ENDO Keisen Skyliner Train Set - Brass - assistance

[EMS]

Need help with this train... anyone know abiut it or its value?  Its brass.  Box says Keisen Skyliner Train Set.  Seems to be Akishima Train.  F196

Edited December 18, 2016 by EMS

[Kabutoni]

This is an Endo made Kintetsu 30000 Series Vista Car EX1 formation. It has been repainted, which drastically brings its value down. These sets in the original state sell in Japan for about　3000 to 6000 yen, depending on the demand and quality of the overall set and packaging.

[velotrain]

Even though it's clearly fantasy, this might have some appeal among Conrail modelers due to its uniqueness.

 

Conrail had one of the most handsome business trains of modern times, composed of classic heavyweight equipment hauled by E9's.

 

Do Japanese railways have business trains?  I don't think I've ever seen a photo of one.

 

This could perhaps represent a theoretical business train for the electrified NE Corridor, although I don't know if Conrail actually had any customers along it.

[EMS]

Thank you both very much for the astute observations.  I could not figure out the Conrail connection.  Makes sense that it was painted.  Going to put it on Ebay and see what happens. I would keep it but I have HO scale.

[velotrain]

I notice that car #291 is missing its front pantograph.  Perhaps depending on what the roof looks like without it, you might try to replace it with one that looks similar to the others before you try to sell the set.  I was thinking you might get a question about it from possible bidders on eBay, partly because the foam contour makes it obvious that there once had been one there.

[EMS]

I mentioned that in the ebay writeup and showed a picture of it.  I actually had it and it fell off somewhere....  I went to a big model train show in Tampa yesterday, I should  have asked around for one

[velotrain]

I just noticed an oddity - the top three cars have the CONRAIL name in an italic font, while the bottom car seems to have a somewhat smaller font size and no italics.  My guess is that the fellow who did the conversion ran out of the italic decals, so had to make a switch. 

 

I had a decent sized Conrail yard and engine terminal very near me in the 90's, so I used to go there a lot.  Perhaps my favorite find was a gondola containing a turnout "kit".  Actually, a switch, as that's what the prototype railroads call them.  Modelers substitute turnout to avoid confusion with electronic switches.  Anyway, it was a complete turnout with ties attached, assembled in three pieces and stored vertically.  I recall taking rough dimensions, thinking it would make a neat model, but of course I never got to it.

 

 

I got curious about the paint color and logo, and found this:

 

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/staff/archive/2012/06/01/fifty-shades-of-blue-how-conrail-s-paint-scheme-changed-from-brown-to-blue.aspx

 

[velotrain]

While looking further into Conrail, I found this image of its business train from:

http://www.american-rails.com/conrail.html - Photo by Wade Massie

Although the engines and cars look black in this image, they're actually a very deep shade of green.

 

http://www.american-rails.com/images/CROCSPitt1997.jpg

 

This site has a brief, but excellent summary of the complex history of Conrail - I may need to buy the book it refers to.

 

I also ran across this bit of trivia, owned either by a railfan or a man who really loves his job - perhaps both?

 

https://www.pinterest.com/adelcat/conrail/

 

I had never realized it before, but the logo is meant to represent rails and wheels.

Edited December 19, 2016 by cteno4
Photo links

[nah00]

Although the engines and cars look black in this image, they're actually a very deep shade of green.

 

http://www.american-rails.com/images/CROCSPitt1997.jpg

 

This site has a brief, but excellent summary of the complex history of Conrail - I may need to buy the book it refers to.

 

I also ran across this bit of trivia, owned either by a railfan or a man who really loves his job - perhaps both?

 

https://www.pinterest.com/adelcat/conrail/

 

I had never realized it before, but the logo is meant to represent rails and wheels.

 

I live in Pittsburgh so I know exactly where along the bus way that shot was taken. Also on a less pleasant note I know where the storage tracks were where they kept that particular train (at least the coaches) while it awaited scrapping/preservation (I think they saved some of the coaches but most went to the torch). 

 

Conway Yard is also gigantic but not so fun to watch anymore. Only coal/coke trains and double stacks flying through. 

Edited December 29, 2016 by nah00

[kvp]

I think the closest japanese term to a business train is a joyful set that is set up for company outings or meetings. This mostly means a saloon or carpet train. For a conventional loco hauled set, the saloon express tokyo/yutori comes to my mind.