34 preserved (two operational among those), remainder scrapped
The Class C56 is a type of 2-6-0steam locomotive built by the Japanese Government Railways (JGR) from 1935 to 1939, and later operated by Japanese National Railways (JNR). They were numbered C56 1-C56 164 a total of 164 were built from 1935-1939 locomotives numbered C56 1-C56 90 and C56 161-C56 164 were sent to other countries in Asia during the Second World War. The locomotives were retired in 1974. They were designed by Hideo Shima.
History
A total of 164 Class C56 locomotives were built between 1935 and 1939.[1]
Locomotives C56 1 to 90 and 161 to 164 were sent to Asian countries occupied by Japan during World War II.[1] The locomotives are popularly known as Shigoroku, Shigoro (C56 in Japanese) and Pony of the Plateau among railfans.
Preserved examples
A number of Class C56 locomotives are preserved in Japan and other Asian countries.[2] C56 160 is maintained in operating condition by JR West for use on main line steam specials.[1]
C56 15: State Railway of Thailand. (SRT 713) Preserved for haul the special steam train for show in River Kwai Festival at Kanchanaburi between late November and/or early December.[3][4]
C56 17: State Railway of Thailand. (SRT 715) Preserved for haul the special steam train for show in River Kwai Festival at Kanchanaburi between late November and/or early December. (The alternate locomotive if C56 15 out of service) [3][4]
C56 31: Yūshūkan (SRT 725) Japanese military and war museum. Used in Burma and Thailand during the construction of the Death Railway and subsequently used in Thailand after the war. It was brought back to Japan in the 1970s.[3][5][6]
C56 44: (SRT 735) Preserved in operating condition on the Ōigawa Railway.[2][3] On some occasions, this locomotive will be dressed as James the Red Engine to pull special Day Out with Thomas special events with C11 227 (Thomas)
^ abcdInoue, Kōichi (1999). 国鉄機関車辞典 [JNR Locomotive Encyclopedia] (in Japanese). Japan: Sankaido. pp. 36–37. ISBN4-381-10338-6.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvSasada, Masahiro (25 November 2014). 国鉄&JR保存車大全2015-2016 [JNR & JR Preserved Rolling Stock Complete Guide 2015-2016] (in Japanese). Tokyo, Japan: Ikaros Publications Ltd. p. 128. ISBN978-4863209282.
^ abcdefghij รถจักรและรถพ่วง พัฒนาการที่ยิ่งใหญ่ จากอดีตสู่ปัจจุบัน [SRT Rolling Stock] (in Thai). Bangkok, Thailand: State Railway of Thailand. 2011. pp. 27–29. ISBN978-974-9848-99-9.