#6581

JNR Class EF61

🇯🇵 Japan ·built by Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing· from 1961· class of Japanese electric locomotives

8 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. JNR ef61 11 nire: spaceaero2· CC BY-SA 3.0
2. JNR ef61 207 (cropped): spaceaero2· CC BY-SA 3.0
3. EF61 4 Hiroshima Works open day 20151024: kh ws from Hiroshima prefecture, Japan· CC BY-SA 2.0
4. EF61-4 20071028: Taisyo· CC BY 3.0
5. Ef61: Taisyo at Japanese Wikipedia· CC BY 3.0
6. JNR ef61 204fc push seno-hati: spaceaero2· CC BY 3.0
7. JNR ef61 207: spaceaero2· CC BY-SA 3.0
8. JNR EL EF61-5: 永尾信幸· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

The JNR Class EF61 were a series of Japanese electric locomotives used in passenger service, then in freight service after arrival of the Shinkansen. All have been scrapped.

who runs it

Japanese National Railways Japan Freight Railway Company

base stats

speed 95 km/htop speed
power 2.3 MWpower output
built 18made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 65 years ago, in 1961.
2.3 MW is about 28 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
17.6 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.

spec sheet

built: 1961
retired: 1991
status: retired
number built: 18
kind: Electric
traction: electric
origin: 🇯🇵 Japan
builders: Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing, Kisha Seizo, Toyo Electric
operators: Japanese National Railways, Japan Freight Railway Company
top speed: 95 km/h
power: 2.3 MW
gauge: 1,067 mm Cape gauge
electric system: 1,500V DC
wheel arrangement: Bo – Bo – Bo
length: 17.6 m

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q11421834, Wikipedia: JNR Class EF61 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-11-14.