JNR Class EF58

The Class EF58 was a Japanese 2-C+C-2 DC electric locomotive of which 172 were built between 1946 and 1958, some of them by Hitachi. Hitachi counts it among its notable locomotives, one that worked Tokaido Main Line express trains alongside the steam Class C62. Hitachi built EF58 61 in 1953 specially as the locomotive for the official Imperial Train, a role it still performs for JR East from Tabata Depot, and built EF58 122 in 1957 for JR Central. Other builders included Toshiba and Mitsubishi. The class was withdrawn en masse from Tokaido and Sanyo Main Line freight duties in 1984, and by 1987, just before privatization of JNR, only four members were left in service. Several are preserved, including EF58 89 at the Railway Museum.