Taiwan LD50→LDT100 Steam Locomotive

The LD50 class of the Taiwan Government-General Railway was among the largest steam locomotives built for 762 mm gauge. It was a 2-8-2 tender locomotive for the Taitung Line: four were built by Nippon Sharyo in 1942, followed by three more in 1944. It was the only tender locomotive type used on the Taitung Line. The later batch was a wartime design using substitute materials such as wood; two locomotives were lost to U.S. attacks while being transported to Taiwan, and one remained in Japan. As a result, only four were actually used in Taiwan. After the war, these locomotives were taken over by the Taiwan Railways Administration and became the LDT100 class. After withdrawal, three LDT100-class locomotives, together with other Taitung Line steam locomotives such as the LDK50 class, were purchased by Tokyu Corporation and re-imported to Japan. The planned use, however, was never realized, and they were eventually scrapped. Today, LDT103 is preserved at the Hualien Railway Culture Park. LD507, the locomotive that had remained in Japan, was rebuilt after the war and fitted with automatic couplers and air brakes; during the Korean War it was sent to Korea for use by the U.S. military. It is now preserved as “혀기US7” in front of the Sorae History Museum in Namdong District, Incheon Metropolitan City.