China Railways JF2

The China Railways JF2 (解放2, Jiěfàng, "liberation") class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives for goods trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) by several American and Japanese manufacturers, as well as by Mantetsu's Shahekou Works, between 1924 and 1932.[1]

China Railways JF2 (解放2)
Mantetsu Mikani class (ミカニ)
Builder's photo of ミカニ1614.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCO, Kawasaki, Kisha Seizō,
South Manchuria Ry. Shahekou Works
Build date1924–1932
Total produced41
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-8-2
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Driver dia.1,370 mm (54 in)
Axle load23.24 t (22.87 long tons)
Adhesive weight84.25 t (82.92 long tons)
Loco weight115.80 t (113.97 long tons)
Tender weight75.9 t (74.7 long tons)
Fuel typeCoal
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		6.25 m2 (67.3 sq ft)
Boiler pressure12.7 kgf/cm2 (181 psi)
Cylinders3
Cylinder size572 mm × 660 mm
(22.5 in × 26.0 in)
Performance figures
Maximum speed101 km/h (63 mph)
Tractive effort252.0 kN (56,700 lbf)
Career
OperatorsSouth Manchuria Railway
China Railway
ClassSMR: ミカニ
CR: ㄇㄎ貳 (1951–1959)
CR: 解放2 (1959–end)
Number in class41
NumbersSMR: 1600–1640 (1924–1938)
SMR: ミカニ1–41 (1938–1945)
CR: in the 2501–2550 range

History
A Mikani class locomotive in service with Mantetsu, with a Ta6 class coal hopper behind it.

To fill the need for powerful locomotives to haul heavy goods trains from the Fushun Coal Mines and Dalian, Mantetsu ordered the first five Mikani class locomotives from the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York in 1924. After completion of the superheated three-cylinder locomotives,[1] extensive performance tests were conducted, the results of which attracted considerable attention from the railway industry; despite a wheel diameter of only 1,370 mm (54 in), they reached a maximum speed of 101.4 km/h (63.0 mph).[2] They were immediately successful, and production of copies began at Mantetsu's Shahekou Works in 1926. They were the first Mantetsu locomotives to weigh over 100 t (98 long tons; 110 short tons), as well as the first to be built with automatic stokers. Although their performance was excellent, the complexity of the three-cylinder arrangement led to consideration of a superheated 2-10-2 tender locomotive design as a replacement. However, this plan was abandoned, and more Mikanis were built instead. After a number of incidents involving broken crankshafts, the Mikashi class was designed as the successor to the class in 1933.[3]

OwnerClass & numbers
(1924–1938)		Class & numbers
(1938–1945)		BuilderYearWorks numbers
Mantetsuミカニ1600–ミカニ1604ミカニ1–ミカニ5ALCO192465435–65439
Mantetsuミカニ1605–ミカニ1608ミカニ6–ミカニ9South Manchuria Ry. Shahekou Works1926
Mantetsuミカニ1609–ミカニ1613ミカニ10–ミカニ14Shahekou Works1927
Mantetsuミカニ1614–ミカニ1616ミカニ15–ミカニ17Kawasaki19271248–1250
Mantetsuミカニ1617–ミカニ1620ミカニ18–ミカニ21Kisha Seizō19281012–1015
Mantetsuミカニ1621–ミカニ1626ミカニ22–ミカニ27Shahekou Works1928
Mantetsuミカニ1627–ミカニ1634ミカニ28–ミカニ35Shahekou Works1929
Mantetsuミカニ1635–ミカニ1637ミカニ36–ミカニ38Shahekou Works1930
Mantetsuミカニ1638–ミカニ1639ミカニ39–ミカニ40Shahekou Works1931
Mantetsuミカニ1640ミカニ41Shahekou Works1932

Postwar
JF2-2525 at the Shenyang Steam Locomotive Museum.

At the end of the Pacific War, the 41 Mikani class locomotives were divided between the Dalian (35) and the Fengtian (6) depots, and all were taken over by the Republic of China Railway. Following the establishment of the People's Republic and the subsequent creation of the current China Railway, they became class ㄇㄎ貳 (MK2) in 1951, and class 解放2 (JF2, jiěfàng, "liberation") in 1959. Numbered in the 2501–2550 range, they were assigned to the Wafangdian locomotive depot in Dalian and used primarily on heavy goods trains. JF2 2525 is preserved at the Shenyang Steam Locomotive Museum.

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References
  1. Ichihara, Yoshizumi, 写真集南満洲鉄道 (South Manchuria Railway Photo Collection) pp. 64-65, 1998 Seibundo Shinkosha Publishing Co. Ltd. (in Japanese)
  2. 鉄道車輌用ころがり軸受と台車の戦前･戦後史 (History of Roller Bearings and Trucks for Rolling Stock; in Japanese; p. 40)
  3. 鉄道車輌用ころがり軸受と台車の戦前･戦後史 (History of Roller Bearings and Trucks for Rolling Stock; in Japanese; p. 110)
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