[Bonus: Special postcard included] RM Re-Library 6 JNR EF13 type

RM Re-Library is a reprint of two or three volumes of the best volumes from the long history of RM LIBRARY , which has already exceeded 260 issues. The sixth volume of the new series focuses on the JNR EF13 type, known for having had a very strange fate among the old JNR electric locomotives. It was published as volumes 125 and 126 of the RM Library, and also includes four new pages of color graphs.

The story behind the birth of the EF13 series can be summed up in one word: "It was designed under a wartime system, with significant material restrictions." In fact, many of the units were completed after the war, but in any case, the extreme shortage of materials led to the extremely rare convex body, and initially there were no handrails on the deck. Substitute materials such as wood were used in some parts, and it is said that the functionality was also affected by repeated breakdowns. However, it cannot be denied that this convex body gives a sense of functional beauty, with all unnecessary elements removed.

After that, the first equipment modification was carried out, such as standardization of the electrical circuitry, and the performance stabilized. Furthermore, in the second equipment modification, the old EF58 car body, which was being replaced with a streamlined car body at that time, was replaced with an EF13 , and the appearance became very similar to the EF15 type. In the final days, it worked silently for freight trains in the metropolitan area, and was completely abolished in 1979, just before the 1980s .

This book was written by an author who is an engineer with a deep knowledge of locomotive functions and is also renowned as a model maker who builds from scratch. The EF13 type was released with a significant reduction in equipment due to the demands of the times, but the description that the next generation of locomotives was able to eliminate waste and improve reliability based on its track record of use is an eye-opener. In addition, the individual differences between each unit, which are of concern to modelers, are made clear by the clear photographs that are included as thoroughly as possible. The exterior schematic diagrams drawn by the author himself are also highly informative, making this a valuable book to keep as a keepsake.