fall inside a hole

Plarail Expo 200 Series Shinkansen (2005)

First written July 11, 2024

Starting in 2001 Tomy began selling event limited Plarail trains at Plarail Expo events in Japan. These trains were usually either a special color or livery that was not otherwise available or a limited and updated reissue of an older train no longer in the usual Plarail lineup. In 2005, the shark-nose 200 series Shinkansen was reprinted with new updated details, with the original 100-series style Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen releasing in 1990 and the 0-series style Tohoku Joetsu Shinkansen with Light releasing in 1981.

The standard Plarail 200 series based on the 100-series "sharknose" trains were discontinued in the early 2000s before the range was refreshed in 2002 and 2003, with 100-series trains releasing with some of the updated details and toolings also used here. Being a Plarail Expo release, the box does not have a regular range designation. The ST mark dates to 2005.

I actually ended up with two of these 200 series in their original boxes - I bought one fairly cheap and then got another one in a lot with some other Plarail Expo trains. Both of my examples were produced in March 2005.

Unlike previous Plarail releases of such 200 series, this version comes with a two-story intermediate car like the 100 series Shinkansen, something that some later 200 series trains did feature. It is a nice variation, even though I think it arises from not wanting to put the old 0 series intermediate car back into production and not having a newer tooling that matched the 1980s 100 series toolings. A "Green Car" sticker is affixed.

The train uses the updated new-logo tooling that is dated 2002. The intermediate car chassis is descended from the 1980s radio control Shinkansen trains and has the squared-off Tomy logo. This release had a few different later box variations before being discontinued around 2011.