List of locomotives in China


A list of current and retired locomotives in the People's Republic of China.

Steam locomotives

The first steam locomotive in China is thought to be a 2'6" gauge 0-4-0T engine used on the Shanghai-Wusong railway. Towards the end of the 19th century concessions obtained from the Qing dynasty enabled foreign powers to build railways in China, and they introduced a variety of foreign-built machines. Later Japan gained control over Manchuria as a result of the Treaty of Portsmouth following the Russo-Japanese War and created the South Manchuria Railway from their acquisitions - resulting in Japanese as well as American locomotives being imported into the north-east of China.
After the end of the Second World War China came back under indigenous rule. Locomotive were imported from both the United States and Russia as well as other Communist bloc countries.
Production of steam locomotives continued into the late 20th century. However, steam motive power was supplanted by diesel and electric locomotives as early as the 1950s. The Chinese rail network has been increasingly electrified in the twentieth century.

Standard gauge

Narrow gauge

Diesel locomotives

Diesel-hydraulic transmission

type descriptions are prefixed either by the roman initials DFH or NY. From the initials of the acronym DFH is derived from their phonetic sound the Chinese name "Dongfang Hong" meaning "Red East", matching the anthem of Communist China: "The East is Red" at the time of their introduction, as well as the well known observation of Chairman Mao Zedong that 'the east is red'. Usually DFH is used for internally produced locomotives and NY for imported or prototype machines.

Chinese made

Imported

Diesel-electric transmission

Chinese made

The Dongfeng series of diesel electric transmission locomotives is the most important in Chinese rail transport. The Dongfeng4 is by far the most common locomotive to be seen on Chinese rails.

Imported

Electric locomotives

AC-DC transmission

Shaoshan (SS) () series

Imported

AC-DC-AC transmission

Both post 2000 introductions of asynchronous AC motor driven locomotives and high speed trains based on technology transfer arrangements with other countries have been given the common name "Harmony" series. Ministry of Railways deputy chief engineer Zhang Shuguang explained that the name was to represent energy efficiency and good environmental credentials as well as indicating smooth running of complicated systems. Vehicles of the 'Harmony' series have an "H" in their type descriptions.
ModelBuild yearTop speed

Power output
Builder
Total productionPhoto
AC400019961204000Zhuzhou1
DJ "Jiufang"
20002004800Zhuzhou2
DJ12000–20011206400Siemens
Zhuzhou		20
DJ2 "Olympic Stars"
20012004800Zhuzhou3
Tiansuo or "Sky Shuttle"
20032004800Datong1
HXD1
2006–20101209600 Siemens
Zhuzhou		220
HXD1.12006–present1209600 Zhuzhou≥600
HXD1.62006–present1209600 Ziyang≥80
HXD1.72006–20121209600 / 14400 Zhuzhou8/2
HXD1.72006–20121209600 Zhuzhou190
HXD1B2009–20111209600Siemens, Germany
Zhuzhou		650
HXD1C2009–present1207200Siemens, Germany
Zhuzhou
Ziyang		1207
HXD1D2012–present1607200Zhuzhou≥600
HXD1F20141009600 Zhuzhou2
HXD1G2015–present21011200Zhuzhou2
HXD2
2006–200812010000 Alstom, France
Datong		180
HXD2.12012–present12010000 Bombardier
Datong		≥280
HXD2.62014–present12010000 Dalian40
HXD2.72012–present12010000 Bombardier
Datong		50
HXD2B2009–20111209600Alstom
Datong		500
HXD2C2010–20111207200Datong≥220
HXD2D2013–present1607200Datong1
HXD2F20141009600 Datong2
HXD2G2015–present20012800 Datong1
HXD3
2003–20101207200Toshiba
Dalian
Datong
Beijing Feb. 7th		1080
HXD3A20141209600 Bombardier
Dalian		2
HXD3B2009–20111209600Bombardier
Dalian		500
HXD3C2010–present1207200Bombardier
Dalian		≥1300
HXD3D2012–present1607200Dalian≥600
HXD3G2015–present21012800 Dalian1