round sign on Japanese locomotives

[Alemino]

Hello

I'm  trying to find more informations about the round sign which adorn the japanese Locomotives.

Anyone know a link or can give more information about them?

i'm not even sure i'm searching using the right words "round sign"  as nothing come up to me... 

 

just to explain, i'm looking to know more about in what the following picture is written with Cassiopea 

 

Thank you

 

[Davo Dentetsu]

Denotes a train of particular interest.  A named Limited Express/Cruise Train or even that special one-off event, something along the lines of Happy Anniversary, Goodbye or other such milestone.  :)

[JR 500系]

Commonly called Train Head mark, they are used to denote trains of special interest; like Overnight Trains: Cassiopeia, Hokutosei, Twlight Express etc. or Excursion trains: SL Benetsu Mongatari, SL Hitoyoshi etc. or special event trains: 30th Anniversary of 'something', Ueno-Tokyo straight Connection etc.

 

Here are some head marks that can be available for N scale & HO models (Moriya Studio makes the most of them):

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/search?typ1_c=104&cat=&state=&sold=0&sortid=0&searchkey=Moriya+studio

[E6系]

Hello,

 

トレインマーク

 

Train Mark.  You can find some basic information about half way through this article: 

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%89%B9%E5%88%A5%E6%80%A5%E8%A1%8C%E5%88%97%E8%BB%8A#.E3.83.88.E3.83.AC.E3.82.A4.E3.83.B3.E3.83.9E.E3.83.BC.E3.82.AF

[Guest keio6000]

i have purchased some moriya studio head marks for my tomix "sayonara" akatsuki/naha set. even though the sayonara set comes with headmarks (as do plenty of other locomotives), and even though the moirya studio sets seem expensive (around 1000-1200 yen for a set of 4 in n scale), i think they are well worth it because they look much more elegant and go a very long way in adding a quality finish to the locos at their most important focal point.  my only complaint is that i wish they also included a bit more mounting, though a bit of double sided tape or rubber cement usually does the trick, or superglue if you are more committed.  alternately, you can connect them using magnets:

 

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/turn-table/e/4309d115cd7b4c1d9ecd631a1cf2a750

 

incidentally, a search for 'moriya studio' finds this "auction service for idiots":

http://one-jp.com/lot/x395658334

 

seems that for this item they manage to add so many fees (including $48 to ship this tiny item from japan to UK!) that it ends up costing almost $100 US.  crazy!

[Sacto1985]

There's actually an English definition of this: drumhead. 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drumhead_(sign)

 

They are sometimes called headboard:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headboard_(train)

 

There were common sights on many long-distance JNR limited express and overnight trains from the middle 1950's on, and are seen on some JR Group trains like the JR West Yakumo with the 381 Series EMU: