Background and overview
Class EF60-500 DC electric locomotive used on intercity sleeper coaches on Tokaido and Sanyo lines had the serious problems namely burning of traction motors caused heavy use of weak field, since its rated services speed is low. Accordingly, Japanese National Railways (JNR) improved class EF65 48-57 locomotives to haul intercity sleeper coaches, classified them into -500 subclass referred to as "P" type, and delivered 12 vehicles (EF65 501-512) in 1965.
Moreover, JNR delivered 5 vehicles (EF65 513-517) which had multiple unit system and was referred to as "F" type in 1965.
Car body
Their body features double ended boxcab style constructed by steel. The cab-end is not gangwayed since they were designed to operate singly rather than in pairs. The cab-end is slanted at 5 degrees and the windscreen consists of wide plane glass for the centre and curved glass for the corner to get better visibility. Their body skin employs 2.3mm thick steel plate. Two headlights are mounted above the windscreens and two tail-lights are fitted at the lower part of body ends. Ornamental stainless stipes are fitted in front of the body. Six pairs of rectangular windows and louver windows employing punching plate are fitted on each side of their body. The obstacle deflector has a remote-control socket, KE59, for current pickup and diesel generator operation of the generator car, class kani22, and an electromagnetic brake socket, KE72. Two cab ventilation grilles fitted on the obstacle deflector were moved to below the windscreens. EF65-500 locomotives classified "F" are equipped with a multiple control socket, KE70-6. A monitoring roof having a ventilating effect and an auxiliary machinery room roof are fitted on the 4-block construction detachable roof to mount/dismount equipments inside the body. EF65-500 locomotives classified "P" adopt the automatic knuckle couplers. On the other hand, EF65-500 locomotives classified into "F" adopt the tightlock couplers with pneumatic connecters for high seed freight wagons and coupler centering devices. Their livery was blue with larger cream rectangle accent in front of the vehicle and two cream narrow stripes.
Bogies
Bogies having 2800mm wheel base are DT115B for outer and DT116C for centre, employing cylindrical rubber journal supporting system, and low centre plate construction for prevention of weight transfer to enhance adhesion. Outer bogies support the body weight with a centre plate and two side bearings. A centre bogie supports the body only with the center plate. Their drive unit features single reduction axle-hung and its gear ratio is 3.83.
Traction unit and auxiliary equipments
The traction system of class EF65-500 locomotive employs cam contactors driven by camshaft drive device to control traction motors, consisting of the improved rheostatic vernier control system, CS25A, and the field control system, CS26. They are equipped with six traction motors which are series-wound brushed DC traction motors, MT52, with a power output of 425kW, the armature current resistance, MR71, the field current resistance, MR77, and shunting resistors, MR72, MR73, and MR75. They are also equipped with a motor generator for controlled source, MH81B-DM44B, with a power output of 5kVA, a motor driven aur compressor, MH92B-C3000 in their machinery room, and two diamond shaped current pickups, PS17 on their roof. Two electric blowers, MH91A-FK34 are employed to supply air to cool 6 traction motors and resistances. They adopt standard automatic brake, EL14AS, which is usually applied for locomotives operated singly. They also employ pressure intensifying braking and an electromagnetic braking component to shorten braking distance. EF65-500 locomotives classified into "F" feature the balancing pipe for operations in pairs.
Additional delivery
The rheostatic vernier control system of EF65 527-531 (P type) and EF65 518-526 (F type) built in 1966 is changed into CS29 having two pilot motors for the prevention of failures of CS25A. Their skin below the windscreens is changed into 3.2mm plate for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing.
EF65 525-542 classified into "P" type were converted in 1968 from EF65 77-84.
Modification and refurbishment
JNR modified the rheostatic vernier control system, CS25A, in order to
prevent failures by employing two pilot motors to drive a camshaft for
rheostatic control and a camshaft for vernier control, and classified into
CS25C over the period from 1967 until 1970. The lower part of the cab end
skin of EF65 526 earlier started to be changed into 3.2mm thick plate for
the protection against obstacles at the level crossing in 1968. JNR also
fitted EF65 518-522 and EF65 526 converted for the freight services on
Tohoku and Johetsu lines with icicle cutters above the windscreens and
a snowplough under the obstacle deflector. JNR also began to fit them with
the dead-man's vigilance device (EB) and the one-action emergency operation
device (TE) for single train crew operation in 1969.
JR Freight introduced ATS-SF signaling system featuring forcedly train stop at the absolute block signaling (home signal and starting signal) showing red in 1991. JR Freight added the speed check function to ATS-SF signaling system. Finally, JR Freight began to introduce ATS-PF signaling system for the lines applying ATS-P transponders.
The refurbishment programme commenced over the period from 1989 until 1999
involved replacement of the major wiring, replacement of armature coil
and reinforcement of insulation of traction motors, and introduction of
solid rolled wheel. Refurbished locomotives were painted in new JR Freight
two-tone blue livery having mustard-coloured doors.
Operations and withdrawal
EF65-500 (P type) entered the five pairs of intercity overnight sleeping car train services departing from/arriving at Tokyo and the one pairs departing from/arriving at Osaka in October, 1965. EF65-500 (F type) also entered intercity overnight sleeping car train services because spare EF65-500 locomotives had not been delivered at this time. EF65-500 (F type) locomotives used on intercity overnight sleeping car train services were converted to the express freight services on the Tokaido and Sanyo lines since additional EF65-500 (P type) locomotives (527-521) were delivered in 1966. Intercity overnight sleeping car train services hauled by EF65-500 started 110km/h operation with introduction of improved brake system to 20 series sleeper coaches in 1968. On the other hand, EF65-500 (F type) used on the express freight services on Tokaido and Sanyo lines were displaced with high power EF66 locomotives and converted to the express freight service on Tohoku line in pairs and freight services on the Shinetsu and Johetsu lines. However, EF65-500 (type F) used on the Tohoku, Shinetsu and Johetsu lines were replaced with class EF65-1000 having heavy protection against snow and coldness, and converted to the local freight services on the Sanyo line in 1969. EF65-500 (F type) locomotives temporarily entered intercity overnight sleeping car train services departing from/arriving at Shin-Osaka for the extremely additional capacity on sleeping train services at the start of the operations on the Sanyo Shinkansen between Shin-Osaka and Okayama in March 1972. But class EF65-500 locomotives used on intercity overnight sleeping car train services departing from/arriving at Shin-Osaka were displaced with class EF58 caused by the reduction of service speed of intercity overnight sleeping car train services departing from/arriving at Shin-Osaka and converted to freight services again in October 1972. EF65-500 (P type) used on intercity overnight sleeping car train services were also replaced with class EF65-1000 locomotives and converted to freight services in 1978.
At the splitting of JNR into the privatized JR companies, JR Freight received 41 vehicles of EF65-500 and JR East 1. in 1987. However, they were gradually displaced with class EF200, class EF210, and EF65-1000 transferred from the ownership of JR East and West and had completely been withdrawn in 2008. |
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