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24Apr/109

Kato Amtrak 13002 (Seibu E851?)

So, I was browsing eBay and saw advertised a Kato Amtrak 4+4+4 Electric Locomotive... For all I'd known Amtrak America had never had any such an engine and therefore clicked the item to investigate... In front of me appeared (what looked like) an EF81 in Amtrak livery!

Kato Amtrak 13002 Kato Amtrak 13002 Kato Amtrak 13002
Kato Amtrak 13002 Kato Amtrak 13002 Kato Amtrak 13002

It seems that, back in the day, Kato didn't want to put money in to actually designing the models for America and therefore just repainted a (very slightly) remodeled EF81. Of course, it could be an exact copy of another Japanese electric locomotive, but I haven't had the time yet to do further research.

Update:
Toni Babelony of the JNS Forum posted a message in the thread I created on this locomotive that indicated that this is much closer to a Seibu E851. Thanks for pointing this out! Here is the Kato page on the Seibu E851. You'll notice that the Seibu has port holes, and other differences, but is obviously what Kato used as a base for this Amtrak locomotive.

Kato Seibu E851 Seibu E851 in Japan Kato Seibu E851
The real E851 in Japan

Meanwhile, here are some photos I've taken of EF81s in Japan:

Nihonkai heads to Osaka Nihonkai heads to Shinosaka Ex-Nihonkai EF81
DE10 and EF81 EF81 Nihonkai at Osaka
Twilight Express EF81 104 joins (passing Thunderbird) EF81 28 running light in Umeda EF81 28 running light in Umeda_001
Nihonkai paused Hokutosei at Fukushima NihonKai pauses at ShinOsaka
The Twilight Express at Shin Osaka The Twilight Express pulls into ShinOsaka

And, of course, if this locomotive really does exist, then please comment and tell me!

7Apr/102

March in Melbourne: Oil Burners

Ok, so calling a diesel an oil-burner is a bit rich... but at least the J Class below actually does burn it.

Photos are either taken around Dynon Yards in Melbourne or somewhere between Castlemaine and Maldon in country Victoria.

Full gallery here

BL shunting steel West Melbourne Yard N class on Flyover
5x NR light-engine El Zorro on Rail Work Indian Pacific, The Ghan and The Southern Spirit lashed up
Southern Spirit Spirit and 81 Dynon Yards
81 shunting containers Steamrail back to Newport V/Line
Bee at St.Kilda J Class at Castlemaine Back to Melbourne

And then the videos of the Victorian Goldfields Railway from Castlemaine to Maldon and return.