From 1903 to 1909,home-mad 2-4-2 tank locomotives class 230 were build by the Osaka Kisha Seizo Kaisha (KSK). These are the first mass-produced steam locomotives in Japan, and 41 locomotives were made at KSK. The original design source of these locomotives were on the bases of the data of class A8 (class 500,600,700) 2-4-2 tank locomotives imported from the UK. These locomotives have commomly 4-8-4 wheel arrangement and this makes a standard wheel arrangement for tank locomotives in the Meiji period of Japan. The chief designer and engineer of this class 230 steam locomotives is probably Mr. Shogo HASAGAWA. He was a mechanical engineer of the Omiya railway works, Nippon Railway Co.. Mr. Heijiro KUDO, he is an engineer and assisted Mr. HASAGAWA. Later, Mr. KUDO developed famous steam railmotor. In this report, 1) History of these locomotives and their builders, 2) Comparison of the specification between class 230 and class 600 tank locomotives, 3) Examination of the industrial heritage on the No.232 steam locomotive preserved in the Modern Transportation Museum at Osaka, are described.
