The Sound C62 Double Unit Set (サウンドC62重連セット) was released on April 17, 2003 and featured the first new Plarail C-62 steam locomotive in over 25 years - two of them, in fact! One unit is powered and the other has real steam locomotive sounds.
Both of the real-life C 62 steam locomotives included in this set are preserved in real life. For now, the original Tomy product page is still online too. The box says of the C-62s: C62 Steam Locomotive (commonly known as Shirokuni) - A total of 49 C62 steam locomotives were made. The locomotives were created by combining the boiler of a D52 freight locomotive and the running gear of a C59 passenger locomotive. The C62 is not only large, but on December 15, 1954, C62 No. 17 recorded the world's fastest speed of a steam locomotive on a narrow gauge railway at 129km/h. Currently, units 1, 2, 3, 17, and 26 are preserved in local transportation depots, and only unit 2 is in operational condition.
Set contentsQuantity |
Item |
Photo |
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1 | C-62 2 (Powered unit) |
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1 | C-62 1 (Sound unit) |
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1 | PlaKids Passenger Car |
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3 | PlaKids figures |
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8 | R-01 Straight Rail |
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6 | R-03 Curve Rail |
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1 pair | R-18 Slope Curve Rail |
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2 | J-15 Mini Bridge Pier (brown) |
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4 pieces | Arched Bridge |
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The powered engine in this set is C 62 2. The smoke deflectors are decorated with the swallow symbol of the Tsubame or Swallow service on the Tokaido main line, which it pulled in the 1950s, and it is known as the "Swallow Angel". The headlight is also operational, using a similar system to the modern D-51 with light.
The cab and part of the rear of the tenders are tooled to accommodate Plakids hanging off and "driving" the train. The gearbox is produced in black plastic, which is a nice touch. The battery compartment has to be unscrewed under the connected drawbar coupling.
The second C62 is C 62 1 which has a two AAA battery compartment in the locomotive with a speaker in the tender to produce train noises. A front coupling allows for the train to be pulled along by C 62 2 and a black power switch protrudes through the regular power switch slot.
An opening passenger car is also included. It is a blue car like one of the ones included with the PlaKids C12. Actually, disassembly shows this car is descended from the Doll Play D51 Steam Locomotive coach.
The roof pulls off the passenger car to reveal a place for the passenger or other PlaKids. The fact the figures can hang off the train is pretty cool, a bit like the Doll Play D51 Steam Locomotive, pretty neat.
This set includes the double-straight-long Arched Bridge which was adapted from Super Rail, elevated on two darker brown mini bridge piers.
The layout is simple but is fairly wide and the bridge fits the steam era of rail travel well.
The accessory selection is perhaps a little slim, although the sound gimmick and new toolings of the set would have necessitated a lot of the cost... a station would have really tied the set together, but it is a great set from the early 2000s either way.
Set name | Sound C62 Double Unit Set サウンドC62重連セット |
Release period | 2003 |
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