In a bid to provide guidance on the operation of two aged Japanese locomotives purchased by a Thai railway construction company in 2018, train enthusiasts in Japan — in cooperation with a railway history museum — have launched a crowdfunding project to send experts to the Southeast Asian nation.
Nagasaki Kisha Kurabu (Nagasaki Locomotive Club), which launched the campaign on Aug. 11, aims to raise ¥1.5 million ($14,000) by Oct. 31. The project will only proceed if the targeted amount can be raised by the deadline.
Backers can make pledges starting from ¥5,000 up to as much as ¥100,000, with rewards ranging from having their names displayed inside the locomotives to attending a photo session in Nong Pladuk Junction, southwest Thailand, where the trains are currently stationed.