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Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light Set (1987)

First written June 6, 2024

The Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light Set (ライト付東北上越新幹線セット) was released in 1987 and is a small Basic No.1 style set with an oval of track and 200 series Shinkansen. It is based on the Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen Set from 1982. Even though this is a small set, the box still shows a wide range of Plarail, Plaroad, and related toys - there are even some old power trains still hanging out on the layout, showing the period of the early new power era.


My copy of this box has a 7 ST mark, implying a 1987 printing, but the set stayed in production into 1990 - I am not sure if it was rereleased with Thailand-production Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansens later on.


Set contents
Quantity
Item
Photo
3 pieces Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light
2 R-01 Straight Rail
8 R-03 Curve Rail
2 pieces J-02 Block Tunnel (front and rear sections only)
4 Catenary
1 Standing Tree
1 Signal

This early production example comes with a Japan-made new power Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light. An incandescent bulb in the front of the chassis shines through the red lens at the front of the power car. This is one of my favorite trains and I think the Plarail version looks excellent with its red wheels and nice green and white coloring.

Track in this set is Japanese-production treaded-over-roughtop rail that was in use during the early new power era. The tree, signal, Block Tunnel, and catenaries are all also made in Japan.

This is obviously a very small set with basic accessories but I do like these kinds of sets in the range - they are affordable and offer an alternate way to buy trains alongside some rail and accessories all together or to start out a child's Plarail railway. Even as a small diorama-type setup - with a few buildings and toy cars I think it would make for a neat little display of the original Eastern Shinkansen.

Set name Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light Set
ライト付東北上越新幹線セット
Release period 1987-1990
Train rating Track rating
Accessory rating Overall
Notes:   Price 2,600 (1990)
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