True Futuristic Train from Tomy

Ok, so we've been talking a bit about futuristic locomotives, well how about the ultimate, a genuine working maglev train?

Here's a brief video and some pictures I found on a facebook group;

Video, Maglev vs Std Train





And according to this product announcement the expected 'to market price' will be $98 when released THIS year Product Announcement

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Here's another (better) video; Maglev Video

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And here is an official video from Tomy just found on youtube; Tomy Linear Liner Video

The other thing I've found in a few googles is that the price of $98 is possibly very optimistic (which I thought when I saw it) as some retailers are listing it on pre-order in the region of $300+ although who knows that may be profitering...

The Linear Liner Set was announced a few weeks ago.
It will be around $350 USD if you buy it at the recommended retail price in Japan. It will release in September.

As for that Plarail Advance Linear Liner Set, I'll do some translation:

- Advanced Control System (ACS) compatible
- Extradosed bridge included in set
- Special grey curved track included in set (Note: The grey track is of the larger radius type. Same as the outer curve of the double curved tracks). This is limited to this set only.

Hope that helps.

-plarnold

Thanks Plarnold, that clears up a few things

[Super]

I wonder if there is a throttle control for that real magnetic Maglev train set.

That is the first I have seen or heard of the Plarail Advance Maglev version. I know one thing, those long radious elevated curved rails are quite rare and its nice to see that they are making them. I would hope they would offer them as add ons for the Advance trains so we could all have them. Thanks for the info. There are also some other discussions here http://www.blueplastictracks.com/search....order=desc

What a great looking train. I love the idea of the magnetic track, but as mentioned above, it's almost TOO fast to really enjoy. Still, I'd love to have one, but not at that asking price I'm afraid.

I saw one review on youtube where they stated that the train has speed control that works in 18 increments, so although I'm sure that demo is the unit running flat out apparently it can be made to go much slower.

I'm like you though, would love to have one, but not at a price tag of $350, that is just way too much for me at the moment.

[Super]

Maybe speed control is part of that big station which must be the power source. I agree, just watching the train speeding around an oval track over and over is not much fun. Now if they started to produce accessory packs with extra track curves risers and the like maybe would be better. My guess is that this is limited as the cost might deter it from being popular enough for profit.

One of the pictures I've seen shows 'track packs' separately, although at this time it looked like only straights and curves. But its a beginning I suppose. I'm also not too sure how they would make points work on a maglev, I'm assuming the real ones do have points rather than just an a-b route?

[Super]

One of the pictures I've seen shows 'track packs' separately, although at this time it looked like only straights and curves. But its a beginning I suppose. I'm also not too sure how they would make points work on a maglev, I'm assuming the real ones do have points rather than just an a-b route?

You are absolutely right Nigels, I completely missed those track packs in the picture above. That would look neat running on a very large layout but I am not so sure what gauge this would relate to. Looks smaller that the regular Tomy gauge and larger than the Advance line.

There is also the question of what the cost of the track packs are as well not to mention running costs. According to one description I read on the 'basic' set you need 10 AA batteries for the track and the train has a dedicated re-chargeable Li-On battery. So basically you have powered electro-magnets in both the train and the track.

Whether this means each section of track has its own power supply or the 10 AA's go into the 'station/speed control' is down to debate but either is not particularly great.

If its in the 'station' then you have to worry about power drop off at the extremes of the track from the station.

If the batteries go into the track sections (i.e. maybe 1 per section) then how do you know when to replace them and do you need to rip up the track to do so?

I personally think the latter is unlikely as it would be hit and miss if you had say one piece of track with either a bad connection or dodgy/low power battery.

But if that is the case why 10 AA batteries? Surely it would make more sense to ship it with a transformer, after all at the price point that has been intimated they can't be penny pinching a couple of quid for a transformer surely?