The is a type of

4-6-2 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and two trailing wheels on one axle. The locomoti ...

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, Fuel oil, oil or, rarely, Wood fuel, wood) to heat ...

built in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

from 1935 to 1937. A total of 62 Class C55 locomotives were built and designed by

Hideo Shima was a Japanese engineer and the driving force behind the building of the first bullet train (Shinkansen). Shima was born in Osaka in 1901, and educated at the Tokyo Imperial University, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. His father was p ...

. Nine were supplied to the Taiwan Government Railway, where they became class CT250 after the nationalist takeover of Taiwan in 1945 and remained in service until October 1982. 21 locomotives numbered C55 20 - C55 40 were built as streamliners during the 1930s and 40s.

Design

JGR C5521 streamlined steam loco frontview

The Class C55 was designed in the 1930s as a successor to the Class C51 operated on routes connecting mid-sized cities (mainline successor to them was the Class C53). Production of the Class C54, originally intended for this role, was discontinued in 1931 after just 17 locomotives due to various design flaws. The C55's design incorporated many lessons learned from the C54's shortcomings, particularly in the structure of the main frame. Twenty C55 locomotives were built with a streamlined design, and they were the last Japanese locomotives to be equipped with

driving wheels On a steam locomotive, a driving wheel is a powered wheel which is driven by the locomotive's pistons (or turbine, in the case of a steam turbine locomotive). On a conventional, non-articulated locomotive, the driving wheels are all coupled tog ...

with

spokes A spoke is one of some number of rods radiating from the center of a wheel (the hub where the axle connects), connecting the hub with the round traction surface. The term originally referred to portions of a log that had been riven (split ...

. The 63rd C55 was given a new class, the Class C57, due to changes in the design.

Preserved examples

Japan

* C55 1: preserved at the

Kyoto Railway Museum The (formerly the until 2016) is a railway museum in Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The original Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum opened in 1972, but was expanded and modernized in 2016, becoming the Kyoto Railway Museum. The museum is owned by We ...

* C55 50: preserved at the Otaru Museum in

Otaru, Hokkaido is a city and port in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces Ishikari Bay and the Sea of Japan, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tour ...

* C55 52: preserved in front of

Yoshimatsu Station is a junction passenger railway station located in the town of Yūsui, Aira District, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan. It is operated by JR Kyushu. Lines The station is served by the Hisatsu Line and is located 86.8 km from the starting point ...

Kagoshima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu and the Ryukyu Islands. Kagoshima Prefecture has a population of 1,527,019 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 9,187 Square kilometre, km2 (3,547 Square m ...

* C55 53: preserved at Wakakusa Park in Oita, Oita File:UMEKOJI STEAM LOCOMOTIVE MUSEUM ROUNDHOUSE KYOTO JAPAN JUNE 2012 (7418838980).jpg, C55 1 preserved at the Umekoji Museum (later Kyoto Railway Museum) in June 2012 File:JNR C55 50.JPG, C55 50 preserved at the Otaru Museum in July 2007 File:JNR Class C55-52 in front of Yoshimatsu Station 3.jpg, Preserved C55 52 in March 2017 File:JNR Type C55 No.53(46) Steam Locomotive 1994-08 001.jpg, Preserved C55 53 in August 1994

Taiwan

* CT251: preserved at Tainan City Sports Park * CT259: preserved at the

Takao Railway Museum The Takao Railway Museum () is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. History The museum was formerly the Kaohsiung Harbor Station, built during the Japanese period. Then called the , the station was the first railway station in Ka ...

File:臺鐵CT251 前面.jpg, CT251 preserved at Tainan City Sports Park File:TRA CT259 20141204.jpg, CT259 preserved at Takao Railway Museum

References

{{Taiwanloco 1067 mm gauge locomotives of Japan Steam locomotives of Japan Steam locomotives of Taiwan 4-6-2 locomotives 2′C1′ locomotives Preserved steam locomotives of Japan Railway locomotives introduced in 1935 Passenger locomotives Hitachi locomotives Kawasaki locomotives Kisha Seizo locomotives

Design

Preserved examples

Japan

Taiwan

See also

References