fall inside a hole

Kamome Express (1993)

First written April 8, 2024

The Kamome (かもめ meaning "Seagull") train is an express service running between Nagasaki and Takeo-onsen. For many years 485 series trains ran the Kamome train and in the early 1990s several 485 series trains were repainted red with black roofs and accenting as the Kamome Express. In 2022 a new Shinkansen line with N700S series trains replaced the traditional line running under the same Kamome name. In 1993 Tomy released the Kamome Express (カモメエクスプレス) in sixth generation packaging with a two-speed new power gearbox.

I have a fairly early Japan-made Kamome Express from March 1993. I actually honestly figured that Tomy would have moved the 485 series L Limited Express tooling to Thailand before making this variation, especially because it seems Tomy moved pretty much all of their Plarail production out of Japan and over to Thailand during 1993. The gearbox has the lesser spotted Japan-made greyish-blue switch two-speed gearbox, with most 1990s two-speed gearboxes being made in Thailand.

 In addition to the Kamome Express stickers on the side of the engines and cars the engines also have similar stickers to the regular L Limiteds, with nice headlights and a fine representation of the real train's head mark. The chassis is marked with the "boy and girl" logo and made in Japan text and is descended from the original L Limited Express chassis. This release also uses the older split style of couplings.

Later 1990s production Kamome Express trains would have been produced in Thailand with light blue power switch two-speed gearboxes and would have come in seventh generation boxes. It seems the Kamome Express went out of production some time in the later 1990s. A Thailand-made export Kamome Express can be seen below.

7463 Tomy Express (Tomica World) (late 1990s)

The Kamome Express was exported under the Tomica World range as item 7463 "Tomy Express" in the red style of Tomica World boxes. Other than the connection of being train toys made by Tomy and conveying the idea of fast trains, there is no relation between this Tomica World release and the earlier German Tomy Express range.

Being first produced in the later 1990s (Tomica World production seems to range from late 1997 to late 2003), the Tomy Express is made in Thailand and uses a slightly newer style 485 series chassis with new battery information as well as a slightly updated body shell.

The body shell has a small slot cutout to better accommodate the sliding gearbox shaft when removing the shell. The rearmost piece of detailing on the roof of the power car is smaller on this new Thailand version.

The Tomica World Tomy Express, of course, has different stickers, including a different Tomica World headmark and different headlight design. There is a variation of the 485 series tooling with no JNR mark that was used for some Tomy Expresses, but it seems earlier examples (from 1998 perhaps?) have the JNR mark intact.

The chassis on the Tomy Express uses smaller headed screws with larger collars. The train also uses the modern coupler style, as Thailand-made Japanese-market Kamome Express trains would have.