Echigo Tokimeki Railway has leased and taken delivery of a D51 "steam" locomotive from Aridagawa Railway Park in Wakayama with the lease last for 5 years.
https://www.echigo-tokimeki.co.jp/information/detail?id=1140Brief history for the D51 827
1943: Built in Ministry of Railway's Hamamatsu Machinary Department
1943~46: Stationed in Maihara District
1946~73: Stationed in Nakatsugawa District serving Chuo Main Line
1973: Retired on November 22nd after the completion of Chuo Main Line's electrification
1974~2017: Sold to a private citizen in Nagoya
2017: Sold to Achiha Company in Osaka and stationed in Aridagawa Railway Park, it was restored to run on compressed air instead of coal (so a boiler technician license isn't needed to operate the locomotive)
>>1570438Should I assume this move is meant to appease Saga Prefecture so the construction could start sooner?
