New Stock

Its been very quite at work, so while surfing Ebay i came across a few bargins, I picked up these......



JR HOKKAIDO "ANA BIG SNEAKER" Kiha 83/84 Diesel 4 CARS SET FROM KATO item N°10-304.



It was only £54.00 ($72.00) which was a bargin if you ask me (this includes the postage from the US.














Joyful Train (ジョイフルトレイン, joifuru torein^?) is the name given to railway rolling stock or train sets operated by the JR Group in Japan primarily for charters, special events, tourist excursions, and other similar purposes.

 The "Joyful Train" concept can be traced back to 1960, when a 1935-vintage SuHaShi 29 dining car was converted into a Japanese-style o-zashiki train with tatami flooring and shoji paper screens on the windows. This could be coupled to regular service trains for use by charter parties. A second car was similarly modified in April 1961.

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The DD51 is a class of Japanese B-2-B wheel arrangement diesel-hydraulic locomotives. 649 locomotives were built between 1962 and 1978 by Kawasaki Sharyō, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi. The class was designed for mainline passenger and freight use with more power than the D51 and a higher maximum speed than the C62 steam locomotive classes. This was achieved by installing two 1,100 hp engines in an 18 metre long centre-cab design, unusual for mainline operation. The V12 DML61 engines were developed from the 6-cylinder inline DMF31 engines used in the DD13 locomotives.

 



Liveries

All locomotives numbered from DD51 2 onwards were finished in the standard diesel livery of orange/red with grey upper surfaces separated by a white stripe. Re-engined locos operated by JR Freight in Hokkaidō sport a livery based on the DF200 colour scheme, with no white stripe. These locomotives are frequently used in pairs double-heading freight trains.
JR Hokkaidō locos are all finished in the "Hokutosei" livery of blue with a gold stripe and shooting star logo. These are used in pairs for hauling sleeper trains (Hokutosei, Cassiopeia, and Twilight Express) between Hakodate and Sapporo.
DD51 592 (now withdrawn), and now DD51 791, was repainted in the "Euroliner" livery of pale blue with dark blue stripes for use with JR Central's "Euroliner" Joyful Train set.
DD51 842 was designated as the Imperial Train locomotive. Whereas regular members of the class have white handrails and edges to the running boards, they are polished stainless steel on this particular locomotive, as are the exhaust shrouds. Based at Takasaki Depot, it is also used for special excursion trains.