fall inside a hole
First written January 25, 2025
In 1999 as part of their celebration of the
40th anniversary of Plarail
Tomy released a Plarail Fan Club-exclusive five-train pack as the Fan
Club Exclusive Plarail 40th Anniversary Album
(ファンクラブ限定プラレール
40thアニバーサリーアルバム).
This pack was originally advertised as a limited edition of 1000, but apparently
there were actually 3000 produced, and the
Plarail Museum has
a higher serial number in that range on display... It was available only
to Plarail Fan Club members for 7500 yen, and was still available into
the 2000s. Five trains, all of them exclusive variations... Tomy really
released a lot of 40th anniversary
products.
The upper inner box flap shows a timeline of some
different Plarail releases. The mentioned events are:
- 1959: "Plastic Train Set" is now on sale. This is the
beginning of Plarail's history. The pictured train is a later
plastic-coupling Plastic Train. Plastic Train Set (1959~69). The
first Plarail. It rolled by hand without using batteries or motors.
The note under the picture says that the photo is an old
product.
- 1961: "Electric Plastic Train Set" is now on sale. The
pictured train is the first battery powered Plarail locomotive,
based on a German clockwork train. Electric Plastic Train Set
(1961~66). The first electric Plarail. Streamlined body like a
foreign steam locomotive. Like the Plastic Train, it notes the
picture is an old product.
- 1964: The Tokaido Shinkansen opens in time for the Tokyo
Olympics. "Dream Super Express Hikari Set" is now on sale. The
pictured train is the early unpowered Plarail 0 series Shinkansen.
Dream Super Express Hikari Set (1964~68). A non-powered 4-car
Hikari set that can be rolled by hand. The red car body is rare.
- 1968: "Plarail Electric Train" released in three colors:
red, yellow, and green. The train pictured is an early green
Electric Train with unpainted roof and bent up power switch.
Plarail Electric Train (1968~81). A train modeled after common
commuter trains that run through familiar towns.
- 1971: The very popular Plarail "D-51" joins the group.
Pictured is a later D-51 Express Train with plastic crank pins and
coaches lacking pantographs. D-51 Express Train (1971~80). Two passenger cars were connected
to D-51.
- 1972: Benkei and Chin Chin Tram appear in Plarail. The
pictured train is the original release Benkei steam locomotive.
Benkei (1972~76). A locomotive used when the first railway was built
in Hokkaido.
- 1972: Benkei and Chin Chin Tram appear in Plarail. The
pictured train is the original release Chin Chin Tram tram.
Chin Chin Tram (1972~75). It moves along the tracks laid in the
roadway while making a Chin Chin sound.
1973: The Plarail "C-12 Rotary Snowplow" is now available.
No associated picture.
- 1974: The first private railway vehicle appears, the
"Panorama Express". The oldest vehicle still made today, the "Tokai
type Express Train" appears. The image shows a new-power
Tokai-type train. Tokai Type Express Train (1974~). The oldest
vehicle still manufactured.
- 1978: Narita Airport opens. This year, "L Limited Express"
is released in Plarail. Modern release estimates date the
L Limited Express to 1967 or
certainly 1977, with a revised version appearing in 1978. Pictured
is a new power L Limited Express. L Limited Express (1978~).
When JR was a national railway, limited express trains were of this
style.
- 1979: Light is on. "Hikari-go with Light" released for the
first time. Pictured is a new power
Hikari with Light.
Hikari-go with Light (1979~96). The first car with lights on. It was
the 4th generation Hikari issue of Plarail and was on sale until
1996.
- 1981: The Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen is released in Plarail
one day before its opening. Pictured is a new power
Tohoku
Joetsu Shinkansen with Light. Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen
with Lights (1981~92). The first Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen appeared
as a vehicle with lights.
1982: Tohoku Joetsu
Shinkansen opens. First character vehicle "Mickey Poppo
(Red)" is now available. No associated picture.
1984:
New bank notes current bank notes) issues. This year in Plarail
comes a control function. "I'm a
Train Driver" is released. No associated picture.
- 1987: This year, Plarail introduced 2-speed Shinkansen
vehicles. The pictured train appears to be an early
Thailand-production
2-Speed Shinkansen with white
power switch.
- 1992: Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi, Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa
opens. Plarail trains also appeared in this year. "Thomas the Tank
Engine" appears. Pictured is the
2-Speed
Nozomi. 2-Speed Nozomi (1992~). A popular train on the
Tokaido Sanyo Shinkansen.
