JNR Class EF65

The Class EF65(EF65形) is a 6-axle (Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement) DC electric locomotive type operated on passenger and freight services in Japan since 1965. A total of 308 locomotives were built between 1965 and 1979, with 52 still in service as of 1 April 2016[update].

Variants

The class was initially divided into the EF65-0 subclass for general freight and the EF65-500 subclass for express freight and passenger use.

• EF65-0: Numbers EF65 1 – 135
• EF65-500: Numbers EF65 501 – 542
• EF65-1000: Numbers EF65 1001 – 1139
• EF65-2000:

Background and history

The Class EF65 was designed by Japanese National Railways (JNR) as a standard locomotive type developed from the earlier Class EF60 design for use primarily on the Tokaido Main Line and Sanyo Main Line.

Operations

During the JNR era, these locomotives were used for freight trains and also for passenger work - primarily hauling night trains such as the Izumo sleeping car limited express and Ginga sleeping car express.

EF65-0

The EF65-0 subclass was designed for general freight use on the Tokaido Main Line and Sanyo Main Line. 135 locomotives were built between 1965 and 1970.

As of 2016[update], all EF65-0 locomotives had been withdrawn.

• JR Freight EF65 100 in original blue livery in March 2008
• Refurbished JR Freight EF65 114 in February 2010

EF67 banker conversions

• Original EF67 104 in October 2002
• Refurbished EF67 104 in August 2009

Five 6th-batch Class EF65-0 locomotives, numbers EF65 131 to EF65 135, were converted in 1990 and 1991 to become Class EF67-100 banking locomotives for use on the "Senohachi" section of the Sanyo Main Line.

EF65-500

The EF65-500 subclass consisted of a total of 42 locomotives, including newly built locomotives and locomotives (EF65 535 - 542) modified from the earlier EF65-0 subclass (EF65 77 - 84) for use on overnight sleeping car services and express freight services operating at a maximum speed of 110 km/h (70 mph).

As of 1 April 2016[update], only one EF65-500 locomotive, EF65-501, owned by JR East, remained in service.

P/F designation

Locomotives used for hauling passenger services are referred to as "P" type, and those used for freight services are referred to as "F" type. The original designations are as shown below.

• EF65 501 in original tokkyū livery in February 2021
• Refurbished JR Freight EF65 515 in March 2008

EF65-1000

The EF65-1000 was intended for use on both passenger and freight services, and was referred to as the "PF" type. 139 locomotives were built between 1969 and 1979.

As of 1 April 2016[update], 15 EF65-1000 locomotives remained in service, operated by JR East and JR West.

• Passenger EF65 1103 in original "tokkyū" livery in March 2021
• Refurbished JR Freight EF65 1061 in February 2008

EF65-2000

There are former Class EF65-1000 locomotives renumbered from May 2012 by JR Freight to differentiate them from locomotives fitted with driving recording units mandated for operations over 100 km/h (60 mph).

As of 1 April 2016[update], 36 EF65-2000 locomotives remained in service, operated by JR Freight.

• EF65 2091 in original tokkyu livery in March 2021
• EF65 2127 in refurbished JR Freight livery in March 2021

Fleet changes

Livery variations

• EF65 9: Repainted in early-style all-over brown livery with white ("JR貨物"; JR Freight) lettering on the side
• EF65 57: Repainted in early-style all-over brown livery
• EF65 105: Repainted in Euroliner livery
• EF65 116: Repainted in blue with large yellow "JR" lettering on the sides and yellow bands on the cab ends
• EF65 123: Repainted in Yuyu Salon Okayama livery (initially maroon, later orange)
• EF65 1019: Repainted in Super Express Rainbow red livery in March 1987. Removed from service on 31 December 1997, and withdrawn on 1 September 1998.
• EF65 1059: Repainted in blue with yellow front-end warning panels and large "JR" logo in July 1987. Remained in this livery until withdrawal on 31 March 2009.
• EF65 1065: Experimental JR Freight livery
• EF65 1118: Super Express Rainbow livery
• EF65 1124: Twilight Express dark green and yellow livery from November 2015

Gallery

• Brown-liveried JR Freight EF65 9 in 1989
• JR Freight EF65 57 specially repainted in early-style brown livery in March 2005
• EF65 105 in Euroliner livery
• EF65 123 in original maroon Yuyu Salon Okayama livery
• EF65 123 in later orange Yuyu Salon Okayama livery
• EF65 1019 in Super Express Rainbow livery
• EF65 1059 in experimental JR Freight livery
• EF65 1065 in experimental JR Freight livery
• JR East Super Express Rainbow liveried EF65 1118 in October 2010
• JR West EF65 1124 in Twilight Express livery in December 2015
• JR East EF65 1029 pulling the Orient Express '88 past Shinmachi Station in late 1988

Preserved examples

• EF65 1: Preserved at the Kyoto Railway Museum in Kyoto.
• EF65 5: JR Freight Ōi Depot in Shinagawa, Tokyo (training use)
• EF65 520: Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park, Gunma Prefecture
• EF65 535: Originally stored at Ōmiya Works, Saitama Prefecture, and donated to Toshiba in Fuchu, Tokyo in March 2013
• EF65 536: Sekisui Kinzoku factory, Saitama Prefecture (cab only)
• EF65 539: Privately preserved in Gunma Prefecture (cab only)
• EF65 1001: JR Freight Ōi Depot in Shinagawa, Tokyo (training use)

• EF65 520 at the Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park in April 2011
• EF65 535 at Omiya Works in May 2008

See also

• Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification
• Railway electrification in Japan