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Bandai Mini Mini Rail
Bandai produced and sold the Mini Mini Rail (ミニミニレール) series of train toys in Japan from 1975 until around 1982. The range features fairly small trains about the same size as N scale trains and aimed to be a more toylike alternative to N scale, which was more expensive and primarily imported into Japan in the 1970s until ranges and makers like Tomix and Gakken began to expand Japanese N scale production and the Japanese N scale market, leading to the N scale boom and the surviving prevalence of N scale in Japan. Bandai had released a similar series of battery powered cars as the Mini Mini Car series the year before - the small size of these cars relative to traditional diecast cars which are often referred to as "mini cars" (this is where the mi and ca in Tomica come from - Tomy mini car) seems to be where the "Mini Mini" name comes from. Other toys like Tomy's Super Rail also aimed to offer an N scale alternative toy train system, and lived on for longer than Mini Mini Rail, and Bandai released the B Train Shorty series of toy trains even closer in gauge to N scale trains in the 2000s. Bandai also released the "My Rail" or Myrail series in 1975 which was slightly larger but far less fleshed-out, featuring only a few types of train and rail before it was discontinued in favor of Mini Mini Rail.
An archived version of an old Japanese website that covers many other Mini Mini Rail sets and trains can be found here.
Trains
Mini Mini Rail trains are typically three-car sets, with the motor and batteries located either in the locomotive or the intermediate car of the train. Mini Mini Rail trains use pin-style couplings which are easiest to assemble off the track. All of the non-steam locomotive trains are designed to use the same chassis, with longer unpowered intermediate and tail cars using a dummy chassis with the same footprint.
The original trains were simply on-off with a metal power switch protruding out the side. Two N-size batteries are held in with the help of a plastic clip. The initial set lineup was the Hikari (pictured), the JNR 101 series commuter train in four colors, and the D-51, which used a unique chassis with siderods. The EF65 was also sold in an individual box with freight cars during this early period.
The chassis was adapted for the Action Series in 1976 to include a electrical reversing switch hanging out of the front right where the power switch previously was. The power switch changed to a sliding switch on the underside which also interlocked with an electrical cutout switch that could be activated by the stop rails, with the stopping and reversing features being introduced with the Action Series. Most trains were converted to use the first Action Series chassis in 1976, and new sets after 1976 appears to pretty much all be Action Series. New trains were released for the Action Series around 1976 included using the EF-65 tooling for an EF-71 and new limited express 485 and 583 series trains.
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The chassis was completely redesigned to use a AA battery instead of two N batteries for the later Action Series, with AAs being much more common even in the day. The motor was changed to be mounted at an angle at the rear of the chassis with the reversing lever now centralized on the right side of the locomotive. The wheels also moved closer together and gained axle-box guards. Here are three EF-65s of these three production types as well as their chassis' - note the often-broken plastic battery clips on the earlier two N battery types.
Later Action Series trains that were not hauled by a locomotive had the power chassis installed in the middle car, so it was equally pulling and pushing the train in either direction - locomotive-headed sets often have a harder time reversing and pushing the train back up the track. There were two different steam locomotive chassis, the earlier D-51 which used two N batteries and a later unpowered C-62 with powered coach. Many toolings were reused with different plastic and paint colors to represent different trains and liveries as well as colors of freight cars. The later Action Series did see the introduction of new trains like the 200 series Shinkansen, private railway trains like the old-paint-color Skyliner, and even foreign trains like the TGV.
Trains were sold in sets and individually early on in boxes and later in carded blister packs as three-piece trains. Early Action Series train came on green cards which were followed by orange cards. At the end of its life, private railway and other trains were released on blue cards.
Rail & Accessories
Mini Mini Rail track and accessories are covered on their own page
Sets
Mini Mini Rail sets ranged from basic oval sets up to large branching sets with double track sections and elevation. Early sets with the two N battery trains were generally smaller with later sets having larger layouts and more track varieties
| Year | Set name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Mini Mini Rail No. 2 Hikari Set | Earlier oval with passing loop set with Hikari 0 series Shinkansen |
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| 1976 | Action Series Mini Mini Rail No 3 EF65 Electric Locomotive Set | Early Action Series set with EF65-led freight train with a reversing loop and siding |
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| Action Series Mini Mini Rail No. 2 Blue Train Set | Action Series number two set with reversing loop, double rail section, and Blue Train sleeper express |
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| Action Series Mini Mini Rail No. 3 EF71 Electric Locomotive Horn Set | Action Series loop set with siding and whistling railroad crossing |
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Catalogues
I have thus far come across one Mini Mini Rail catalogue dating to 1976 around the introduction of the Action Series.
| Year | Name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Mini Mini Rail For You | 1976 Mini Mini Rail catalogue |
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