fall inside a hole

300X Shinkansen (1995)

First written May 18, 2024

The 300X Shinkansen was the class 955 Shinkansen and was an experimental prototype developed in 1994 to assist in designing Shinkansens capable of travelling at 300kh/hr and above (hence the 300X name). In July 1996 the 300X set a still-standing Japanese national speed record of 443 kh/hr. It was withdrawn in 2002. The Plarail 300X Shinkansen (300X新幹線) was released in 1995 in seventh generation packaging with a two-speed new power gearbox.

The chassis for the power and tail cars is the type used for the 400 series Tsubasa and several other 1990s Shinkansens and thus was updated to have the connection gimmick molding feature circa 1997. This example dates to September and thus has the updated connectable chassis.

The front of the power car is slightly duckbilled, as several future Shinkansens would be, and the tail car is sloped down like the 300 series. There is a translucent yellow plastic insert in the nose but there is no light feature.

7460 Super City (Tomica World) (late 1990s)

 

The 300X was exported under the Tomica World range as item 7460 "Super City" in the red style of Tomica World boxes.

 

Tomica World production seems to range from late 1997 to late 2003 so all examples exported have the connection gimmick chassis. Other than the box, there is no difference from the Plarail version, and it still says 300X.

The 300X was discontinued at some point in the later 1990s.