Kato C50 (2001) - with and without differentials

[Stephen NZ]

Kato supplies the following numbers for their 2001 C50: 78, 93, 106, 123, 140, 142 and 154. However, it seems that at least some of these engines has smoke deflectors/differentials, so would be appropriate for the C50 2001-1 instead.

 

I have two of these models so don't want to attach inappropriate numbers for the prototype. 154 does not, but I need to know a second one. So far, I have found that 110, 123 and 142 have differentials. Would anyone have photos of 78, 93 or 140 or a source where I can check? 

 

I'm also curious about why differentials were not consistently fitted on C50s. I was trying to see a pattern on D51498.com but that website has been down for a few weeks now.

[Kiha66]

I don't have specific's about the C50 class, but generally smoke lifter styling tends to vary by both age and depot allocation.  Some depots were very consistent with all locomotives having standard deflectors, while others often had a mix of small, larger, and no deflectors.  I've noticed more rural depots seem to have the greatest variation in how the locomotives stationed there were outfitted. 

 

Older locomotives which didn't come with deflectors also have a higher likelihood of not receiving them later.  The 9600 in Kyushu and Hokkaido could be found without deflectors well into the end of steam while D51s almost always had theirs installed, even in remote areas.

[Kamome]

Certainly for the C50, 5 of the 6 preserved locomotives on static display do not have deflectors fitted. 

 

It may have hugely depended on the lines the locos were servicing and their duties. As @Kiha66 mentions in Kyushu the 9600s that ferried coal hoppers back and forth to the mines rarely had deflectors fitted. The lines were classed as sub-trunk lines so were running on rural single track and were moving at relatively slow speeds negating the need for deflectors. 9600s top speed was only around 40mph anyway.  The hoppers were then made up into larger trains and pulled by D51s up to the docks in the north of Kyushu alongside other traffic on trunk or mainlines.

 

Those 9600s that were needed for mixed freight or other duties along busier parts of the network had either standard shaped or smaller Witte style deflectors fitted.