JR Freight Class EH500

The JR Freight Class EH500 is a multi-system AC and DC two-unit electric locomotive with a Bo'Bo'+Bo'Bo' wheel arrangement, operated by Japan Freight Railway Company since 1997. It is built at the Toshiba factory in Fuchu, Tokyo. The class was introduced to haul long-distance container trains from the Tokyo area to Hokkaido over the Tohoku Main Line, replacing Class EF65 locomotives south of Kuroiso and pairs of Class ED75 and Class ED79 locomotives north of it and through the Seikan Tunnel. From 2007 a number were moved to Moji depot for 1,300 tonne freight trains between Honshu and Kyushu through the Kanmon Tunnel. The prototype EH500-901 was delivered in September 1997, and the fleet totalled 82 locomotives by April 2013. In the class name, E marks an electric locomotive, H eight driving axles and 500 an AC and DC locomotive with AC motors.