JNR Class EF70

The JNR Class EF70 is a Japanese AC electric locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways from 1961 to March 1987.
==History==
The EF70 was developed specifically for hauling 1,300 ton freight trains on a 10‰ gradient and passenger trains at up to 100 km/h (62 mph) through the Hokuriku Tunnel, with the JNR realizing it would be difficult to do so with existing locomotives. As a result, it was decided to design a Bo-Bo-Bo locomotive for the purpose.
The first locomotives entered service in 1961 in the Hokuriku region, with operation expanded later throughout the region. Seven locomotives, EF70 22 through 28, were modified to haul sleeper trains and renumbered to EF70 1001 through EF70 1007. These were slowly replaced by EF81 locomotives in the 1970s, with many EF70s becoming surplus; EF70 61 through 81 would be transferred to Kyushu to replace the older ED72 and ED73 locomotives.
In Kyushu, the EF70s were used to haul sleeper trains and freight trains, but due to their axle load their operation was restricted to the north of Kumamoto; they were also deemed too powerful for their use in Kyushu and by 1982 most locomotives had been taken out of service. By 1984, few locomotives remained in service on the Hokuriku Main Line. The remaining EF70s were taken out of service in March 1986, with the exception of EF70 1 which remained in service until March 1987; all locomotives were retired before the JNR was privatized and split, with none sold to private railways.
One EF70, EF70 1001, is preserved at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park. A few other locomotives were preserved in the past before being scrapped; one notable locomotive was EF70 57. It was painted in JNR limited express colors and located together with camping cars at a youth facility in Hakusan, Ichikawa. The facility closed in 2013 and the locomotive and cars were hauled in the early morning of February 2016 for scrapping.
==Design==
The EF70s featured large box-shaped bodies. The initial 21 locomotives featured a single large top-mounted headlight; this was later changed to dual headlights from EF70 22 onwards. Other minor changes to the design were also made.
==Specifications==
The EF70s used a nose suspension drive as opposed to the Quill drive of more recent locomotives; the use of the nose suspension drive was due to maintenance problems involving the Quill drive, so all locomotives after the EF70 would use the nose suspension drive. This however came at the cost of keeping the rated rotation speed of the traction motors low. MT52 traction motors were used on the locomotives.
==Preservation==
The following Class EF70 locomotives have been preserved:
Number 	Manufacturer	Equipment manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Location 	Notes
EF70 1001	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	13 June 1964 	31 March 1986	Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma, Japan	Ex-EF70 22; preserved outdoors
The following Class EF70 locomotives were preserved in the past but have since been scrapped:
Number 	Manufacturer 	Equipment manufacturer	Date manufactured	Date retired 	Last location 	Notes
EF70 1 	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	1961 	March 1987 	JR West Mattō Works, Ishikawa, Japan 	Last reliably sighted 1994, presumed scrapped
EF70 4 	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	1961 	1986 	JR West Tsuruga Rolling Stock Depot, Fukui, Japan 	Last reliably sighted 1994, presumed scrapped; wore numberplates of EF70 1
EF70 57 	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries	Mitsubishi Electric 	26 June 1965 	31 March 1986	Mattō Youth Accommodation Training Center, Ishikawa, Japan	Displayed outdoors and used as lodging, coupled to passenger cars OHa 47 2079 and OHa 47 2235; facility closed March 2013, scrapped February 2016
EF70 70 	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	1965 	1986 	Suita Locomotive Depot, Osaka, Japan 	Stored in roundhouse; scrapped 1998 with demolition of roundhouse
EF70 1003	Hitachi 	Hitachi 	1964 	1986 	Fukui, Japan 	Ex-EF70 24, wore numberplates of EF70 1005; initially preserved as yakiniku restaurant Donko alongside OHaFu 45 2014 and OHaFu 46 2029, restaurant closed November 1995, locomotive moved around until 2007, presumably scrapped afterwards
==Gallery==
File:EF70-57.JPG|Formerly preserved EF70 57 in August 2014
File:EF70 1001 2022.jpg|EF70 1001 in July 2022
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Electric locomotives
Category:B-B-B locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Hitachi locomotives
Category:Mitsubishi locomotives
Category:Sole survivor
Category:Japanese locomotives