JNR Class C58

The JNR Class C58 is a 2-6-2 Prairie-type steam locomotive built for the JNR from 1935 to 1939.
==History==
The C58 was designed as successor locomotives to the older Class 8620 and 9600 locomotives, combining the speed of the 8620s and the strength of the 9600s. The design of the locomotive was overseen by Sen'ichirō Hosokawa under the supervision of Hideo Shima. A total of 413 locomotives were produced by two companies from 1938 to 1947 (with a hiatus from 1943 to 1946 due to World War II), Kawasaki Sharyō (now known as Kawasaki Heavy Industries) and Kisha Seizō (now defunct), with Kisha Seizō manufacturing 219 of the locomotives and Kawasaki manufacturing the remaining 194. The locomotives were retired in 1974, and these remain the only 2-6-2 steam locomotives that were used by the JNR (while the Class C63s were also 2-6-2s, none were actually built).
A total of forty-nine locomotives have been preserved; of the forty-nine, only two, C58 239 and C58 363 are operational. The locomotives have three types of smoke deflectors; the standard "elephant ear" smoke deflectors, the trapezoidal Kokura-type smoke deflectors and the ovoid Gōto-type smoke deflectors. C58 363 has been known to have been fitted with both types in preservation. The smoke deflectors' names come from the areas at which they were manufactured; JNR's Kokura and Gōto Works respectively.
The locomotives are popularly known as Shigohachi (C58 in Japanese) among railfans.
==Preservation==
:Main article: Preservation
Forty-nine locomotives have been preserved.
==Gallery==
*Gallery
==Trivia==
*A C58 appears in the music video for HAPPY PARTY TRAIN, a single by Aqours, the main school idol group in the series Love Live! Sunshine!!.
==References==
*Wikipedia.org
Category:Kawasaki locomotives
Category:Kisha Seizō locomotives
Category:2-6-2 locomotives
Category:2-6-2 steam locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:JR Group trains
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Six-coupled locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Restored locomotives
Category:JNR Class C58
Category:Japanese locomotives
Category:Japanese steam locomotives