fall inside a hole

R-08 Stop Rail

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R-09 Reciprocating Return Rail -->

The stop rail (ストップレール) is a train stopper with lever that takes up the length of a standard straight rail. A yellow lever sticking out of one side drives a plastic rod with a protrusion that forms a cam to lift a stopper up out from between the rails and lift a train up so its wheels do not have traction, thus stopping it. Included in many sets, the individual release includes two stop rails and two red buffer pieces. Originally numbered 21 in the old numbering scheme when first released in 1975, the stop rail became R-08 under the new accessory numbering scheme in the late 80s.

"Thin" stoppers (1975-1980)

The oldest stop rails have completely smooth rails and a thinner stopper platform. The rising inner section does not expand outwards from the regular inner guide track at all and there are no serrations or bumps on the platform.

These rails have the Tomy boy and girl logo as well as a molding mark letter. Buffer stops during this era had a single sticker that wrapped over the top of the molding with a red section in the middle to blend in with the red plastic.

Smooth rails (1980-1988)

Despite other rails gaining a "roughtop" surface around 1974 and 1975 when the stop rail was originally introduced, the stop rail remained smooth on top throughout the 1980s. Circa 1980 with the introduction of the first two-speed train the stopper platform was widened out and gained a series of bumps on top to better catch trains, particularly fast ones.

These rails also had the boy and girl logo and new text in a box. These rails were in use as least as late as 1987 in early new power sets like the 2-Speed Shinkansen 3-Dimensional Station Set.

This green backing card was printed in 1987 (note TT-36 designation) and would have been included in the plastic bag of the hanging release.

Treaded rails (1989-current)

After the introduction of the new power gearbox in 1987 when Plarail trains suddenly had a jump in tractive power the stop rails were finally updated with treaded rails.

It is possible the treaded molding did not appear until 1989 when it was produced in the new Thailand factory. The earliest treaded stop rail I have is a 1989 Thailand-produced one from a reprint of the 2-Speed Shinkansen Set.

By 1993 some slot molding information was added to the bottom of the molding. These rails come from TA and TB slots. The inner rising stopper is also marked.

<-- R-07 Bridge Rail <-- R-07 2x Straight Rail

R-09 Reciprocating Return Rail -->