Sentetsu Mikasa-class locomotive

The Mikasa-class (ミカサ) locomotives were a group of steam tender locomotives of the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) with 2-8-2 wheel arrangement. The "Mika" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 2-8-2 wheel arrangement were called "Mikado" in honour of the Emperor of Japan, as the first 2-8-2 locomotives in the world were built for Japan.

Chosen Government Railway Mikasa class (ミカサ) West Chosen Central Railway Mikasa class (ミカサ) Korean National Railroad Mika3 class (미카3) Korean State Railway Migasŏ class (미가서) Central China Railway Mikasa class (ミカサ) China Railways JF9 (解放9)
Builder's photo of Sentetsu locomotive ミカサ97
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Kisha Seizō, Nippon Sharyō, Hitachi, Kawasaki, Gyeongseong Works Build date 1927–1946 Total produced 398
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-2 Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) Driver dia. 1,450 mm (57.09 in) Length 22,035 mm (867.5 in) Width 3,078 mm (10 ft 1.2 in) Height 4,507 mm (14 ft 9.4 in) Loco weight 90.65 t (89.22 long tons) Tender weight 65.80 t (64.76 long tons) Fuel capacity 11.0 t (10.8 long tons) (1st) 12.0 t (11.8 long tons) Water cap 22.7 m^3 (6,000 US gal) (1st) 28.0 m^3 (7,400 US gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 4.75 m^2 (51.1 sq ft) Boiler: ​  • Small tubes 118 x 51 mm (2.0 in)  • Large tubes 28 x 137 mm (5.4 in) Boiler pressure 13.0 kgf/cm^2 (185 psi) Heating surface 175.10 m^2 (1,884.8 sq ft)  • Tubes 153.40 m^2 (1,651.2 sq ft)  • Firebox 21.70 m^2 (233.6 sq ft) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 61.50 m^2 (662.0 sq ft) Cylinders 2 Cylinder size 580 mm × 710 mm (22.835 in × 27.953 in) Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures Maximum speed 70 km/h (43 mph) Tractive effort 179.0 kN (40,200 lbf)
Career Operators Chosen Government Railway West Chosen Central Railway Korean National Railroad Korean State Railway Central China Railway China Railway Class Sentetsu, WCCR, CCR: ミカサ KNR: 미카3 KSR: 미가서 CR: ㄇㄎ玖 (1950–1959); JF9 (解放9) (1959–) Number in class Sentetsu: 308 WCCR: 8 KNR: at least 54 KSR: at least 9 CCR/CR: 38 Numbers Sentetsu: ミカサ1–ミカサ297, ミカサ303–ミカサ313 WCCR: ミカサ201–ミカサ208 KNR: see text KSR: 63xx (see text) CCR: ミカサ11–ミカサ19, ミカサ110–ミカサ137, ミカサ320 CR: JF9 3671–3710 Delivered 1927–1946

Of all Mika classes, 131 went to the Korean National Railroad in South Korea and 292 to the Korean State Railway in North Korea.[1] Of these 423 locomotives, 356 were from Sentetsu; the other 67 were South Manchuria Railway Mikai-class engines on loan to Sentetsu along with Mika-type locomotives which had previously belonged to the twelve privately owned railways in Korea before 1945. Not included in this number, however, are the six SMR Mikai-class locomotives that were assigned to SMR's Rajin depot for operation on SMR's lines in northeastern Korea, and the eight SMR Mikaro-class locomotives likewise assigned to the Rajin depot; these fourteen locomotives were taken over by the Korean State Railway. Despite the DPRK government's extensive anti-Japanese propaganda, the railway nevertheless continues to use the "Mika" name officially for these locomotives even though it refers to the Japanese emperor.[2]

The Mikasa class was also operated by the Central China Railway in Japanese-occupied China,[2] and by the China Railway after the Liberation of China, where they were designated JF9 class.

