<--- R-02 Half Straight Rail |
R-04 Large Curve
Rail --> R-04 Double Track Straight Rail --> |
The curve rail (きょくせんレール or 曲線レール) is one of the cornerstone pieces of Plarail and its track system. They were given the designation 2 under the 1970s numbering scheme and R-03 under the 1987 numbering scheme. As part of a sensible rail system, the radius of the standard Plarail curves is approximately equal to the length of one normal straight rail, allowing for the two to be effectively intermixed in a variety of ways. The official radius of a curve rail (as well as the length of standard straight rails) is 216mm, but some Plarailers use 214mm instead. With age many types of rail seem to shrink and measure within a range of lengths. The play in the track joints and plastic itself will generally account for any issues that the exact length of any particular rail may pose.
In later 1987 the curved rail mold was updated with the new treaded surface over the existing roughtop molding. This molding has new made in Japan text and exists in both orientations of top and bottom and was used until the new 1992 rail toolings for Japan-produced rails. It seems to be based on the earlier 80s mold.
Around 1990 some Japanese roughtop molds were sent to Thailand and updated with Thailand markings and tread over the original roughtop surface. Note how the molding marks match those of the late roughtop curve rails from early 1987 shown above with an ovular marking over where the mold previously said JAPAN.
Tomy's new Thailand factory opened in 1987 and began producing rails with the new treaded surface rails when Plarail production began there in 1989. These early Thailand rails from 1989 have nice large Thailand and mold identification markings and eight round supports underneath. Note that these rails went into production before the Thailand-made treaded over roughtop rails shown above.
In 1992 some fresh molds were developed for use in Japan with the treaded surface and bear the text © 1992 TOMY MADE IN JAPAN. This mold has rougher center pips with six cylindrical supports and molding dial markings in the bottom of the rails.
In the later 1990s this Japan tooling was moved to Thailand and updated to say as such.
In 1998 as part of the Tomica World system packs of four curve rails were sold individually as well as included in sets for the American and European markets. Early Tomica World curves are the Thailand tooling update of the 1992 Japan molds seen above.
<--- R-02 Half Straight Rail |
R-04 Large Curve
Rail --> R-04 Double Track Straight Rail --> |