The Air-conditioned Second Class Day & Night Coach ( JR-WEST ) (ANSJR) are donated JR West Blue Train coaches still surviving in Thailand after more than 50 years since its inception in Japan. Recently, the ANSJR had undergone refurbishment to replace some original fittings from JR West. By chance, the Express 51 was departing beside my train to Don Mueang with the ANSJR attached, so I hopped in for some pictures of the newly refurbished coaches.
The ANSJR on the Express 51 are nicely assembled with the conductor’s room at the end of the train, just like in Japan.
The departure sign for the Express 51 for Chiang Mai.
The welcome sight of the Express 51 to Chiang Mai with the ANSJR coaches at the end. Now I wish I was going to Chiang Mai.
The destination plate of the Express 51 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. There are 3 ANSJR coaches attached on this train.
The aisle of the ANSJR.
The original Japanese bedding fabric has been replaced with the grey PVC type found on Daewoo ANSes.
Every fabric portion has been replaced with grey PVC including the safety straps.
Seems like SRT has installed an additional handle above the speakers for easier climbing up to the upper berths.
Most of the fittings on the bottom berth has been retained, with the power socket still available.
The reading lamp has been changed to LED, with adjustable brightness by using the knob.
New acrylic bed numbers are also installed.
New “push” stickers are also installed.
The clean refurbished toilet installed on board, now changed to a western toilet bowl from the Japanese squat toilet.
The sink area has been polished up.
The destination sign area has been removed, replaced by a metal vent instead.
Overall, a good refurbishment to the old ANSJR coaches so that they can run for an even longer time now, keeping classic Japanese Blue Train coaches alive in regular running conditions in probably the only part of the world now, while others are left to be scrapped or rot around ASEAN barely a couple of years from receiving them.