fall inside a hole
Tomy Express Multi-Set 1 (1991)
First written March 23rd, 2024
The Tomy Express Multi-Set 1 is the largest Tomy Express set and seemingly the only "original" set in the range not based on an existing Japanese Plarail set. It includes a C12 and freight train as well as a nice selection of accessories on a layout somewhat resembling the "overpass" layout with an outer loop with wider radius curves. This is the only set to include the Large Curve Rail as well as Slope Rails in dark blue, although they were also available in Tomy Express track packs. The name Multi-Set 1 sort of lends itself to the idea that many of the components of this set could be bought separately and that it is a large set combining multiple smaller accessories.
The box actually shows the standing trees with orange square bases as used in the Tomy Train sets, but the set actually includes regular standing trees like other Tomy Express sets.
The back of the set box advertises other Tomy toys like the Tetris board game and a 1990s Big Loader color variant as well as some of the other Tomy Express sets and accessories available. I would quite like to get the Tomy Express 200 series and Tomy container car at some point.
Set contents| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 4 pieces |
C12 (Thailand-made) with
mail and
cattle
cars and
brake van |
 |
| 7 | Straight Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 5 | Half Straight Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 12 | Curve Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 8 | Large Curve Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 2 | Slope Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 2 | Stop Rail (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 6 pieces | Turnout Rail (3 pairs) (Tomy Express dark blue) |
 |
| 5 | Block Bridge Girder |
 |
| 1 | Railroad Crossing with Sound |
 |
| 1 | Elevated Station (Localized German stickers) |
 |
| 4 pieces | Block Tunnel |
 |
| 5 | Catenary |
 |
| 6 |
Standing
Tree |
 |
The C12 used in this set is a Thailand made old power C12 that is seemingly identical to the other Thailand-made C12s from the early 1990s. The mail and cattle vans are both classic pieces of Plarail rolling stock that work great together and joined by the cattle van it makes for a very nice train. Being the old power type, the C12 also still has the front coupler. The one in my copy of the set has not been fully restored, and I borrowed a nicer Thailand-made C12 from around the same time to run on the set.
It seems to me that this set must have remained in production long enough for the chassis to be updated with the full "MADE IN THAILAND" text in addition to "Thailand" which seems to have been around 1993. The C12 in my set does not have an intact production sticker but does also have both Thailand and made in Thailand on the chassis.
My copy of this set has an odd mix of Thailand and Singapore-made rails. I have not seen Singapore-made rails outside of these dark blue track sets, and it seems the toolings used there were fairly old and worn out. The Singapore stop rail I have is based on the very early all smooth type with tread added to the rails but not the stopper itself and the track connectors on the other rails are all rougher compared to the Thailand made rails. I am not sure if the rails in my boxed copy of the set are all original - they may have partially come from a different Tomy Express or potentially even TomyTrain set.
There is actually two different Thailand and two different Singapore toolings represented in the rails in my set, so there is certainly some amount of piece mixing going on.
The Elevated Station in the Tomy Express sets was localized with German stickers on the platform. The side of the platform reads "hauptbahnhof" or central station and the destinations shown on one of the signboards are Hamburg and München. The kiosk sticker is the same as the Japanese release. Similar to the original, the red roof, yellow supports, and kiosk can be disassembled from the platform base.
The set includes all four portions of the full Block Tunnel, which is very nice, as well as a Railroad Crossing with Sound. The electrical catenaries, tree bases, and block girders are all made in Thailand.
A bell inside the trackside shed rings in time with the train's wheels hitting the striker embedded in the near rail.
This set is so large that I could only just fit it into the usual space I use in my bedroom to set up Plarail sets. I couldn't fit it on the white poster boards I usually use to photograph sets.
The set has a smaller central loop with elevated portion and a large outer loop with several lines connecting between them, including a loop that heads under the raised portion of the inner loop to form an "overpass" layout-type portion. Trains can be moved from the outer loop to the inner loop and back again while heading in either direction.
This set's layout is also perfect for adding a second train, with both trains being able to safely run around one another or switch back and forth across each other's paths.
Because the colors matched, I decided to try out my 1990 Remote Control System switches with this set and the two trains. This system used an infrared remote control and only had two types of switch (an "A" switch and a "B" switch) that it could trigger. The system works pretty well in my experience.