Plarail TOMY Thomas NEW RELEASES

The switchbacks would be great using the automatic portion of the old R-15 pack, or as mentioned the auto switches (these might only work when the train is moving "forwards," so that it catches on the activation tab correctly, but I'm sure you could work around that.)
I'd love to set up an even bigger switchback then I have in the past, particularly if I can get (or 3D print) several of those reverser pieces - or rely on the old Round Trip EF66





I imagine most people have already realised, but the individual rolling stock releases are both recolors of other cars. The dynamite car in particular has had several different recolors, as well as had the mechanism borrowed for some Chuggington stuff with different molds. Pretty disappointing so far this year, but when the end of season 24 comes out in Japan with the Royal Engine special maybe there will be another wave.

[Super]

Very cool video Duck.

At about the 7:40 minute mark in the video below...the chassis of the reversing engine looks to be exactly what the Plarail chassis look like now and just about confirms it would be switchable. What do you all think?

Well, there is just one problem... They always put the OK-symbol if the chassis is interchangeable, like here:



... and on the Sushi train box I couldn't find such a symbol:


I mean... I could be wrong, but... :/

[Super]

Good point Mr No but I feel that they wouldn't want to put that on the box in this instance because they don't want others to switch the chassis out without the special rails. What disappoints me is that its been so long ago that they released the Diesels that they all have the old chassis. It looks like the chassis might only be swap-able with Shinkansen that have been released with the newer chassis.

Does anyone have any High quality scans of the 1992 plarail Thomas boxes?

Good point Mr No but I feel that they wouldn't want to put that on the box in this instance because they don't want others to switch the chassis out without the special rails. What disappoints me is that its been so long ago that they released the Diesels that they all have the old chassis. It looks like the chassis might only be swap-able with Shinkansen that have been released with the newer chassis.

if you really want to the train to reverse, they already have a device similar to Mr Motorman (TAKARA TOMY E5 Series Hayabusa Train Control).

[Super]

You are right Leyland but I don't believe that will work by itself going back and forth from yard to yardas this would.

There is also this Maglev train with red and green speed-change rails. Another re-release, isnt't it?

The Maglev is the new generation Series L0 I believe. The previous one is the old Series L0.

-plarnold

[Super]

Thanks Plarnold

TAKARA TOMY E5 Series Hayabusa Train Control is absolutely great device. With this controller you can start and stop the train very realistically. It's much better than any other starting/stopping element (like the stop rails).

There are 2 forward going speeds and 1 if you want to go backwards. In this video of mine (from approximately 4:38 on)  you can see how the train goes forward, slows nicely, and then goes backwards into the depot. It's true that you have to work and maneuver the train yourself, but the effect is, at least for me, much more realistic and therefore better. Of course, if you want the whole thing to work automatically (for some nice shunting in the yard, or the switchback-traffic, the reversing rails and one way points, like those that come with Auto Transfer Stations, are the best.

 

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Here is the old Maglev train (released March 14th 2019):


Really not much of a difference here, IMHO. (The price goes up slightly, though: the 2019 model was 2800 JPY, the new one is 3080). 

We can see they are re-releasing some models (occasionally with minor changes like the back couplings, colours or the like), but all of them are relatively recent models. If they are in re-releasing business now (and they obviously are) why not repeat some 10 or more years old interesting models, like Kiha 40 Bantam Line or beautiful orange Osaka Loop Line? Also, many Thomas & Friends fans would love to see some re-releases, wouldn't they? What's keeping them from re-release of Stepney or Oliver, for example? They could sell ton of them.

Some previous models of this new re-releases (like this one, or the Aru Ressha for example) are still selling regularly... Why re-release them so quickly? By the way, they announced that - with releasing the new Maglev train - the old one goes "out of print", so if anyone wants the old version now it's time to buy. Also, with the release of the new Hida/Nanki train, the S-20 Royal Express will not be produced anymore.