fall inside a hole

Plarail Expo 0 Series Shinkansen (2009)

First written February 29, 2024
Happy leap day!

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, as is the case with this 0 series Shinkansen sold in 2009. The 0 series trains had just finally exited service very late the year before.

When the range was refreshed for the ninth generation of boxes in 2001 and 2002 there was no updated regular release 0 series Shinkansen. As part of a summertime promotion in 2004 Tomy released a "JR" 0 series Shinkansen which was then sold at Plarail Expo events. It seems that this was available for several years - I am not sure if they just had a massive first 2004 production run or if they continued to produce more for Plarail Expo. Either way, in 2009 the 0 Series Shinkansen was again a Plarail Expo limited release with the new 2009 print box shown here. The 0 series showed up as a Plarail Expo limited item again in 2017 with a light feature. The original 2004 promotion and all of the Plarail Expo releases can be seen in the Plarail Museum.

Although the box was not sealed - at the very least it had been opened to take photos for the auction listing I bought it from - the interior bag appeared to be unopened. I did not pay very much for this 0 series (I think a little less than 30 dollars) and although I think it can be somewhat hard to find I do not think it usually commands that high of a price when it does come up - you just have to be looking for one when one gets listed for a good price.

The train is white and blue with the molding representing the later 0 series more compact windows and has the "JR" logo on the side. The roofs are a nice silver.

Here it is next to an admittedly rather worn out Hikari with Light. The new intermediate car is very nice looking and is noticeably longer than the older 0 series cars.

The power car uses one of the newer "Shinkansen" type chassis with a 0 series shell and has a two-speed new power gearbox. The tail car is somewhat interesting in that the peg in the roof of the shell is shorter and has a separately fitted extension that then lines up with the screw coming up from the chassis. There is a manufacturing date stamp in the chassis of the power car.