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Hikari with Light Overpass Set (1990)

The Hikari with Light Overpass Set (ライト付ひかり立体交差セット) was released in April 1990 at a price of 3,900 yen and features standard for the era trains and accessories. A Thailand-made new power Hikari with Light is included as the train, showing the strength and popularity of the original 0 series Hikari even in the age of 300 series Nozomi trains. The set includes a standard Plarail signal and tree, four overhead wire catenaries, a period red railway crossing, and an unelevated Elevated Station. As part of the "たのしさつなごうキャンペーン" Tanoshisa Tsunago Campaign (approximately the "Enjoy The Fun Campaign") the set also included two R-01 Straight rails to add to the set. The blurb in the bottom right corner of the box says that the set Now comes with 2 straight rails!! Enjoy a larger layout. And: Use the automatic turnout rail and have lots of fun!! Switch points automatically. The ST number dates the box to 1990.

The small section above the picture of the set contents on the bottom left of the front of the box says of the set:

In 1988 two sets commemorating the 30th anniversary of Plarail were released with either the Hikari with Light or Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light. In 1989 the same set was released without the extra commemorative car as the New Overpass Set. This version iterates further by changing the "R" point rail out for an automatic turnout rail.


Set contents
Quantity
Item
Photo
3 pieces
Hikari with Light (Thailand-made)

1
R-2 1/2 Straight Rail
14
R-03 Curve Rail
2
R-06 Slope Rail
1
R-08 Stop Rail
1
R-11 Turnout Rail (L)
1
R-19 Automatic Turnout Rail
5
J-14 Block Bridge Girder
1
J-17 New Railroad Crossing
1
J-22 Elevated Station
4
Catenary
1
Standing Tree
1
Signal
2
R-01 Straight Rail (Enjoy the Fun Campaign)

The Hikari is the high-speed express train running on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. 0-series Shinkansen trains ran the Hikari (as well as the slower Kodama train) from their introduction on October 1st, 1964 through the introduction of 100-series Shinkansen to Hikari service on October 1st, 1985 and until 2000 on the West Hikari run on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, with some temporary Hikari 0-series trains running until December 2008. The train in this set is a standard Thailand-made Hikari with Light of the era.

The gearbox in the 0-series needed the third gear glued back onto its shaft to function properly. The engine in my set was produced in August 1990.

The station used in this set is the common J-22 Elevated Station, although this station was rarely actually elevated. It is apparently molded to fit on top of three "block houses," small and basic house accessories Tomy sold that could be stacked up to make larger or taller buildings.

The roof, center kiosk, and two yellow supports all separate from the base.

The rails in my set were all relatively early made in Thailand rails. Production of rails continued in Japan with new molds dated in 1992 used in some sets. Other accessories like the tree and signal are all early Thailand moldings as well.

The Automatic Turnout Rail can be set to "AUTO" where it switches the output side every time an engine passes over the trigger or "SET" which leaves the switch in its current position.

My copy of this set included the original manual and 1990 catalogue. The manual includes two suggested uses for the additional straight rails.

The set uses the classic "overpass" layout and showcases the new-for-1990 Automatic Turnout Rail. There aren't any level crossings on the real Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen line, but it is a fun accessory and for many years the Plarail overpass-type sets included them.

I like the suggested layout with the straight rails on a diagonal, and the new power gearbox is nice and quick so the Hikari really flies...

Set name Hikari with Light Overpass Set
ライト付ひかり立体交差セット
Release period 1990
Train rating Track rating
Accessory rating Overall
Notes: As much as I love the Hikari with Light, this is the third version of this set in a row, and it was used in many sets by this point Price 3900 yen (1990)
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