JNR Class D60

The Class D60 (D60形) is a Japanese 2-8-4 Berkshire wheel arrangement steam locomotive type created by rebuilding an earlier class to suit post-war requirements. 78 of the successful pre-war 380-strong Class D50 2-8-2 Mikado locomotives were rebuilt as D60s between 1951 and 1956 at the JNR Hamamatsu (Nagoya) Region, Nagano, (Nagoya) Region, and Tsuchizaki, (Sendai) Region workshops. As with the rebuilding of Class C59 to Class C60 locomotives, an additional trailing axle was included to reduce the heavy axle load of the D50 and allow more widespread use. The cylinder diameter was reduced from 570 mm on the D50s to 550 mm to minimize wheel spin.

D60 1 preserved at Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum

D60 61 preserved at park in Ashiya, Fukuoka

The spread of electrification and increasing numbers of diesel locomotives resulted in the first D60s being withdrawn from 1966. A few examples based at Wakamatsu Depot soldiered on hauling coal trains on the Chikuhō Mainline in northern Kyushu, and the last member of the class (D60 61) was finally withdrawn in August 1974.