China Railways AM1

Last updated
China Railways AM1
Mantetsu Amei class (アメイ)
Mantetsu-Ame.jpg
Builder's photo of Ame 51.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder ALCo
Build date1906
Total produced4
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-4-0
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Driver dia.1,727 mm (67.99 in)
Adhesive weight 40.30 t
(39.66 long tons; 44.42 short tons)
Loco weight58.30 t
(57.38 long tons; 64.26 short tons)
Firebox:
  Firegrate area
2.42 m2 (26.0 sq ft)
Boiler pressure12.7 kgf/cm2 (181 psi; 1,245 kPa)
Cylinder size 457 mm × 660 mm
(18.0 in × 26.0 in)
Career
Operators South Manchuria Railway
China Railway
Class SMR: A (1916–1920)
SMR: アメ (1920–1938)
SMR: アメイ (1938–1945)
CR: AM1
Number in class4
NumbersSMR: 50–53 (1908–1938)
SMR: アメイ1–4 (1938–1945)
CR: AM1

The China Railways AM1 class locomotives were a class of 4-4-0 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway, originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu). [1] The "Ame" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-4-0 wheel arrangement were called "American".

Contents

History

The Amei class was part of the first group of locomotives ordered by Mantetsu after the conversion to standard gauge. They were bought from ALCO of the United States, setting a precedent of importing locomotives - primarily from the US - over the subsequent decade and a half. The four locomotives that Mantetsu bought were originally built for the Chicago Southern Railway (later part of the Milwaukee Road).

Designated class A under Mantetsu's first classification system, they were used primarily as power on ordinary passenger trains on both the main line between Dalian and Changchun (later Xinjing), and on the Anfeng Line. Redesignated Ame (アメ) class in 1920, in 1927, all four were rented out to the Sitao Railway, remaining there until the Sitao Railway, along with other privately owned railways, was nationalised to form the Manchukuo National Railway in 1933. They returned to Mantetsu at that time, serving primarily on the Yingkou Branch Line between Dashiqiao on the mainline and Yingkou, and occasionally pulling light trains on the mainline between Dalian and Xinjing. They became Amei class in 1938.

OwnerClass & numbers
(pre-1920)
Class & numbers
(1920–1938)
Class & numbers
(1938–1945)
Builder
MantetsuA 50–53アメ50–アメ53アメイ1–アメイ4ALCO

Postwar

All four were assigned to the Fengtian Railway Bureau at the end of the Pacific War, and were taken over by the Republic of China Railway. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, they were taken over by the current China Railway, which designated them class AM1 in 1951. [1]

Related Research Articles

South Manchuria Railway 1906–1945 Japanese company in China

The South Manchuria Railway, officially The South Manchuria Railway Company, Ltd., Mantetsu or Mantie for short, was a large National Policy Company of the Empire of Japan whose primary function was the operation of railways on the Dalian–Fengtian (Mukden)–Changchun corridor in northeastern China, as well as on several branch lines.

China Railways SL7

The China Railways SL7 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 express passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) to pull the Asia Express - Mantetsu's signature train and most iconic locomotive, whose images were used on fliers, posters, postage stamps, and even children's school textbooks, as a symbol of technology and modernism in Manchukuo and was used to demonstrate the success of Japan's imperial project.

China Railways JF6 2-8-2 steam locomotive

The China Railways JF6 class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives for freight trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built in Japan and Manchukuo between 1934 and 1944 for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), the Manchukuo National Railway, and the North China Transportation Company.

China Railways SL6 4-6-2 steam locomotive

The China Railways SL6 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 superheated two-cylinder passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. Originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), the Manchukuo National Railway, the Central China Railway and the North China Transportation Company by several Japanese manufacturers between 1934 and 1940, they were the most numerous class of steam passenger locomotive in China, with 422 eventually built.

Manchukuo National Railway Former railway in present-day China

The Manchukuo National Railway was the state-owned national railway company of Manchukuo. Generally called the "國線", it was controlled by the Manchukuo Ministry of Transportation and had its lines primarily in the central and northern parts of the country. In local newspapers it was simply referred to as "國鉄". It was built, operated and managed by the South Manchuria Railway, a state-owned national railway company of the Empire of Japan, of which the Kwantung Army frequently intervened in its affairs.

China Railways SL11

The China Railways SL11 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway and the Manchukuo National Railway by ALCO of the United States in 1908, and have the distinction of being part of the first group of standard gauge locomotives to operate in northeastern China.

The China Railways SL2 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), where they were designated Pashini (パシニ) class.

China Railways SL3 4-6-2 steam locomotive

The China Railways SL3 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway, the Manchukuo National Railway and the North China Transportation Company by several Japanese manufacturers between 1934 and 1940. They were designed in 1933 based on the design of the first Pashisa class locomotives ; the first order was placed by Mantetsu in March of that year.

China Railways SL4

The China Railways SL4 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), where they were designated Pashishi (パシニ) class. Mantetsu's 1938 "Pashishi" classification was made up of two distinct classes of locomotive, the former G2 and G3 classes, built in 1919 and 1921 respectively, for Mantetsu and for the Manchukuo National Railway.

China Railways SL5

The China Railways SL5 steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway in 1927 and 1928.

China Railways SL8

The China Railways SL8 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 express passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) and the Manchukuo National Railway between 1937 and 1940.

The China Railways TH10 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-0 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. Originally amongst the first locomotives ordered by the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), they were later operated by the privately owned Jichang Jidun Railway and its successor, the Manchukuo National Railway, which designated them Tehoni class. The "Teho" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were called "Ten-Wheeler".

China Railways TH1


The China Railways TH1 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-6-0 passenger steam locomotives operated by the China Railway. Originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), some were also operated by the Manchukuo National Railway. The "Teho" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were called "Ten-Wheeler".

The Manchukuo National Railway Tehosa class steam locomotives were a class of 4-6-0 passenger steam locomotives operated by the Manchukuo National Railway. Originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), they later transferred to the MNR. The "Teho" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement were called "Ten-Wheeler".

China Railways LD1

The China Railways LD1 class steam locomotive was a class of streamlined 4-4-4T tank steam locomotives for passenger trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) in 1936. The "Dabu" name came from the English "double-ender", which was used by Mantetsu for all tank locomotives.

China Railways JF2

The China Railways JF2 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.

China Railways MT1

The China Railways MT1 class steam locomotive was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives for goods trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) in Japan in 1936. The "Mate" name came from the American naming system for steam locomotives, under which locomotives with 4-8-2 wheel arrangement were called "Mountain".

China Railways KD1

The China Railways KD1 class locomotives were a class of 2-8-0 steam locomotives operated by China Railway, originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) and the Manchukuo National Railway by ALCo of the United States in 1907 and 1908. The "Sori" name comes from the American naming system for steam locomotives, in which the 2-8-0 wheel arrangement is called "Consolidation".

China Railways JF1 2-8-2 steam locomotive

The China Railways JF1 class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives for freight trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built in the United States, Japan and Manchukuo between 1918 and 1945 for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), the Manchukuo National Railway, the North China Transportation Company, and the Central China Railway. After the end of the Pacific War, they were taken over by the China Railway, the Korean State Railway in North Korea and by the Korean National Railroad in South Korea, and more were built in China after 1949 for the China Railway, which ultimately operated over 2,000 of the type.

Renkyō Line

The Renkyō Line was the primary trunk line of the South Manchuria Railway from 1907 to 1945. The 701.4 km (435.8 mi) line ran between Dalian (Dairen) and Changchun (Xinjing).

References