Description

Designed by Sentetsu based on the experiences with the rebuilding of the Pureshi class, the Mikasa class, along with the Pashishi and Tehoro classes, were the first locomotives designed by Sentetsu. Because they were designed specifically for Korean operating needs and conditions, these superheated, two-cylinder locomotives were a great success and proved very easy to build, operate and maintain.[3]

The Mikasa, Pashishi and Tehoro classes all had large heating areas. From its inception, the Mikasa class was designed to use the lignite abundant in Korea, which is less efficient than the anthracite the American-built locomotives needed. The Mikasa class featured a combustion chamber firebox to achieve sufficient combustion of the coal, which in turn improved boiler efficiency. Following the experience with the Mikasas, combustion chamber fireboxes were installed on the JNR 9700 class and JNR D52 class locomotives built from 1943. To improve maintenance logistics, care was taken during the design process to maximise the number common components between the Pashishi and Mikasa classes.[3]

Structurally it is generally an American design in its features, with the first dome being a sandbox, and the second being for steam. The firebox is located above the trailing axle. After the first 27 were completed, the design was modified, resulting in a slightly different appearance of the smokestack and the steam dome. The tender was made bigger at the same time, with coal capacity rising from 11 t (11 long tons; 12 short tons) to 12 t (12 long tons; 13 short tons), and water capacity increasing from 22.7 m³ (800 cu ft) to 28.0 m³ (990 cu ft). The tender is a four-axle type, running on two four-wheel bogies of American Bettendorf design.[3]

Construction

Between 1927 and 1945, 308 were built for Sentetsu in Japan and Korea by five different builders, and a further five were built after the end of the Pacific War for the KNR. Prior to 1945, eight units were built for the privately owned West Chosen Central Railway, and 38 for the Central China Railway. In all, a total of 398 were built, but there were many in various states of construction at the end of the war that were never completed.

Chosen Government Railway ミカサ (Mikasa) class

The first 70, which entered Sentetsu service prior to April 1938, were numbered ミカサ1701 through ミカサ1770; in Sentetsu's general renumbering of 1938, these became ミカサ1 through ミカサ70.[4] Those that entered service after April 1938 were numbered according to the new system.

The Mikasa class became Sentetsu's standard locomotive for freight trains and trains on steeper lines, especially on trunk lines such as the Gyeongui and Gyeongbu Lines. During the Pacific War, the industrialisation of northern Korea was expanded on a large scale, and to meet the resulting sharp increase in freight demands in the area, large numbers of Mikasas were assigned to work on the Gyeongwon and Hamgyeong Lines, as well.

The exact dispersal of Sentetsu's Mikasa-class locomotives after the partition of Korea is uncertain.

Timeline of Mikasa production for Sentetsu

	Running Number
Year	Original	Post-1938	Builder	Works Number
1927	1701–1708	ミカサ1–ミカサ8	Kisha Seizō	927–930, 961–964
1928	1709–1711	ミカサ9–ミカサ11	Nippon Sharyō	207–209
	1712–1714	ミカサ12–ミカサ14	Hitachi	293–295
	1715–1717	ミカサ15–ミカサ17	Kawasaki	1251–1253
	1718–1720	ミカサ18–ミカサ20	Kisha Seizō	1016–1018
1930	1721–1727	ミカサ21–ミカサ27	Gyeongseong Works	8–14
1935	1728–1731	ミカサ28–ミカサ31	Hitachi	614–617
	1732–1735	ミカサ32–ミカサ35	Kisha Seizō	1331–1334
1936	1736–1742	ミカサ36–ミカサ42	Kisha Seizō	1382–1388
1937	1743–1747	ミカサ43–ミカサ47	Kawasaki	1844–1848
	1752–1765	ミカサ52–ミカサ65	Kisha Seizō	1507–1514, 1526–1531
1938	1748–1751	ミカサ48–ミカサ51	Nippon Sharyō	514–517
	1766–1770	ミカサ66–ミカサ70	Kisha Seizō	1539–1543
		ミカサ81–ミカサ93	Kisha Seizō	1643–1647, 1656–1663
1939		ミカサ71–ミカサ75	Nippon Sharyō	607–611
		ミカサ76–ミカサ80	Kawasaki	2118–2122
		ミカサ94–ミカサ99	Kisha Seizō	1672–1677
		ミカサ100–ミカサ103	Hitachi	1036–1039
		ミカサ104–ミカサ109	Kisha Seizō	1766–1771
1940		ミカサ110–ミカサ129	Kisha Seizō	1896–1905, 1936–1945
		ミカサ130–ミカサ147	Hitachi	1171–1188
		ミカサ148–ミカサ172	Nippon Sharyō	817–841
		ミカサ173–ミカサ179	Gyeongseong Works	64–70
		ミカサ180–ミカサ186	Kisha Seizō	1960–1966
		ミカサ187–ミカサ191	Hitachi	1324–1328
		ミカサ192–ミカサ196	Nippon Sharyō	842–846
1941		ミカサ197–ミカサ208	Kisha Seizō	2049–2054, 2156–2161
1942		ミカサ209–ミカサ216	Kisha Seizō	2209–2216
		ミカサ223–ミカサ228	Nippon Sharyō	1029–1034
		ミカサ248–ミカサ278	Hitachi	1621–1627, 1704–1727
1943		ミカサ217–ミカサ222	Kisha Seizō	2266–2271
		ミカサ229–ミカサ244	Nippon Sharyō	1142–1151, 1176–1181
1944		ミカサ245–ミカサ247	Nippon Sharyō	1261–1263
		ミカサ279–ミカサ297	Hitachi	1728, 1848–1855, 1945–1954
		ミカサ303–ミカサ313	Nippon Sharyō	1332–1342

West Chosen Central Railway ミカサ (Mikasa) class

As traffic volumes increased significantly through the Pacific War, the privately owned West Chosen Central Railway also found itself needing more power. As a result, eight Mikasa class locomotives were bought in 1943 and 1944. More were needed, but as the capacity of locomotive builders in Japan and Korea was already being stretched, Mikaro (ミカロ, Mika6) class locomotives were borrowed from the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) instead.

After the partition of Korea all railways in both North and South were nationalised, and being located north of the 38th parallel, the West Chosen Central Railway's assets were taken over by the Korean State Railway.

Timeline of Mikasa production for the
West Chosen Central Railway

Year	Running Number	Builder	Works Number
1943	201, 202	Hitachi	1457, 1458
1944	203-206	Kisha Seizō	2227-2230
	207, 208	Nippon Sharyō	1213, 1214

Central China Railway ミカサ (Mikasa) class

The Central China Railway also bought locomotives built to the Sentetsu Mikasa design;[2] a total of 38 were built by Kisha Seizō, Hitachi and Nippon Sharyō in 1943 and 1944. These were numbered ミカサ11 through ミカサ19, ミカサ110 through ミカサ137 and ミカサ320. After the war, these eventually ended up with the China Railway.

Timeline of Mikasa production for the
Central China Railway

Year	Running Numbers	Builder	Works Number
1943	ミカサ11–ミカサ15	Kisha Seizō	2217 - 2221
	ミカサ16–ミカサ19	Hitachi	1392 - 1395
	ミカサ110–ミカサ113	Hitachi	1478 - 1481
	ミカサ119–ミカサ128	Nippon Sharyō	1193 - 1202
1944	ミカサ114–ミカサ118	Kisha Seizō	2222 - 2226
	ミカサ127–ミカサ137, ミカサ320	Hitachi	1729 - 1733, 1872 - 1875, 1871

Postwar

The exact distribution of Sentetsu's Mikashi-class locomotives after the partition of Korea is uncertain, but they were operated by both the Korean National Railroad in the South and by the Korean State Railway in the North.

Korean National Railroad 미카3 (Mika3) class

KNR Mika3-161 on display at the Korean Railway Museum.

Though the exact quantity and identities of the former Sentetsu Mikasa class locomotives that went to the Korean National Railroad isn't certain, there were at least 54 that were operated by the KNR.[4] Additionally, a further five, which had been under construction for Sentetsu at the end of the Pacific War, were completed by Hitachi in 1946 and delivered to the KNR as 미카3-298 through 미카3-302 (works numbers 2022-2026); this was followed by eight, 미카3-314 through 미카3-321, built new in 1947.[4] They were operated until at least 1968, by which time they were mostly relegated to shunting duties.[5]

