Class of Chinese steam locomotives
JS 建设 Specifications Configuration: • Whyte 2-8-2 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+ 1 ⁄2 in )Driver dia.1,370 mm (53.94 in) Minimum curve 145 m (476 ft) Wheelbase 4.419 m (14 ft 5.98 in) (fixed) 10.192 m (33 ft 5.3 in) (locoo) 20.487 m (67 ft 2.6 in) (total loco+tender) Length total: ≈23 m (75 ft 6 in) (loco + tender)Width 3.332 m (10 ft 11.18 in) Height ≈4.7 m (15 ft 5.04 in) Adhesive weight 79.78 t (78.52 long tons; 87.94 short tons) (adhesive weight) Loco weight ≈103 t (101 long tons; 114 short tons) (91.3 t (89.9 long tons; 100.6 short tons) empty) Tender weight 32 t (31.5 long tons; 35.3 short tons) (empty) Fuel type Coal Tender cap. 17 t (16.7 long tons; 18.7 short tons) (coal ), 35 m3 (1,200 cu ft) (water ) Firebox: • Grate area 5.08 m2 (54.7 sq ft) Boiler pressure 15 atm (1,500 kPa; 220 psi) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 580 mm × 710 mm (22.835 in × 27.953 in)bore x stroke Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Maximum speed 85 km/h (53 mph) Power output 2,270 hp (1,690 kW) (at rail) Tractive effort ≈250 kN (56,000 lbf ) (247.7 kN or 55,700 lbf ,[ 1] 261.5 kN or 58,800 lbf [ 4] )
Career Operators Number in class 1,916 Numbers 5001–6135, 6201–6558, 8001–8423 Delivered 1957 First run 1957 Last run 1988 Retired 15 January 2024 Preserved Twenty-nine Disposition Twenty-nine preserved (twenty-eight in China, one in USA), remainder scrapped
Sources:[ 4] [ 5] except where noted
The China Railways JS (Chinese : 建设 ; pinyin : Jiàn Shè ; lit. 'Construction or Development') are a type of 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotives , they were manufactured for use on mainline freight trains, as well as for heavy shunting.
History
The JS was developed at the Dalian Locomotive Works by combining the chassis of the China Railways JF with a new boiler.[ 4] [ 3] [ 6] One thousand one hundred and thirty-five locomotives were produced from 1957 to 1965 at Dalian, Qishuyan Locomotive and Rolling Stock Works , Datong Locomotive Works , and the Beijing 7th Feb Works .[ 5] Dalian and Qishuyan manufactured over one thousand.[ 4] [ 5]
A second tranche was produced from 1981 to 1988.[ 3] Three hundred and fifty eight were manufactured by Datong from 1981 to 1986.[ 3] Four hundred and thirty-four of a revised 'B' specification were manufactured from 1986 to 1988.[ 3] The second tranche received numbers starting from 8001.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
In total, one thousand nine hundred and sixteen JS locomotives of all types were produced.[ 1] [ 2]
In the late 1980s, the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad of Iowa , USA , bought JS-8419 for $355,000.[ 7]
On 25 April 2022, when Sandaoling discontinued their regular steam operations, they continued to use their JS classes as backups to their Diesel motive power.[ 8]
The last JS class, JS-8089 that operated at Sandaoling, was retired from service on 15 January 2024, which officially ended all regular steam operations in China.[ 9] [ 10]
Numbering
Locomotives produced from 1957 to 1965 were numbered JS-5001 to JS-6135. Starting at 5001 avoided overlapping the numbers of the various types of JF occupying the 1 - 4100 (approx) range. Locomotives produced at Datong in the early 1980s were numbered JS-6201 to JS-6558; after the introduction of the revised 'B' specification the locomotives were numbered JS-8001 to JS-8423. A small number of locomotives operating outside the scope of the ministry of railways (industrial railways) received different number designations.[ 3]
Preservation
5000 series
JS-5001: is preserved at the China Railway Museum [ 11]
