A total of 54 Class EF62 DC electric locomotives were built between 1962 and 1969 for use hauling passenger and freight on the Shinetsu Main Line and particularly over the extreme 66.7‰ gradient of the Usui Pass between Yokokawa and Karuizawa.
A total of 25 Class EF63 locomotives were built between 1962 and 1976 exclusively for use as bankers on the steeply-graded Usui Pass section of the Shinetsu Main Line between Yokokawa and Karuizawa.
The place that was originally called Karuisawa is, in actuality, approximately two to three kilometers from the post town, which is located at the western entrance to the Usui Pass.
This post town's name, which roughly translates to "stuck shoes," came about because it was located near the western entrance to the difficult Usui Pass.
The pass on the ancient Tōsandō highway was described as early as the 8th century, in the Nihon Shoki, as Yamato Takeru went through the pass during his journey in eastern Japan.
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It is also the home course of the real life drift racer Keiichi Tsuchiya.
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It was featured in numerous Initial D episodes as the home course of Impact Blue.
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The new locomotives were the JNR Class EF63 banking engines used for help in both ascending and descending the 66.7‰ (1 in 15) gradient line.
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