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Super Rail Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Headlights Set
Originally written June 14, 2025
1982 saw the introduction of the first new Shinkansen train, the 200 series, to service the new Tohoku Joetsu line. In 1982 the Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Headlights Set (前照灯付東北上越新幹線セット) was released for the Super Rail series of train sets.
The box is marked N-31, dating it to 1982. A copy of the January 1982 Tomy Super Rail Catalogue. Like other Super Rail Black sets with headlight features, the black background of the front of the box has small light flares.
Set contents
| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 3
pieces |
Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Headlights |
|
| 4 | Straight Rail |
 |
| 8 | C Curve Rail |
 |
| 4 pieces | Tunnel |
 |
| 4 | Overhead wire holders |
 |
| 1 | Signal |
 |
| 2 | Reversing insert |
 |
| 1 | Railing ramp |
 |
The 200 series Shinkansen was released with a new longer tooling and bogied wheels compared to the earlier two-axle Hikari cars (the Tokaido Shinkansen released slightly later was a 0 series train that used this longer tooling) with working headlights. Later on, the smaller Hikari was also used for a cheaper version of the 200 series train.
This is a very nice Super Rail train, with four-wheel bogies and four-wheel drive.
The train takes one C battery that powers the lights and motor.
The Super Rail Black series often featured simpler sets than the earlier large Super Rail sets as well as some of the later 1980s sets that came in the striped white style of boxes, but the oval is at least a decent size with two straight rails on each side. Two reversing plates are included.
A signal that clips into the bottom of the track as well as the earlier version of the Super Rail tunnel with the darker green plastic mixed in are included as well as four of the three-piece overhead wire holders that traverse the width of the track.
Included in this and several other sets with bogied trains in the 1980s was this grey railing ramp similar to those used with some model trains. It does make it easier to get the train onto the rails.
In addition to a copy of the 1982 catalogue, the set also included a paper instruction sheet that shows how to insert the batteries and set up the accessories. Actually, there were also a few photos of someone's old Super Rail setups, which can be seen on this page.
There is a nice big oval for the 200 series to run around on, but wouldn't it have been neat for a set like this to have some elevation... Between the very early Super Rail System 3 set and a few later 1980s sets with the 100 series Shinkansen there were basically no sets with any elevated sections. The two reversing plates can be used to shuttle the Shinkansen around the set.