JS-5003: is preserved at Shenyang Railway Museum
JS-5039: is preserved at Beijing Exhibition Center
JS-5301: is preserved at Taiyuan Locomotive Depot, Taiyuan Railway Bureau
JS-5342: is preserved at Weifang Railway Station
6000 series
JS-6023: is preserved at China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd
JS-6244: is preserved at Nanchang Fenghuangzhou Park (Now renamed JS-6289)
JS-6499: is preserved at Hainan Railway Museum
JS-6500: is preserved at Guangzhou Railway Museum[ 12]
JS-6532: is preserved at Nanjing Railway Vacational Technical College
JS-6533: is preserved at Shandong Architecture University (Now renamed JS-5610)
8000 series
JS-8010: is preserved at Central South University (Now renamed JS-1953)
JS-8024: is preserved at Jinhua Vocational Technical College
JS-8077: is preserved at Zhengzhou Century Amusement Park (Now renamed JS-8001)
JS-8145: is preserved at Xuhui Riverside Park, Shanghai
JS-8239: is preserved at Gongchangling Iron, Liaoyang
JS-8260: is preserved at Songhu Railway 's Jiangwan Station Former Site, Shanghai
JS-8284: is preserved at Liuzhou Railway Vacational Technical College[ 13]
JS-8297: is preserved at Nanxiang Power Locomotive Maintenance Base, Shanghai Railway Bureau
JS-8316: is preserved at Yuanzhou District NO.6 Middle School, Guyuan
JS-8325: is preserved at Tianjin Railway Vacational Technical College
JS-8328: is preserved at Southwest Jiaotong University [ 14]
JS-8343: is preserved at Yantai Railway Station
JS-8347: is preserved at Hangzhou Baita Park
JS-8376: is preserved at Liuzhou Locomotive Depot , Nanning Railway Bureau (Now renamed JS-1939)[ 15]
JS-8401: is preserved at Hangzhou Jiangshu Railway Heritage Park
JS-8406: is preserved at Hangzhou Paradise
JS-8419: is operational at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad in Iowa, USA
JS-8422: is preserved at Tianjin Binhai Xinjiayuan Railway Cultural Recreation Street[ 16]
Gallery
JS-5039 in Beijing Exhibition Center
JS-5151
JS-6500 at Guangzhou Railway Museum
Liuzhou Railway Vacational Technical College's JS-8284
[ 13]
JS-8347 in Hangzhou Baita Park
References
^ a b c d 新中国制造的蒸汽机车 , www.kepu.net (in Chinese)
^ a b c "建设(JS)型5001号蒸汽机车" ['Construction' class steam locomotive, JS-5001], www.china.com.cn (in Chinese)
^ a b c d e f g Cotterill, Duncan (7 September 2015). "JS Class 2-8-2" . Railography . Retrieved 9 September 2018 .
^ a b c d 建设型蒸汽机车 [Construction type steam locomotive], www.zztl.com (in Chinese), archived from the original on 23 December 2008
^ a b c Nozawa, Eiji (2015). "JS class steam locomotive" . Kurogane No Michi . Retrieved 9 September 2018 .
^ Cotterill, Duncan (7 September 2015). "JF Class 2-8-2" . Railography . Retrieved 9 September 2018 .
^ 在美國的中國建設型蒸汽機車 [Construction class steam locomotive in the USA], www.readingtimes.com.tw (in Chinese)
^ Kletzer, Ben (July 25, 2022). "Last Gasp for Chinese Steam" . Railfan & Railroad . White River Productions . Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2024 .
^ 沙湖-sta. "中国最后的蒸汽火车退役了。_哔哩哔哩_bilibili" . www.bilibili.com (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2024-01-16 .
^ Keith Fender (August 1, 2025). "Steam operation ends in China" . www.trains.com . Retrieved February 17, 2024 .
^ "建设(JS)型5001号蒸汽机车" [Construction class steam locomotive, JS-5001], www.china-rail.org (in Chinese), China Railway Museum, archived from the original on 2016-03-04, retrieved 2012-06-27
^ "Guangzhou Railway Museum open to the public starting May 18 | GDToday" . www.newsgd.com . Retrieved 2025-02-14 .
^ a b Sources:
^ "国内首个高校机车博物园 在西南交大开园" , scnews.newssc.org (in Chinese)
^ Sources:
^ "火车文化博物馆滨海欣嘉园火车文化休闲街开放" , www.tianjinwe.com (in Chinese)