Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification

From the beginning of the Kobe–Osaka railway in 1874, they allocated odd numbers to locomotives in Tokyo area and even numbers to locomotives in Kobe area, but this custom was not maintained after the completion of railway between Tokyo and Kobe in 1889.

Later, this simple method was revised to use one letter and one or two digit numerals with consideration of locomotive types.

The meanings of the letters were as follows: Each private railway had its own classification system at the time.

Because the 1909 method was about to overflow, a new system of numbering and classification came into effect on October 1, 1928.

After this revision, steam locomotives were classified and numbered with a Latin letter and numerals.

The table below lists all classes of the electric locomotives identified under this method.

Later, the system was revised to distinguish the types of electricity when AC and AC/DC locomotives were introduced.

Out of seven Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies established in 1987, only Japan Freight Railway Company (JR Freight) has built new electric locomotives.

Initially JR Freight continued to build locomotives originally designed by JNR with minor modifications.

The Ministry of Railways numbered them following a similar scheme to that used for steam and electric locomotives.

In the uniform classification system for Shinkansen rolling stock, the first digit 9 is assigned for cars and locomotives for departmental use.