After the diesel locomotive that hauled the sleeper limited express that once connected Tokyo and Hokkaido finished its role, it was exported to Thailand in Southeast Asia. and technical guidance for maintenance.

Five years ago, in Ratchaburi province in central Thailand, a railway construction company purchased two diesel locomotives, DD51, which once pulled the "Hokutosei", a sleeper limited express that connects Ueno Station and Sapporo Station, in Hokkaido and uses them as construction vehicles.



However, there were no manuals, etc., and it was not possible to maintain it sufficiently. Four years ago, Japanese volunteers who learned about it started crowdfunding to support activities so that the locomotive could continue to be active for a long time. Using the funds collected, we have exchanged parts and created maintenance manuals.



On the 9th, four volunteers, including Japanese engineers, visited the site and gave technical guidance on inspection and maintenance directly to the person in charge of maintenance.



When he inspected the locomotive during the instruction, he immediately found clogging in the engine filter and gave advice on how to improve it.



A man in charge of maintenance said, "The advice is very useful. I want to absorb what I learned and use it for future maintenance."



Motoshi Yoshimura, the founder of the support activities and a railroad enthusiast, said, "I would like to continue the maintenance of DD51 and promote the friendship between Thailand and Japan through railroads."