JR Kyushu 787

[Tanuki]

I note that Kato has reissued its JR Kyushu 787. I really want one. But. I REALLY hate the "Around The Kyushu" branding. What I want is one with the "Ariake" branding (and I probably could tolerate a "Tsubame" branding).

 

Any suggestions? Would it be easy to rebrand the current model?

[JR 500系]

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/search/search;_ylt=A7dPFfg.mMtZnHoAEnNAPDh8?p=787系+&aq=-1&oq=&fixed=0&ei=UTF-8&tab_ex=commerce&auccat=2084259591&slider=0&x=0&y=0

 

Yahoo Auctions is your best bet... I don't think I've seen a Ariake logo on the 787 series on a model though... but the Tsubame should be the older model: 10-320 or 10-237...

[Kamome]

I would say it depends on what you want to achieve and how closely you want to match the prototype. The original 787 Tsubame from Kato was 9 cars and came as a 7 car set and a 2 car add on. This has been sold out for a very long time but they occasionally pop up on eBay. The later Relay Tsubame from Kato was a 7 car.

 

Personally matching the colour for a respray would be a challenge and as Kyushu trains have a limited market appeal, trying to find suitable decals may be a greater challenge.

[katoftw]

The Around the Kyushu is just the current prototype.  IF you want an older livery, you need to have a search around.  The Hakata Popondetta shop currently has a Tsubame version for sale in their second hand second.  And I have seen many in the past on yahoo auctions.

 

I will be chasing some extra cars for my Kato 6 car set.  I rode a 787 to Nagasaki last week and noted the come in 6/7/8 car versions currently.

 

 

I just forgot to keep if it had extra pantographs or not.  Research to continue. haha

Edited September 27, 2017 by katoftw

[Tanuki]

Yes, I know about the services that the 787 was used on. When I was living in Kumamoto, before the completion of the Shinkansen from Hakata to Yatsushiro, I rode the Ariake many times from Suizenji to Hakata and back. It seems hard to find, even in auctions, if it was ever issued by any manufacturer. That is why I was wondering about the feasibility of modifying the current Kato 787 model.

 

Has anyone attempted this kind of rebadging?

[Tanuki]

Ariake in the early 2000s was either a 4 or 6 car train, as I recall.