JNR Class DE15

The JNR Class DE15 is a diesel-hydraulic locomotive operated by the Japanese National Railways and its various successors since 1966.
==History==
The DE15 was designed as a dedicated snow-clearing locomotive. A total of 85 locomotives were produced by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Nippon Sharyo; some specification changes were made midway through production. In addition to snow clearing duties, the DE15 was also used for occasional switching jobs with its snowplows removed. When the JNR was privatized and split in 1987, JR East, West, Central and Hokkaido took ownership of the DE15s.
From the 2000s to 2010s, the DE15s were replaced with newer locomotives, such as the ENR-1000 and the KiYa 143 series. As of 2023, JR West and Hokkaido operate DE15s, with JR Central retiring their fleet in 2013 and JR East in October 2020. A total of fourteen locomotives are in service, most of them with JR Hokkaido, as well as another four on private railways.
==Design==
The DE15 features a steeplecab-like design, giving it an appearance similar to that of a switcher locomotive; this design was chosen to help the locomotive reduce its weight by reducing its axle load. Unlike the similar-looking DD51 and DD13 locomotives, the DE15 features a long hooded design due to it only having one engine as opposed to two. The driver's cab is notably off-center; it was designed as such to allow for switching and short turnaround operations.
==Specifications==
The DE15s are fitted with a single V12 prime mover, designated the DML61Z, based on the DMF31S prime mover used on the earlier DD13 locomotives; this engine features strengthened pistons and a differently mounted intercooler to increase power output. Total power output is about 1,250 PS (919 kW). The DE15 uses a DW6 hydraulic transmission; the transmission works similarly to a Voith turbo transmission and features three built-in torque converters and two speed switching valves to change the locomotive's running characteristics for different applications.
Category:JR Group trains
Category:C-B locomotives
Category:Diesel locomotives
Category:Diesel-hydraulic locomotives
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kisha Seizō locomotives
Category:Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Category:Japanese locomotives