- 1992: Tokaido Shinkansen Nozomi, Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa
opens. Plarail trains also appeared in this year. "Thomas the Tank
Engine" appears. Pictured is the
2-Speed
Tsubasa. 2-Speed Tsubasa (1992~). The first Shinkansen to
run on a conventional line connecting Tokyo and Yamagata.
- 1994: "Shinkansen Max" released. The first large-scale
scenic component "Future Express Nozomi" is released. Pictured
is the All 2-Story Shinkansen Max. Shinkansen Max (1994~). All two-level
train on the Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen.
- 1996: Third character vehicle "Doll Play Doraemon Set"
released. "500 Series Shinkansen" released. "E2 Shinkansen Asama"
released. Pictured is the
E2 Shinkansen. E2 Shinkansen
Asama (1996~). Shinkansen running between Tokyo and Nagano. It is
now possible to connect with the E3 series.
- 1996: Third character vehicle "Doll Play Doraemon Set"
released. "500 Series Shinkansen" released. "E2 Shinkansen Asama"
released. Pictured is a
500 Series Shinkansen. 500 Series
Shinkansen (1996~). Shinkansen made by JR West. Designed to reduce
air resistance. It's cool and looks like a jet plane.
- 1997: "E3 Akita Shinkansen Komachi" released. October 14th
is established as "Plarail Day" and the limited edition product "Chin Chin
Densha" is released. Pictured is the 1997 Plarail Day
Chin Chin Tram
reissue. Plarail Day Limited Reprint Chin Chin Densha
(1997). It was released to commemorate Plarail Day on October 14th.
- 1997: "E3 Akita Shinkansen Komachi" released. October 14th
is established as "Plarail Day" and the limited edition product "Chin Chin
Densha" is released. Pictured is the
E3 Shinkansen. E3
Akita Shinkansen Komachi (1997~). The Shinkansen that connects Tokyo
and Skita runs on conventional lines between Morioka and Akita.
- 1998: Plarail Day limited product Benkei released. 700
series Shinkansen on sale. Plarail's first foreign vehicle
"Eurostar" is released. E4 Series Shinkansen Max released. Colorful
express train "Fresh Hitachi" released. A Plarail fan club has been
created. Pictured are the five initial "Fresh Hitachi" colors.
Fresh Hitachi (1998~). JR East's limited express trains come in
five color variations.
- 1998: Plarail Day limited product Benkei released. 700
series Shinkansen on sale. Plarail's first foreign vehicle
"Eurostar" is released. E4 Series Shinkansen Max released. Colorful
express train "Fresh Hitachi" released. A Plarail fan club has been
created. Pictured is the E4 Shinkansen Max. E4 Shinkansen
Max (1998~). JR East's new Shinkansen has more seats than the E1
series MAX.
- 1998: Plarail Day limited product Benkei released. 700
series Shinkansen on sale. Plarail's first foreign vehicle
"Eurostar" is released. E4 Series Shinkansen Max released. Colorful
express train "Fresh Hitachi" released. A Plarail fan club has been
created. Pictured is the Eurostar, also released in the UK an
some parts of Europe under the Tomica World range. Eurostar
(1998~). An international express train that runs through the
Anglo-French tunnel connecting England and France.
- 1998: Plarail Day limited product Benkei released. 700
series Shinkansen on sale. Plarail's first foreign vehicle
"Eurostar" is released. E4 Series Shinkansen Max released. Colorful
express train "Fresh Hitachi" released. A Plarail fan club has been
created. Pictured is the
700 Series Shinkansen. 700 Series
Shinkansen (1998~). A Shinkansen jointly developed by JR Tokai and
JR West that incorporates technology from the 300 series, 500
series, and 300X.
- 1998: Plarail Day limited product Benkei released. 700
series Shinkansen on sale. Plarail's first foreign vehicle
"Eurostar" is released. E4 Series Shinkansen Max released. Colorful
express train "Fresh Hitachi" released. A Plarail fan club has been
created. Pictured is the rereleased Benkei. Plarail Day
Limited Reprint Benkei Issue (1998). The second revised vehicle
released to commemorate Plarail Day on October 14th.
- 1999: "Revival! Electric Plastic Train Trio" released.
"Tinplate Plarail" released. Plarail celebrates its 40th
anniversary. Pictured is the tinplate C53 and coach from the
Tinplate
Plarail pack. Tin Plarail (1999). 40th anniversary product.
