The EF65 is a 6-axle electric locomotive

Electric locomotive

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...

 designed for freight used by Japanese National Railways

Japanese National Railways

, abbreviated or "JNR", was the national railway network of Japan from 1949 to 1987.-History:The term Kokuyū Tetsudō "state-owned railway" originally referred to a network of railway lines operated by nationalized companies under the control of the Railway Institute following the nationalization...

 (JNR) and currently operated by its descendents JR West, JR East, and JR Freight.

As of 1 April 2009, JR Freight operated 77 locomotives, JR East operated 8 (EF65-1000), and JR West operated 10 (EF65-1000) locomotives.

Background and history

Originally these locomotives were designed for freight on the Tōkaidō Main Line

Tokaido Main Line

The is the busiest trunk line of the Japan Railways Group , connecting Tōkyō and Kōbe stations. It is long, not counting its many freight feeder lines around the major cities...

 and Sanyō Main Line, in an attempt to counter the increasing market share being gained by road transport, by providing a fast alternative to road transport using wagons suitable for containerised freight.

The production series of locomotives were delivered from 1965, with 308 built between 1965 and 1979.

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

Limited express

A limited express is a type of express train service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.- Japan :...

 and Ginga

Ginga (train)

The was an overnight express sleeper train operating on the Tōkaidō Main Line between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. It was operated by Japanese National Railways and, after its privatization in 1987, by West Japan Railway Company ....

sleeping car express.

Preserved examples

• EF65 1: Miyahara Depot
• EF65 5: Ōi Depot (training use)
• EF65 120: Suita Depot (training use)
• EF65 520: Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
  Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
  The is an open-air railway museum located in Annaka, Gunma, Japan. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company , and was opened on 18 April 1998 on the site of the former Yokokawa motive power depot alongside the Shin'etsu Main Line, which closed in October 1997....
  
  
• EF65 536: Sekisui Kinzoku
  Kato Precision Railroad Models
  Kato Precision Railroad Models is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales...
  
   factory, Saitama Prefecture
  Saitama Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
  
  (cab only)
• EF65 539: Privately preserved (cab only)
• EF65 541: Ōmiya Works
• EF65 1001: Ōi Depot (training use)