JGR Class A 4

The JGR Class A 4 (read "ah-four", originally the Awa Railway Class 4) is a 0-4-0T Switcher-type well tank steam locomotive operated by the Japanese Government Railways from 1921 to 1936.
==History==
The Class A 4 was a well tank locomotive originally ordered by the Awa Railway as their Class 4 locomotive. One locomotives were produced by Orenstein & Koppel in 1921, classified as the Class 4 and numbered 7. When the Awa Railway was nationalized in 1933, the locomotives were initially intended to be named the Class 80, but as there was no formal policy for naming locomotives acquired by the JGR from private railroads, a special case was granted in this case; as a result, the locomotives were classified the Class A 4, with the "A" (read: "ah") being used to designate locomotives acquired from the Awa Railway. The locomotive was used until 1936 and retired and moved to the Takatori Works.
In 1921 and 1923, two similar locomotives were manufactured by Orenstein & Koppel for other private railways; these have the same appearance as the A 4s and as such were also classified as such. These also used for shunting and switching purposes and were used until the 1950s.
After being sent to Takatori Works, the Class A 4 locomotive was used as a training locomotive for budding engineers and was then modified. Modifications were done by Hideo Shima, the progenitor of the Shinkansen system; the modifications were performed by hand. The modified locomotive, now named Wakataka, featured an all new driver's cab and underframes, new side tanks, the removal of the well tank, but the retention of the boiler, wheels and cylinders. The locomotive was used briefly for some industrial work during the Pacific War but saw little use outside of being a training locomotive afterwards. The locomotive was moved to Torokko Saga Station on the Sagano Scenic Railway in 2000 when the Takatori Works were being renovated.
Today, 7, in its rebuilt form as Wakataka, remains at Torokko Saga Station. It is on static display next to C56 98.
==Preservation==
The following Class A 4 locomotives have been preserved:
Number 	Manufacturer 	Date manufactured	Serial number	Date withdrawn 	Location 	Notes
7 Wakataka	Orenstein & Koppel	September 1921 	9752 	31 December 1946	Torokko Saga Station 19th Century Hall, Seika, Japan	Displayed indoors; preserved alongside C56 98, C58 48 and front portion of D51 603
==References==
Category:Locomotives
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:0-4-0 locomotives
Category:0-4-0 steam locomotives
Category:0-4-0T locomotives
Category:O&K locomotives
Category:Awa trains
Category:Four-coupled locomotives
Category:Sole survivor
Category:Built in 1921
Category:Built in 1923
Category:Well tank locomotives
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japanese steam locomotives
Category:0-4-0T steam locomotives