The body is made of metal instead of plastic.
- 1999: "Revival! Electric Plastic Train Trio" released.
"Tinplate Plarail" released. Plarail celebrates its 40th
anniversary. Pictured are the three rereleased
Electric Plastic Train Trio. Revival! Electric Plastic Train Trio (1999). 40th
anniversary product. A 3-color set of reproductions of
representative vehicles that can be said to be the face of Plarail
vehicles.
A note at the bottom right mentions that not all vehicles shown in the chronology are currently on sale.
My example has a relatively low serial number and is unopened. I sort
of hate buying sealed old toys, especially when they are rare, and this
set with known production quantity qualifies... I did not pay too
outrageous of a price, although it was more than the original sale
price, but I do not want to open a set that has not already been opened
before.
The trains inside are all nice in their own way - the first two
trains are then-modern reproductions of the period color variations of
the original Plarail Plastic Train and Electric Plastic Train. The back of the box says of the Plastic Train: The
"Plastic Train" that appeared in 1959 (Showa 34) can be said to be the
origin of Plarail, and was a five-car train. Although it was not called
Plarail at that time, the specifications of the rail parts and the
connection play have been inherited by Today's Plarail vehicles. The
"Plastic Train" differed greatly from today's Plarail in that it was
rolled by hand rather than by motor power. Furthermore, this Plastic
Train was an original design that was not modeled after an actual
vehicles. There was also a color variation in which the train was red. Production ended in 1969 (Showa 44).
The red variant of the locomotive mentioned on the box was reproduced in
the general-sale 40th Anniversary Plarail Limited Edition
pack. Of the Electric Plastic Train, it says: The "Electric Plastic Train" released in 1961 (Showa
36) was a three-car train, including the first motor-powered vehicle in
the series, and ran on a single C battery. The three-car train system
which runs on C batteries has been passed down to current Plarail
vehicles. Like the "Plastic train," this "Electric Plastic train" is
also a vehicle with an original design. There was also a black color
variation of the train. Production ended in 1966 (Showa 41). Like
the Plastic Train, the black version of the Electric Plastic Train
mentioned here was included in the general-sale pack.
The D-51 is a new-power representation of the discontinued
D51 Express Train,
of which the box says: A total of 1,115 D-51 steam locomotives were
manufactured between 1936 (Showa 11) and 1945 (Showa 20), making it one
of Japan's most representative steam locomotives. It has four driving
wheels and was designed to produce a lot of power. All were retired in
1975 (Showa 50), but in recent years, No. 498 was revived and can once
again be seen running on the main line. No. 200 is also preserved in
working order at the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum in Kyoto. The
Plarail D-51 Express Train was introduced in 1971 (Showa 46) and production ended
in 1980 (Showa 55).
The 0 series Shinkansen is the Hikari
with Light, which had been discontinued a few years earlier, but
here it returns with the added silver roof details as seen on the
West Hikari. The
West Hikari has red nose cones and grey wheels, but this Hikari with
Light reproduction has red wheels like the original and yellow nose
cones... I suppose you could get the ultimate Hikari with Lights by
taking the power car from this train and the tail car from a West Hikari
to make a silver-roof train with yellow illuminated front and rear red
nose cones. The box says: The Tokaido Shinkansen 10 series was
manufactured for the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen in October 1964
(Showa 39) Since then, more have been produced, with around 2,300 cars
manufactured. The unique front end was familiar as the face of the
Shinkansen, but with the birth of new Shinkansen trains sych as the 100
series, 300 series, and 500 series, the chances of seeing it have
decreased. The Plarail was introduced in 1979 (Showa 54) and production
ended in 1996 (Heisei 8).
The 500 series Shinkansen is a more accurately colored version
than the regular release
at the time was. The back of the box says of it: It was launched
in January 1996 as a new Shinkansen train capable of running at a
maximum speed of 300km per hour. Its body has a sharp, streamlined
shape, like an airplane with the wings removed. In addition, it was
manufactured as a new Shinkansen train for the 21st century, adopting a
T-shaped pantograph. It is used for the "Nozomi" and connects Tokyo and
Hakata in 4 hours and 49 minutes. The Plarail was introduced in 1996
(Heisei 8) and is currently on sale.
What a set... Plarail hasn't done another five-car pack to date. I'm
still on the lookout for perhaps an opened copy of this set so that I
have one to play with...