E18 is a small gauge 600mm train steam engine literally tucked under an apartment building on a quiet, shaded side street in north-west Tokyo; an ironic end for a machine of war. During the Sino-Japanese Wars, The Japanese Army wanted the ability to quickly lay train track, deliver supplies, then just as quickly, remove the laid track. They also wanted engines that were reliable, had large transport capacity, and that were stable in the mountainous terrain of Manchuria. In 1921, they ordered and procured 25 stout coal-fired train engines from Orenstein and Coppell of Germany. Beyond their strength and reliability, the engines are unique in that power was able to be transferred to all wheels, (a kind of all-wheel drive) to provide stability on sharp curves. E18 was effective in quickly delivering supplies to battlefields in Manchuria in the 1930’s. In 1945, following the Pacific War, E18 was used by the Seibu Railway in Chiba until the 1950’s. Her technology being obsolete, she fell into disuse and was stored at various warehouses through the 1960’s. In 1971 E18 was displayed with another engine, E109, at the UNESCO Village in Tokorozawa City until 2007 when she underwent restoration work and was displayed at Tokyo Big Sight for the JAM Convention. In August 2012, she found her new home here in the lovely Egota neighborhood, just a few train stops from Ikebukuro.
E18 is a 10-minute walk from Shin-Egota Station on the Oedo Line and Ekoda Station on the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line. You can find the location on Google Maps as ‘Former Army railway Rentai E18 type locomotive’. GPS 35°44'02.8"N 139°40'18.7"E
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