JNR Class EF64

The class was conceived as a dynamic-brake-equipped F-class locomotive for the many DC-electrified routes with medium gradients of roughly 20 to 33 per mille, where the special steep-gradient equipment of the Usui Pass types was unnecessary. On the Chūō Main Line in particular, double-headed ED61 locomotives had suffered frequent failures of their regenerative brakes, attributed to wheel-diameter differences between the train locomotive and the banking locomotive, so an F-class type with reliable dynamic braking had been strongly sought. The two prototype locomotives, EF64 1 and 2, were delivered in 1964, built by Toshiba and Kawasaki Sharyo respectively; the basic body design was based on that of the earlier Class EF62 but used the more usual Japanese Bo-Bo-Bo wheel arrangement, and the gear ratio was changed from the EF62's 16:71 (1:4.44) to 18:69 (1:3.83) to give slightly greater emphasis to high-speed running.

Each locomotive carries six MT52 series-wound DC commutator traction motors, each rated 425 kW (one-hour rating at 750 V terminal voltage), for a total rated output of 2,550 kW. To make the dynamic brake build up quickly, the EF64's reverser used armature-current switching rather than the field-current switching fitted to the Class EF60 and EF65. The livery from the start was all-over blue with the lower cab ends painted cream.

Full production ran from 1965 to 1976, ending with EF64 79 (the EF64-0 subclass, numbers 1–79). The first batch, EF64 1 to 12, was assigned to the Ōu Main Line between Fukushima and Yonezawa, where it assisted KiHa 80 Tsubasa DMUs over the steep gradients; with the conversion of the Ōu Main Line from 1,500 V DC to 20 kV AC in 1968, those first twelve locomotives were transferred to the Chūō Main Line.

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A redesigned EF64-1000 subclass (numbers 1001–1053), developed in the late 1970s as the last DC electric locomotive design of Japanese National Railways (JNR), appeared from 1980, beginning with EF64 1001, to replace ageing Class EF15, EF16 and EF58 locomotives on the Joetsu and Takasaki lines; the body was lengthened from 17,900 mm to 18,600 mm and given an asymmetrical appearance, and a total of 53 EF64-1000s were built by Kawasaki by 1982. The last of them, EF64 1053, completed on 28 October 1982, was the last new locomotive built for JNR. Although a new class designation had been possible for this substantially redesigned subclass, it was treated as a minor change — a new number-series of the existing class — to avoid the difficult negotiations with the labour unions that introducing a nominally new type of locomotive would have required.

The asymmetric bodysides, unlike those of any other JNR electric locomotive, resulted from the emphasis on snow protection for the Joetsu Line, which runs through one of Japan's heaviest snowfall areas: heat-generating equipment such as the main resistors and their blowers was concentrated in a second equipment room behind a large louvre at one end of the bodyside, so that the resistors' exhaust heat could be recirculated to keep snow out. One EF64-1000, EF64 1011, was Kawasaki Heavy Industries' 4,500th locomotive (counting steam, electric and diesel types together), and a commemorative ceremony was held for it at the company's Hyōgo Works.

In total 132 locomotives were built between 1964 and 1982. The locomotive has a maximum speed of 100 km/h (design maximum 115 km/h) and a power output of 2.55 MW (2,550 kW). At the privatisation of JNR in 1987, every EF64 built passed to the JR companies: 113 (about 85 per cent; 68 EF64-0s and 45 EF64-1000s) to JR Freight, 14 to JR East, three EF64-0s to JR Central and two EF64-0s to JR West. The EF64-0s underwent a life-extension refurbishment programme, starting with EF64 67 and carried out at Omiya and Hiroshima Works, with the refurbished locomotives released in JR Freight liveries; the first EF64-1000 to be refurbished was EF64 1015, in 2003. There have been no accident-related withdrawals of the class, but the first member was withdrawn in 2003 following the introduction of the JR Freight Class EH200, and JR Freight's EF64-0s had all left service by March 2013. JR Central's last EF64, EF64 2, was withdrawn on 16 January 2009, and both of JR West's had been withdrawn by 2009. As of 1 April 2016, 47 EF64s remained in service, with eight (including the sole remaining EF64-0, EF64 37) operated by JR East and 39 EF64-1000s operated by JR Freight.

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JR East, which once used the class on regular sleeper services such as the Akebono, sent EF64 37 and 1052 for scrapping in November 2021, retiring the last of its EF64-0s. EF64 1001 and 1053 ended revenue service in November 2024, and EF64 1030 followed with the 'Arigatō EL' (Thank You EL) run on 24 November 2025. EF64 1031 and 1032 were then also sent to the Akita General Rolling Stock Centre for scrapping; with JR East's fleet gone, no passenger railway company has EF64s allocated. With the 14 March 2026 timetable revision, JR Freight's EF64s were withdrawn completely from Chūō West Line freight working, leaving three regular duties on the Hakubi Line.

The type has worn several special liveries, including the white-and-blue Euroliner scheme (EF64 66 from 1985, the first EF64 to carry a livery other than standard blue, and EF64 35 from 1990) and all-over brown schemes on EF64 37 (2003) and EF64 41 (2006). Three JR East EF64-1000s (EF64 1030 to 1032) were fitted with dual-head couplers and brake-translation equipment to haul electric multiple units, and because they were also used to move withdrawn cars to scrapping they acquired the enthusiast nickname 'Shinigami' (Grim Reaper). Two EF64s are preserved: EF64 18, in Jinroku-zakura Park in front of Katsunuma-budōkyō Station on the Chūō Main Line in Koshu, Yamanashi, and EF64 22, whose cab end only is privately preserved in Yazu, Tottori Prefecture. EF64 77, formerly preserved at Aichi depot and restored to the livery it carried when hauling the imperial train, was dismantled in January 2020.

• 1964The two prototype locomotives, EF64 1 and 2, are delivered, built by Toshiba and Kawasaki Sharyo respectively; the class is introduced to replace ageing EF16 locomotives over the steeply graded Itaya Pass on the Ōu Main Line.
• 1968With the conversion of the Ōu Main Line (Fukushima–Yonezawa, over the Itaya Pass) from 1,500 V DC to 20 kV AC, the first twelve EF64-0 locomotives end Ōu Main Line service and are transferred to the Chūō Main Line.
• 1980The redesigned EF64-1000 subclass enters service, beginning with EF64 1001, on the Joetsu Line, replacing ageing Class EF15, EF16 and EF58 locomotives; 53 EF64-1000s (numbers 1001–1053) are built by Kawasaki by 1982.
• 1982Production ends with EF64 1053, completed on 28 October 1982 — the last newly-built locomotive made for Japanese National Railways. A total of 132 EF64s (79 of the EF64-0 subclass and 53 of the EF64-1000 subclass) were built between 1964 and 1982.
• 1987On the privatisation of Japanese National Railways, all EF64s pass to the JR Group: 113 (about 85 per cent) to JR Freight, 14 to JR East, 3 to JR Central and 2 to JR West.
• 2003The first member of the class is withdrawn, following the introduction of the JR Freight Class EH200; there had been no accident-related withdrawals of EF64s.
• 2016As of 1 April 2016, 47 EF64s remain in service — eight (including the sole remaining EF64-0, EF64 37) with JR East and 39 EF64-1000s with JR Freight.
• 2026From the 14 March 2026 timetable revision, EF64s are completely withdrawn from Chūō West Line freight working (replaced by Classes EH200 and EF210); after JR East's last examples (EF64 1031 and 1032) are retired, no passenger railway company operates the class, and the only remaining regular EF64 duty is three workings on the Hakubi Line for JR Freight.