Due to the way they were designed the Class C54 locomotives had numerous issues such as wheel slip, a lack of power and frequently cracking underframes and as a result they were disliked by drivers and engine crews; the Class C55 locomotives would be designed shortly after using lessons learned from the design of the C54. By the 1950s, nine of the locomotives had already been withdrawn and scrapped.
All locomotives were withdrawn from service by 1963; none were sold to private railroads. No Class C54s have been preserved, although the number plates of C54 6 and C54 17 are known to still exist. Today the Class C54s are not fondly remembered by engineers and historians and are considered a failure.
==Trivia==
*It is believed by many Japanese railfans that the number "54" on a locomotive is jinxed. While the Class ED54 electric locomotive is often cited as the prime example for the jinx, the C54 is also cited due to its performance and sharing the same classification.
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Built in 1931
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:4-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:4-6-2 locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kisha Seizō locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japanese steam locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives