Attn: Train Enthusiasts:
Could someone please assist me in identifying a picture of *Train #C56 150; travelling thru snow covered mountains with pine trees everywhere. This beautifly framed picture is in a Silent Auction at our church bazaar on November 18th and I'd like to have a history to complete it.
I would appreciate any information on the history of *C56 150; if it is still running; where it was manufactured; the date & place where this picture was taken; everything & anything pertinent to identify & describe this picture; and how valuable is it?!
Thank you in advance for any & all assistance you are able to give me; especially before Saturday, November 18th, 2006.
Regarding earlier message: Could someone please assist me in identifying a picture of *Train #C56 150; travelling thru snow covered mountains with pine trees everywhere. This beautifly framed picture is in a Silent Auction at our church bazaar on November 18th and I'd like to have a history to complete it.
Since I have no way of scanning said picture; too large; I would appreciate any information on the history of Train *C56 150; if it is still running; where it was manufactured; everything & anything pertinent to identify & describe this type of train?!
The only thing I could find on google was about a Japanese Train #'d C56 160; but my train interest is on C56 150.
Again, thank you in advance for any & all assistance you are able to give me; especially before Saturday, November 18th, 2006.
It's not very probable that you'll find a specific history for C56150 anywhere (with the possible but improbable exception of some Japanese-language railfan sites accessible only from Japan - they refuse to come up for inquiries from elsewhere.)
The 3'6" gauge Japan National Railways C56 class 2-6-0, of which 164 were built between 1935 and 1939, shares a boiler and machinery with the C12 class 2-6-0 (293 built between 1932 and 1947.) The tender gave (slightly) greater fuel and water capacity while lightening the weight on drivers. Sometimes referred to as the "pony" engine, it was light power, used on branchlines with turning facilities and on secondary routes with little freight traffic.
Some C56 locos (not including C56150) were regauged to meter gauge and sent to Thailand, where they were used on the line made famous by the bridge over the River Kwai (means water buffalo, in case you've ever wondered.)
The picture, IMHO, was taken on the JNR Koumi(koh-OOH-mee)-sen, a secondary through route in the heart of the Central Japan Alps, probably in the 1950's or early 1960's. I personally traveled that route in 1968, in the front end of a DMU train, and saw C56 powered freights on the line.
The Koumi-sen serves several ski resorts. Not being a snow bunny, I did my railfan thing in the summer.
Chuck (typing this about 3 meters from my copy of that C56150 poster)
Thank you Chuck, I appreciate you sending me what information you could on the picture of 'Train #C56 150'. It was interesting to learn where the picture had been taken. I will put your information with this picture for our Silent Auction during our Church Bazaar this Saturday, November 18, 2006.
Just stumbled across your thread looking for same info as yourself ! IF same poster, from backside "photgraphed by Daisuke Hirota, print #22 of john wagner collection of impact photo art" .
doug c
http://homepage3.nifty.com/EF57/engines/C56.htm
I have the same picture in my den, C56 150 is a JNR 2-6-0 mogul built by Mitsubishi in 1938. The locomotive resides in Hakuba, Nagano, Japan.
I also have the picture - I bought mine in Germany in 1967 or 1968. Just today I'm online thinking it would be a very long shot to find any information about the train, but wow! Look what I found! I assumed the train was German!
JoeT I also have the picture - I bought mine in Germany in 1967 or 1968. Just today I'm online thinking it would be a very long shot to find any information about the train, but wow! Look what I found! I assumed the train was German!
Interestingly, the chief designer for the Imperial Government Railways (pre-surrender name of the JNR) studied locomotive design in Germany and was strongly influenced by German practice.
If C56160 is stuffed and mounted in Hakuba, my original 'educated guess' was in error. Hakuba is the junction between the Chu-o Hon Sen and a line that runs 62 kilometers to a connection with the Tokaido-Sen (the main coastal route of JR) The Koumi-sen is farther north. Geography along both routes is similar. (Note - capitalization reflects the importance of the routes.)
Chuck (Modeling an area considerably west of both the Koumi-sen and Hakuba)
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