JNR C57 Class Steam Locomotive

This locomotive type is a passenger locomotive for secondary main lines, built as an improved version of the C55. From 1937 to 1946, 201 were built by Kisha Seizo, Kawasaki, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi. This type was fitted with boxpok driving wheels. Production was suspended in 1942 due to the wartime need for freight locomotives, but after the war, production resumed in 1946 to meet the increased demand for passenger services. The fourth batch of this type, the last group manufactured, featured a significantly different appearance and dimensions, closely resembling the C61 class. In 1943, Kawasaki and Hitachi built six locomotives for use on the Railway of the Governor-General of Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period. After the Pacific War, these locomotives were incorporated into the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) CT270 class. In 1953, 8 of them were manufactured by Hitachi with the assistance of the United States and were delivered to the TRA after the war. This was the last new Japan National Railways (JNR) style steam locomotive to be manufactured. In Japan, it was used primarily for passenger service until 1975, and was the last form of steam locomotive to pull JNR passenger trains. Currently, one locomotive is operationally preserved by JR West, one by JR East, and the TRA is dynamically preserving one too. Additionally, 27 locomotives in Japan and three in Taiwan have been statically preserved.