[Daily Mainichi JP] Once a museum piece, a steam locomotive sets its sights...

[Sir Pompously]

Now here is something from Japan about a steam loco being prepared for special runs. These are the sort of news articles we need in Australia, and the kind of preservation we need in Australia, for our transport and its history.

Once a museum piece, a steam locomotive sets its sights on the Boso Peninsula


The D51-498 steam locomotive travels on the JR Sotobo Line in Minamiboso in a trial operation.

MINAMIBOSO, Chiba -- A D51 steam locomotive is being put through its paces in a trial run for a set of special services between Tateyama and Katsuura stations on the Boso Peninsula.

The D51-498 is scheduled to haul a five-carriage excursion train on this 55.9-kilometer section over a three-day period from next Friday as part of a local tourism promotion campaign.

This particular locomotive was initially decommissioned after hauling a special train on the Japanese National Railways (JNR) Hachiko Line in 1972 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of Japan's railways, and was then put on display at a railway station in Gunma Prefecture.

After the JNR was split into regional railway companies, East Japan Railway Co. repaired and re-commissioned it in 1988. It now mainly hauls an excursion train on its Joetsu Line between Takasaki and Minakami in Gunma Prefecture, amongst other lines.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080119p2a00m0na026000c.html

[Irisbus Rider]

There's simply not enough interest in Australia for things like this.