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Blue Train Set (1979)
First written September 8, 2025
The Blue Train Set (ブルートレーンセット) was an oval set featuring the new Blue Train sleeper trains that released in Spring 1979 during the period of the Blue Train Boom, when public interest in the trains was high. It was released in the later 1970s-early 1980s yellow style of box alongside the Basic No.2 Set Hikari with Light featuring the Hikari with Light also released at the same time.
The sides proudly proclaim it as the Blue Train Set, and the top has the battery and layout instructions. The MS-28 designator implies the box was printed between March 1979 and February 1980.
This particular example has a sticker from Matsunaka (archived) (マツナカ) toy store near Seto. The ST mark dates the toy's testing to 1978. I think it is probably a fairly early print box - the 1/2 Straight Rail entry in the contents list is a sticker covering something up, and it looks like this was fixed on later printings - the set in the Plarail Museum does not have this sticker.
Set contents| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 3 pieces | Blue Train |
 |
| 1 | R-02 Half Straight Rail (roughtop with Japan markings) |
 |
| 8 | R-03 Curve Rail (roughtop with Japan markings) |
 |
| 1 | R-08 Stop Rail (smooth with Japan markings) |
 |
| 1 | J-18 Railroad Crossing with Sound |
 |
| 1 | Station Platform |
 |
| 1 | Signal |
 |
| 1 | Standing Tree |
 |
| 4 | Catenary |
 |
The Plarail Blue Train depicts an EF-65 hauled Fuji-service train with two 24 series passenger cars.
The power car has the Fuji headmark and uses an old-power gearbox, as was standard at the time. The tail car has the Fuji mark on the rear as well.
The small selection of rail is Japan-production roughtop rail, except for the older smooth stop rail.
The station in the set is the nicely-stickered Station Platform, which I am quite fond of. The J-18 Railroad Crossing with Sound was also new at the time, so although it is a small set it still has some nice accessories, although nothing is particularly uncommon.
A signal, tree, and catenaries are included to round out the compliment of accessories.
The layout is a simple endless oval, with the ringing crossing bringing a little more life to the set. It was a nice set with new items released during the Blue Train Boom. In 1981 the Blue Train appeared again in the Blue Train Electro Railroad Crossing Set with the larger electronic beeping and flashing J-21 Electro Railroad Crossing.
| Set name | Blue Train Set ブルートレーンセット |
Release period | 1979 |
| Train rating |
 
| Track rating |
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| Accessory rating |
| Overall |
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| Notes: | A good train rating during the Blue Train Boom |