Known Korean National Railroad 미카3

KNR number	Sentetsu number in 1945	Builder	Year built	Works Number	Notes
미카3-8	ミカサ8	Kisha Seizō	1927	964
미카3-16	ミカサ16	Kawasaki	1928	1252
미카3-17	ミカサ17	Kawasaki	1928	1253	Scrapped by 1954.
미카3-27	ミカサ27	Gyeongseong	1930	14	During and immediately after the Korean War, carried "Southern Pacific" lettering on the tender.[6]
미카3-31	ミカサ31	Hitachi	1935	617
미카3-42	ミカサ42	Kisha Seizō	1936	1388
미카3-43	ミカサ43	Kawasaki	1937	1844
미카3-50	ミカサ50	Nippon Sharyō	1938	516
미카3-52	ミカサ52	Kisha Seizō	1937	1507
미카3-66	ミカサ66	Kisha Seizō	1938	1539
미카3-71	ミカサ71	Nippon Sharyō	1939	607
미카3-76	ミカサ76	Kawasaki	1939	2118
미카3-78	ミカサ78	Kawasaki	1939	2120
미카3-89	ミカサ89	Kisha Seizō	1938	1659
미카3-94	ミカサ94	Kisha Seizō	1939	1672
미카3-96	ミカサ96	Kisha Seizō	1939	1674
미카3-99	ミカサ99	Kisha Seizō	1939	1677
미카3-100	ミカサ100	Hitachi	1939	1036
미카3-111	ミカサ111	Kisha Seizō	1940	1897
미카3-118	ミカサ118	Kisha Seizō	1940	1904	Scrapped by 1953.[4]
미카3-119	ミカサ119	Kisha Seizō	1940	1905
미카3-120	ミカサ120	Kisha Seizō	1940	1936
미카3-124	ミカサ124	Kisha Seizō	1940	1940
미카3-142	ミカサ142	Hitachi	1940	1183
미카3-144	ミカサ144	Hitachi	1940	1185
미카3-146	ミカサ146	Hitachi	1940	1187
미카3-150	ミカサ150	Nippon Sharyō	1940	819
미카3-161	ミカサ161	Nippon Sharyō	1940	832	Preserved at the Korean Railway Museum.[4]
미카3-162	ミカサ162	Nippon Sharyō	1940	831
미카3-169	ミカサ169	Nippon Sharyō	1940	838
미카3-177	ミカサ177	Gyeongseong	1940	68
미카3-180	ミカサ180	Kisha Seizō	1940	1960
미카3-181	ミカサ181	Kisha Seizō	1940	1961
미카3-199	ミカサ199	Kisha Seizō	1941	2051
미카3-208	ミカサ208	Kisha Seizō	1941	2161
미카3-209	ミカサ209	Kisha Seizō	1942	2209
미카3-210	ミカサ210	Kisha Seizō	1942	2210
미카3-212	ミカサ212	Kisha Seizō	1942	2212	Wrecked in 1953 in a collision with a tank.[4]
미카3-216	ミカサ216	Kisha Seizō	1942	2216
미카3-228	ミカサ228	Nippon Sharyō	1942	1034
미카3-239	ミカサ239	Nippon Sharyō	1943	1176
미카3-242	ミカサ242	Nippon Sharyō	1943	1179
미카3-244	ミカサ244	Nippon Sharyō	1943	1181	Preserved at Imjingak.[4]
미카3-247	ミカサ247	Nippon Sharyō	1944	1263
미카3-253	ミカサ253	Hitachi	1942	1626
미카3-255	ミカサ255	Hitachi	1942	1704
미카3-256	ミカサ256	Hitachi	1942	1705
미카3-257	ミカサ257	Hitachi	1942	1706
미카3-261	ミカサ261	Hitachi	1942	1710
미카3-271	ミカサ271	Hitachi	1942	1720
미카3-272	ミカサ272	Hitachi	1942	1721	Still in service in 1968.[4]
미카3-276	ミカサ276	Hitachi	1942	1725
미카3-280	ミカサ280	Hitachi	1944	1848
미카3-288	ミカサ288	Hitachi	1944	1945	Wrecked in an accident with a lorry in 1953.[4]
미카3-298	-	Hitachi	1946	2022
미카3-299	-	Hitachi	1946	2023
미카3-300	-	Hitachi	1946	2024
미카3-301	-	Hitachi	1946	2025
미카3-302	-	Hitachi	1946	2026
미카3-304	ミカサ304	Nippon Sharyō	1944	1333	Preserved at Sammu Park in Jeju City.[4]
미카3-311	ミカサ311	Nippon Sharyō	1944	1340
미카3-312	ミカサ312	Nippon Sharyō	1944	1341
미카3-314	-	?	1947
미카3-315	-	?	1947
미카3-316	-	?	1947
미카3-317	-	?	1947
미카3-318	-	?	1947
미카3-319	-	?	1947
미카3-320	-	?	1947
미카3-321	-	?	1947

