fall inside a hole

Plarail E3 Shinkansens

First written May 24, 2024

The E3 series Shinkansen were built to run the Komachi service on the Akita mini-shinkansen line. The Komachi trains couple with Yamabiko service trains on the Tohoku line which were first serviced by E3 and E2 series trains respectively.

E3 Akita Shinkansen Komachi (1997)

The first Plarail E3 series Shinkansen was released as the E3秋田新幹線こまち E3 Akita Shinkansen Komachi in 1997 in seventh generation packaging.

The Akita Shinkansen uses the same chassis as the 2-Speed Tsubasa and uses a two-speed new power gearbox. The skirting has a nice metallic fleck.

 

In 1997 the 400 series chassis tooling was updated so that a mini (power and tail car only) E3 could connect to a mini E2 Hokuriku Shinkansen in the Akita Shinkansen Opening Commemorative Set. A downloadable version of this connection bar that can be 3D printed is available here.

S-09 E3 Series Akita Shinkansen Komachi (2002)

As part of the Summer 2002 refreshed "S" line and the main Plarail range going forward the E3 series Komachi was rereleased as the S-09 E3 Series Akita Shinkansen Komachi (S-09 E3系秋田新幹線こまち). Although the tooling was pretty much the same as the previous release, some of the painted details are updated and the power and intermediate car have Komachi stickers on the side.

The chassis toolings are updated with the new Tomy logo.

This example dates to 2008, which is around when the Komachi was actually exported in the Tomy Train Super Deluxe City Railway set. I quite like how the pantograph is molded on these Shinkansens. This release was discontinued in 2014.