Class of 78 Japanese 2-8-4 locomotives rebuilt from D50 class 2-8-2s
D60 1 preserved at Yamaguchi Prefectural MuseumD60 61 preserved at park in Ashiya, Fukuoka
The Class D60 (D60形) is a Japanese 2-8-4 Berkshirewheel arrangement steam locomotive type created by rebuilding an earlier class to suit post-war requirements. 78 of the successful pre-war 380-strong Class D502-8-2 Mikado locomotives were rebuilt as D60s between 1951 and 1956 at the JNRHamamatsu (Nagoya) Region, Nagano, (Nagoya) Region, and Tsuchizaki, (Sendai) Region workshops. As with the rebuilding of Class D51 to Class D61 and Class D52 to Class D62 locomotives, an additional trailing axle was included to reduce the heavy axle load of the D50 and allow more widespread use. The cylinder diameter was reduced from 570 mm on the D50s to 550 mm to minimize wheel spin.
The spread of electrification and increasing numbers of diesel locomotives resulted in the first D60s being withdrawn from 1966. A few examples based at Wakamatsu Depot soldiered on hauling coal trains on the Chikuhō Mainline in northern Kyushu, and the last member of the class (D60 61) was finally withdrawn in August 1974.
Japanese Government Railway Steam Locomotives