fall inside a hole
Electric Super Express Hikari (1964)
First written September 1, 2023The first version of the electric 0-series Shinkansen was released in 1964 like the first Shinkansen line. The Hikari was the faster of the two services running on the Shinkansen line when it opened, and what would become known as the 0-series Shinkansen would service the line for the next two decades before 100 series trains began to operate on the same lines in the mid 1980s with 0 series trainsets remaining in service on some trains until 2008.
The first version of the Electric Super Express Hikari (電動超特急ひかり号セット) has a front-mounted power switch in the bodywork of the power car as opposed to the chassis of later versions and metal hook and eye couplings. A boxed example of this version of the engine can be seen in the Plarail Museum. A comparison of most of these types of Hikari can be found in the Biglobe Plarail Museum.
This older molding of the 0-series Shinkansen is actually based on the 1000-series prototype Shinkanens as it has a different front window support system and the windows in the doors are square rather than thinner rectangles. Additionally, the 0 series was first represented with a red skirting and nose, while the 0 series actually ran with a blue chassis and rim around the windows with a white body for the first few decades it was in service. One early concept I have seen for the Shinkansen has some red skirting, but by the time of the bullet-nose shape and 1000-series prototype the trains had blue skirting and window-surrounding streak.
Although I do not currently own an original issue Super Express Hikari, I do have the light blue with white chassis version of the power car exported for use in some Child Guidance sets.
This release has the same style of gearbox and power switch as the original 1964 0 series and was allegedly exported as early as 1964. The drive wheels are a slightly different design, the original Plarail version used yellow wheels sandwiching large chunky black traction tires similar to the earlier Electric Plastic Train. The engine has no rear coupler as it was never intended to pull anything.
New Electric Super Express Hikari (1966)
Around 1966 the gearbox configuration was changed to have a roof-mounted power switch and a different gearbox. Boxes had a "New" sticker attached to the box to differentiate from the previous design. This gearbox uses a contrate gear to transmit the output of the motor 90 degrees with a smaller reduction and has a smaller attached spur gear that drives a larger gear on the axle that the rim drive gears are on. This early gearbox style uses plastic gears on the output shafts to run against the thinner wheels with black traction tires. My example of the New Electric Super Express Hikari comes from the Electric Limited Express Hikarigo Set No.1 from 1968. Some Plarail resources consider this to still be a "first generation" Hikari as it still uses the same moldings as the original 0 series.
A metal tab at the front of the power car holds a metal claw in the hood down into the chassis like on the previous design. Earlier Electric Super Express Hikaris had metal hook couplings but this "new" example has integrated bars on the rear of rolling stock to connect with the early design of plastic hook coupling. These couplings have a much thinner flexible section to allow the coupling to flex. Similar couplings were also used on Freerail, a 1970s train system from Tomy with flexible, cutable rails that fit into plastic ties. The remnants of the original front power switch can be seen in the molding.
The chassis and shell of the power car are the only components to be marked with a place of manufacture. The "activation tab" cutout was also added to the chassis with this revision, with activation tab system accessories like the Yuuenchi series first appearing in the later 1960s.
This second-generation drive example has a roof switch instead of the earlier (and later) front switch systems. It uses small gears on the output shaft to friction-drive the rear wheels, which use thinner black traction tires. Both of the original gears on my example are cracked, but as they do not mesh with another gear this does not matter as much as in other gearboxes as long as they do not spin freely on the shaft. The power switch mechanism is fairly simple and does not disengage the gears in the gearbox in any way, only turning off the motor. The front battery contact is large and brass like the original gearbox variant. The cylindrical molding feature near the front battery contact is where the original design of front power switch was installed. Unpowered wheels are held into the chassis using metal holders that wrap around the axles and have metal tabs that hold the axle to the chassis. The battery is installed with the positive side of the battery facing the front of the power car instead of the gearbox like pretty much all later locomotives.
The intermediate car's pantograph is molded into the body shell, unlike the later 0 series and other newer Plarails that use the same style of pantograph. The intermediate and tail cars' shells are glued to the chassis, making replacing couplings or wheels a pain (if not impossible without destroying the plastic). Wheels are held in with metal holders similar to the power car. The fragility of the coupling system as well as the inability to replace them both helped influence the development of the improved coupling systems and car chassis used since.
Electric Super Express Hikari (1970)/Super Express Hikari (1972)
Around 1970 (if not late 1969) the molding of the upper body of the power and tail car of the 0 series was updated to look more like the production 0 series instead of the prototype 1000 series with rectangular door windows, although the original intermediate car molding remained. This is considered to be the "second generation" Hikari, as it was the first time the main body shell molds were changed. This version of the 0 series returned to a front-mounted power switch that stuck out from the chassis similar to the first generation drive system instead of the roof like the second generation drive system. The couplings were updated to the thicker 1970s style and the integrated rear couplers were changed for the early rotating loop types. In 1972 this version of the 0 series was released in a new style of box. These Hikaris used the more widely-used old power gearboxes. Early examples of this generation of 0 series use the gear drive system while later ones use the black rim-drive drums.
Super Express Hikari-go (1974)
This version of the 0-series was the first to properly represent the blue and white color scheme of the 0 series. It used the same intermediate car molding as the previous 0 series.
In 1976 the New Hikari replaced the 1960s 0 series molding and eventually led to the development of the Hikari with Light that became the basis for later variations like the 200 series,, early new power Shinkansens, and some Doctor Yellows. In 1999 the old red and white Hikari was referenced in the Let's Play With Parents and Children!! Shinkansen Set which included the then-current 500 Series Shinkansen as well as the period new power 0 series molding done in the red and white style of the classic Hikaris.