Korean State Railway 미가서 (Migasŏ) class/6300 series

The identities and quantity of Sentetsu's Mikasa class locomotives that ended up in North Korea is not known; another eight were taken over from the West Chosen Central Railway. They remained in service for many decades after the Korean War;[2] some may still be in service at the present time. They were initially designated 미가서 (Migasŏ) class, and were later renumbered into the 6300 series; numbers higher than 100 were probably numbered into the 6400 series, as there were less than 24 Mikashi/Miganŏ-class locomotives in the DPRK, so numbers from 6425 on would have been free. How those taken over from the West Chosen Central Railway were numbered is unknown.

Known Korean State Railway 미가서

KSR number	Sentetsu number in 1945	Builder	Year built	Works Number	Notes
미가서18 (6318)	ミカサ18	Kisha Seizō	1928	1016	Active around Kaesŏng in the 1990s.[7]
미가서36 (6336)	ミカサ36	Kisha Seizō	1936	1382	Still in service in 2003.[8]
미가서44 (6344)	ミカサ44	Kawasaki	1937	1845	Active around Wŏnsan in the 1990s.[7]
미가서91 (6391)	ミカサ91	Kisha Seizō	1938	1661	Featured in the 1971 film On the Railway (철길우에서)[9]
미가서129	ミカサ129	Kisha Seizō	1940	1945	Used by North Korean forces during the invasion of Daejeon,[10] destroyed on 28 June 1950 when the Han River bridge was destroyed.[3] Restored, now on display with KNR-style number plates at the Daejeon National Cemetery,[4] on loan from the Daejeon Railway Vehicle Maintenance Centre.[3]
미가서168 (6468?)	ミカサ168	Nippon Sharyō	1940	837	Featured in the 1971 film On the Railway (철길우에서)[9]

China Railways 解放9 (JF9) class

Following the end of the war, the Central China Railway was absorbed into the state-owned Republic of China Railway, and after the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949 and the subsequent establishment of the China Railway in 1950, the Central China Railway Mikasas were given the ㄇㄎ玖 (MK9) designation; in 1959 they were reclassified 解放9 (JF9, "Liberation 9"), numbered 3671 through 3710. Although they were classified ㄇㄎ玖/解放9, they are completely different from the Mantetsu Mikaku (ミカク) class. The last of the JF9s in China were retired in the 1990s. JF9 3673 has been preserved, and is on display at the China Railway Museum in Beijing.[11]

Preserved examples

KNR 미카3-244 preserved at Imjingak

• In South Korea
  • Mika3-129, at the Daejeon National Cemetery, on loan from the Daejeon Railway Vehicle Maintenance Centre
  • Mika3-161, at the Korail Railroad Museum
  • Mika3-244, at Imjingak
  • Mika3-304, at Sammu Park in Jeju City
• In China:
  • JF9 3673, at the China Railway Museum in Beijing.

In addition, the hulks of two Mikasa class locomotives which were destroyed during the Korean war are located within the DMZ and are deteriorating from exposure to the elements.

Gallery

• 
  Cab of Mika3-129
• 
  Firebox door of Mika3-129

References

1. "Korean National RR MK-1 2-8-2". donsdepot.donrossgroup.net.
2. Kokubu, Hayato (January 2007). 将軍様の鉄道 [Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō] (in Japanese). 新潮社 (Shinchosha). pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6.
3. Byeon, Seong-u (1999). 한국철도차량 100년사 [Korean Railways Rolling Stock Centennial] (in Korean). Seoul: Korea Rolling Stock Technical Corp.
4. "Korean National RR MK-3 2-8-2s". donsdepot.donrossgroup.net.
5. "Korean R Gaddie photos". donsdepot.donrossgroup.net.
6. "A Tribute to Charlie Ward". donsdepot.donrossgroup.net.
7. Ziel, Ron; Huxtable, Nils (1995). Steam Beneath the Red Star. Amerion House. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-8488-0929-4.
8. "Sign in". www.farrail.net.
9. "2013年11月のブログ｜ゴンブロ！（ゴンの徒然日記）". ameblo.jp.
10. http://bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/bbs/view.html?b_bbs_id=10044&num=204766
11. "China Railway Museum (Dongjiao)". 30 August 2012.