fall inside a hole

Plarail Super Rail/Action Rail '90 Catalogue

Click photos for full size

This 1990 catalog has a great mix of older Plarail staples and new releases, with many classic trains and accessories still on sale.

The first spread of the catalog explains some of the theories of play behind Plarail including its durability and the ability to easily connect and expand rails and trains. Photographs include some beautiful shots of the big promotional layout from the set photoshoots and a shot from the Hikari with Light Overpass Set photo shoot. The early unpowered Plarail steam train is also shown.

The next page shows the Hikari with Light Overpass Set and a few smaller introductory sets including the First Set, with the next page showing some older sets like the 2-Speed Shinkansen Set and 2-Speed Shinkansen Three-Dimensional Station Set as well as the remote control Super Hikari sets.

New models for 1990 included the 100-series based two speed Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen and the Super Hikari based on mockups for the 300 series Shinkansen that would become the Nozomi with different styling in 1992. Many classic Plarail trains like the last regular release descendants of the late 1960 Electric Trains updated for new power were still available as well as some old power models like the D51, C12, DD51, and EF66. Plaroad appears in the catalogue for the last time this year.

The accessory lineup includes many classic accessories from the 70s and earlier 80s with some more featured late 80s accessories like stations and the Horn Rail.

Rail selection includes pretty much all the staples as well as the new Automatic Turnout Rail. The opposite page includes some layout ideas with notes about some of the rails used.

The next page covers the remote control Super Hikari sets and the remote control switch system that accompanied it. Tomy Super Rail Black was still on sale and included both basic and very elaborate sets.

Another page of layout ideas, this time with the layouts built to look at, and a page shared by the Mickey Mouse range at the time and replacement parts.

The rear cover shows the full photo from the front of the Hikari with Light Overpass set and states that the catalog was printed in Japan in February 1990.