Glad to see Nanbu Jyukan Railway’s railbus in N-gauge.
It is Noheji station has knocked down between May 6 and 16th this year according this site.
http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/r-bus-sen/2005nohejikaitai1.html

Remaining stations are Shichinohe and Tenmabayashi station
Tenmabayashi
http://www.michinoku-station.jp/station/e006.htm

Shichinohe station is other side of Jusco
http://www.michinoku-station.jp/station/e010.htm
Even Tenmabayashi station has fate to knock down soon.

But the railbus and old diesel train Kiha 104 (Originally JNR Kiha 10) preserved at Shichinohe station by volunteers. They have opening day (Railbus to asobou) once in a year that is around between May 3 and 5. So next year will be last chance to see real railbus for you

This is last year’s event
http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/2005gw.htm

Some railbus goods for sale

DVD
http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/r-bus-sen/r-bus-v.html

Tickets etc
http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/r-bus-sen/r-bus-goods.htm

These benefits go to railbus reservations.

You can download railbus movie
http://www.ogaemon.com/r-bus/index/nannbu/R-BUS.MOV

When you buy these goods and go opening day then you will be real rail bus Otaku.

wow i have a hardgay from your awesome new background and menubar/banner! did someone make this for you?

What's the matter Derek? Don't think I am able to make nice graphics on my own? I'm a man of many minor talents. Anyway, glad you dig the new look! ;)

KS: WOW! I'm happy to see that the railbus is still in one piece. That ogaemon.com website is incredible. It makes me wish I had explored the abandoned portion of Noheji station before they tore it down a few months ago. People must really like that railbus to create so much merchandise about it. Thanks again for all your kind research. I would never be able to find all these cool things by myself. I want to be a real railbus otaku! You can count on me being there next May.

hello, greetings from Oklahoma. How's the weather in japan?
-Phil

Oaemon.com website said no plan yet for the opening day in 2006 that I found it after I wrote here. You may ask Nanbu Jyukan 0176-62-2131 in 10am - 4pm in next April.

BTW this rail bus is originally built run on the railway. It is many of parts are from bus to reduce the cost. Still lots of them with automatic transmission are in operation in rural railways. The operation is same as diesel train.
But Nanbu Jyukan’s rail bus is manual transmission so has clutch and shift knob!

http://masaka.udap.jp/railbus/108_0853.jpg
You can find the shift knob just beside of seat

It is this is lot like a real bus and oldest in the kind.

This pic shows clutch pedal below. Also a knob in left on the panel is gas (same as train but the design is unique), left end is break (put break lever in to it when you operate that is exactly train part).
http://www.qkikaku.co.jp/img/nambu/Dscn5449-0640.jpg

Other pics
http://www.qkikaku.co.jp/140.html

The engine is Hino. There is only one axial with leaf spring each side.

Lol Jamie you've made yourself quite the otaku trainbuff buddy. I'll see you down here in Shich come May, then?

Interesting Redesign... Some of Your favorite things? Mcdonald's, Dinosaurs, videotaping stuff, trains, photography, Your iPOD, etc.? Anyway... who is the woman in the photo with You? Usually You're Solo.

Wow KS, you really know your trains. I'm impressed! Leo, I'll be seeing you at the old train station in Shich come May indeed... that is if I don't see you at the Astro Boy museum first.

Azim: I don't actually have an iPod. It simply refers to music, or idunno.. perhaps Kate. It's hard to come up with a good Kate icon. As for the photo, that's my Yokohama bunko JTE Nishidate sensei.

u must ave sum interesting shuz