Background and overview
Class EF60 DC electric locomotive developed by Japanese National Railways
(JNR) had a total power output of 2550kW which is equivalent to the high-power
EH10 DC electric locomotive among the Japanese 1st generation locomotives,
whereas EF60 had less acceleration performance at the range of middle and
high speed and didn't raise the speed of freight train since class EF60
locomotives were focused on the traction force. Thus, Japanese National
Railways developed new standard six-axle three-bogied (BoBoBo) DC electric
locomotive, class EF65, from the earlier class EF60 design for use primarily
on the Tokaido and Sanyo Lines and delivered 47 vehicles over the period
from January 1965 until June.
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 two cab ventilation grilles. 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. Their livery was blue with cream rectangle accent below the windscreens.
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 EF65-0 locomotive employs cam contactors driven
by camshaft drive device to control traction motors, consisting of the
rheostatic vernier control system, CS25, and the field control system,
CS26. CS25 consisting of four camshafts driven by a single pilot motor
has functions of automatic acceleration control, manual control, and automatic
deceleration control functioned by current limiting relay applying vernier
control regularly. CS26 has axle weight compensation function to weaken
the current of the driving wheel for re-adhesion while a driving wheel
is slipping or skidding. 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 air 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.
Additional delivery
EF65 48 onward built in 1965 differ from earlier EF65-0s in having some modifications. Two cab ventilation grilles are moved to below the windscreens. The rheostatic vernier control system, CS25, having many failures was improved and classified into CS25A, and the armature current resistance, MR71, was changed into MR71A. EF65 67-72 of these employ the thicker skin having 3.2mm thickness for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing under the windscreens.
The rheostatic vernier control system of EF65 73 onward built in 1966 is changed into CS29 having two pilot motors for the prevention of failures of CS25 and CS25A.
EF65 85 onward built in 1969 differ from earlier EF65-0s in having some
changes. Their traction motors are changed into MT52A, their rheostatic
vernier control system is changed into CS29A, and their field control system
is changed into CS26B. Their skin below the windscreens is changed into
3.2mm thick plate for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing.
The motor blowers of EF65 105 onward built in 1969 are changed into MH91I-FK102.
EF65 121 onward built in 1970 are equipped with the dead-man's vigilance device (EB) and the one-action emergency operation device (TE) for single train crew operation.
Modification and refurbishment
JNR modified the rheostatic vernier control system, CS25 and 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 CS25B or CS25C each over the period from 1967 until 1970. The lower
part of the cab end skin of EF65 84 earlier started to be changed into
3.2mm thick plate for the protection against obstacles at the level crossing
in 1968. JNR also began to fit EF65 120 earlier 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
EF65-0 entered the freight services on DC electrified flat lines in 1965.
At the splitting of JNR into the privatized JR companies, JR Freight received 82 vehicles of EF65-0, JR Central 5, and JR West 1 in 1987. Furthermore, JR Freight 19 vehicles of EF65-0 owned by Japanese National Railways Settlement Corporation in 1989 and 1 in 1990 to fulfill the lack of locomotives for the additional capacity of "Freight Liner". However, they were gradually displaced with class EF200 and class EF210 locomotives and had completely been withdrawn in 2011. |
|
| Technical Data |
| Items |
Data |
| Supply
Voltage |
1500VDC |
| Service
speed |
115km/h |
| Max power |
2,550kW |
| Length |
16,500mm |
| Width |
2,800mm |
| Total
mass |
96.0t |
| Axle arrangements |
B0-B0-B0 |
| Bogie |
DT115B (End), DT116C (Intermediate) |
| Current pickup |
PS17 |
| Traction
motor |
MT52
(1~84), MT52A (85~135) |
| Rheostatic vernier control system |
CS25B (1~47),
CS25C (48~72), CS29 (73~84), CS29A (85~135) |
| Field control system |
CS26 (1~84),
CS26B (85~135) |
| Designed
by |
Japanese National Railways |
|
|
