Finally, after a sizeable amount of work - here is the completed 2nd DE10 pack: "Joyful trains and other JR-Group liveries"!
Top row, from left to right: JR Hokkaido black livery unit 1690, JR Hokkaido Naebo works internal shunting loco (DE10 1741), JR Hokkaido new and old "norokko" liveries, JR East brown livery unit 1705, JR East "Nostalgic Wiew Train" livery and the "Sylpheed" livery and the JR Shikoku "Island Express Shikoku".
Bottom row, from left to right: JR West "Kinokuni Seaside" livery, "Okizumo Orochi" livery, Sagano Scenic Railway livery, JR Kyushu "Southern Cross" livery, "JNR-express-trains-style" and "Hyper-Saloon-783-Series-style" liveries for hauling "Ariake" express trains on non-electrified lines and the two variants of the "7-Stars-in-Kyushu-style" livery: black with golden or orange handrails.
These are already all avaible for download at my website. The individual download page for each locomotive can be reached by clicking on the paragraphs' titles.
So, let's get started:
JR Hokkaido DE10 1690
This locomotive is generally used as an "helper" on steam revival services, assisting venerable steam locomotives on the most difficult sections of various lines. As such, DE10 1690 was repainted in an all-black livery with white handrails and other body parts, directly inspired from the steam locomotives' one. It is mostly seen operating togheter with JR Hokkaido's C11 no°171, but it isn't uncommon for DE10 1690 to run
some maintainance trains as well.
JR Hokkaido DE10 1741 - Naebo Works internal shunting locomotive
This unit is a dedicated shunting locomotive used by JR Hokkaido to move rolling stock within it's huge Naebo Works, the largest rail workshops in all of Hokkaido. Originally these duties were assigned to the much more compact DD16s (and earlier on to DD13s), but in 1997 the pair was replaced by a single surplus DE10 moved from Asashikawa depot - unit 1741.
As something of an "inside joke", DE10 1741 was repainted in a livery reminescent of the "HET" ("Hokkaido Express Train") one seen on the KiHa 281 and 283s that the locomotive had to shuttle between workshops. Being an internal shunting locomotive, DE10 1741 was never seen outside of JR Hokkaido's Naebo Works, as all of it' saftey systems had be removed, making it unable to operate on main line tracks.
In 2005, DE10 1741 was replaced by a surplus DE15 as the Naebo works' shunting locomotive, with the latter having been repainted in a yellow and dark gray livery based on the one of the "DMV", the dual mode vehicle (in short, a road/rail bus) intended to serve low-patronage lines, wich JR Hokkaido had been (and still is) developing for an awful lot of time.
The current whereabouts of DE10 1741 are unknown, but it was probably scrapped.
JR Hokkaido old and new "Norokko" liveries
These are used exclusively for JR Hokkaido's "Norokko" tourist trains, a set of a DE10 and (generally) four passenger cars converted from 50 Series coaches that are used interchangeably on three different services: Kushiro ****sugen Norokko (on the Kushiro Line), Ryuhuo Norokko (Senmo Line, only in the winter season) and the Mashike Norokko (on the Rumoi Main Line). The "Norokko" fleet of DE10s is formed of two units: nos. 1660 and 1661, both assigned to Kushiro depot.
Originally, when regular "Norokko" services began in the late 1990s, the locomotives (and the cars) were fitted in a rather "cold" white livery with blue and light green lines, wich was later replaced in the early 2000s by a warmer dark green and dark gold livery, wich is still worn by both locomotives to this day.
Trivia:
Originally, "Norokko" services, as sightseeing trains, had a commercial speed of only 30Km/h and as such were officially advertised as "the slowest trains in Japan". This was later increased to 40Km/h and finally to the "line speed" of 70Km/h to avoid interfering with other more "regular" services.
JR East brown livery unit 1705
Assigned to Takasaki Depot, unit 1705 was repainted in the brown livery originally carried by JNR's diesel locomotives before the introduction of the distinctive red livery with the DD51s in the early 1960s.
This unit is tasked to assist locomotives in JR East's "historic" fleet (both steam and electric as well) but can be also used for charter trains or, very much like JR Hokkaido's unit 1690, for maintainance duties as well.
JR East "Nostalgic Wiew Train" livery
One of the earliest "modern" tourist trains, the "Nostalgic Wiew Train" began services in 1990, running on the scenic Gono Line. The train was formed of three 50 Series coaches hauled by DE10 1204, repainted in a yellow and dark brown livery matching the coaches' one.
Services of the "Nostalgic Wiew Train" were relatively short-lived, ending in 1996 and replaced shortly after in 1997, by the much more frequent "Resort Shirakami" rapid trains run by specially converted KiHa 48 diesel multiple units (and later HB-300 hybrid MUs).
JR East "Sylpheed" livery
Depsite the very JR Hokkaido-esque livery, DE10 1701 is a JR East locomotive in all ways. This locomotive was assigned to haul the "Sylpheed" joyful train (a name derived from the spirits of the wind of germanic mythology), formed of a specially-converted 485 Series 3-car set AC/DC multivoltage electric multiple unit on non-electrified lines.
The Sylpheed train operated around Niigata prefecture, beginning services in 1990. Obviously on electrified lines the 485 Series opertaded under it's own power - DE10 1701 was coupled only when needed, such as for services on the non-electrified portions of the Ban'etsu Line or the Tadami Line.
In 2001, the Sylpheed 485 Series was restructured and renamed as the "No.Do.Ka." Joyful train, and a few years later services on non-electrified lines were ended as well. Finally, in 2017 the No.Do.Ka. was retired from service and subsequently scrapped.
DE10 1701 remained in use as the Sylpheed and later the No.Do.Ka. designated diesel locomotive until atleas 2002, when the former services on non-electrified lines were curtailed. In 2005 the locomotive was repainted in the standard DE10 red-and-white livery after an overhaul at JR East's Omiya works. It's current whereabouts are unknown, but it has been probably scrapped.
Besides acting as the dedicated diesel locomotive for both the Sylpheed and later the No.Do.Ka, DE10 1701 was also on other Joyful trains services, formed of converted passenger cars (usually 12 Series coaches) and also sometimes ran a few maintainance or
even inspection trains as well.
JR Shikoku "Island Express Shikoku" livery
These locomotives were dedicated for the "Island Express Shikoku" wich began services in April 1987 as one of the first (if not the actual first) joyful trains introduced by the newly-privatized JR Group.
The train, wich ran all around Shikoku island (and sometimes also towards Honshu, via the Seto-Oashi bridge) was formed of lightly refurbished 50 Series coaches, painted in a light blue and white livery.
JR Shikoku had two DE10s assigned to the Island Express Shikoku - nos. 1014 and 1036 (with the former one being later replaced by DE10 1148) - all repainted in a light blue and white livery matching the coaches' one.
In 1996 the Island Express Shikoku was lightly refurbished, but as the age of the 50 Series coaches began to show, the train was retired in 1999, being replaced by KiHa 185 Series diesel multiple units, dubbed "Island Express Shikoku II".
The current whereabouts of the three DE10s assigned to the Island Express Shikoku is unknwon, probably after the end of the services those were repainted back in the standard DE10 red and greay livery and were used for a few years more until their eventual withdrawal and scrapping.
Trivia: for services towards Honshu, via the Seto-Oashi Bridge, the dedicated DE10s weren't used - their place was instead taken by an EF65 electric locomotive in the standard "DC-only" dark blue and cream livery.
[continues in next post]