Talk:Japan Railways locomotive numbering and classification

Shinkansen locomotives
The part about the Shinkansen system (at the bottom) appears to be wrong - or at least very unprecise. All Shinkansen Type vehicles are Eletric Multiple Units (EMUs) - none is diesel.

The "9" being reserved for prototypes or other non-passenger services (e.g. "Doctor Yellow" trains) appears to be correct - but the second digit "1" meaning diesel is highly unlikely. Since a) there are no diesel Shinkansen vehicles, and b) there are cars within the regular service Shinkansen trains (e.g. 300, 500, 700 series, etc.) that do have a "1" as their second digit - and there it usually refers to the Green Class cars (both trailer and motored!). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.139.13.175 (talk • contribs) 14:38, 18 January 2008 (UTC)


 * No, the article is correct as it stands. It is referring to diesel locomotives used on the shinkansen system, not regular shinkansen cars. As the article says, there have been two classes: 911 and 912. Class 912 locomotives are still in use. --DAJF (talk) 14:48, 18 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I was about to ask about the Shinkansen/diesel passage for the same reason stated above. Maybe some clarification about the use of diesel on Shinkansen right of way is in order (eg MOW?)  Also, I assume that the classification bucket 90-49 is really a typo: shouldn't it be 90-99?  Thanks! (void*) (talk) 02:10, 10 February 2008 (UTC)

"Power source"?
It says midway through the article that "Unlike electric and diesel locomotives, steam locomotive classifications do not include an indication of the type of power source (steam) in their class names." I'm not an expert on locomotives, but isn't the power SOURCE the fuel burned, while the machinery used to translate that power is the power transmission and/or prime mover (not sure what it would be called on a steam locomotive). I.e. power source is coal, which is burned and the energy is absorbed by the water (steam) which is turned into mechanical energy by the cylinders, and transmitted to the track via rods and wheels. Not sure if that's right or not, just curious. I suppose by that logic, an electrical trains' power source would be a power plant and a diesel would be fuel oil (as would an oil fired steam locomotive). So maybe not. .45Colt 05:42, 31 January 2014 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by .45Colt (talk • contribs)