Something New for April Release

[Super]

Buzy Announce! Sound Shinkansen Series E7 `Kagayaki` Rail Set

To be released in April this train looks to be pretty neat but to me the set leaves a lot to be desired. Why even include those cheap cardboard trees Plarail. Are they really that much cheaper than making the plastic ones...geesh!

The train is pretty and is supposed to have a variety of sound effects and announcements. I hope they are up dated from the old, monotonous sound effect Plarail trains. I am not sure exactly but what I can glean from the description, the sound come from an onboard generator powered by the friction of the wheels but I am nut sure if its in the middle car or not.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10430061

In terms of pure aesthetics, this is probably my favorite Shinkansen. My son is really the big Shinkansen fan around here though and he's currently obsessed with the E5/H5 series. Much as I like this, I'm focused on my roster of steamies at the moment. I'm not sure if we'll get this one or not.

[ripley802]

I like the look of this one and if it weren't for the poor looking set I may go for it. I did not even see the sound bit when I saw this on Hobby Search earlier but that may be a reason I try for it. I am a big fan of the sound trains and stations.

[Super]

For the price of that set I would expect more and certainly something better than cardboard trees. I would want to hear the train in a video hopes that its a different sound clip than, what I have come to find annoying, the old clip that is used in many of their sound trains.

This new one tells you how far it has travelled in real life and compares it to different objects. For example, at 12 metres it announces that it is the same length as a large bus. At 120 metres it announces it is the same size as a soccer field.

@Super,

It seems like the "Special Twilight Express" that will be released is just the same old Twilight Express and not the new Mizukaze.

-plarnold

[Super]

@Super,
It seems like the "Special Twilight Express" that will be released is just the same old Twilight Express and not the new Mizukaze.

Bummer, I had a suspicion but could not, in my mind, figure out why they would re-release the same old thing with the same old C sized battery chassis and not, at least, upgrade with the new type AA motor unless thats a misprint. Hmmmm, maybe this re-release of the old is in preparation of releasing a new Mizukaze Plarail model to coincide when it begins actual service in June...now that would be good news.

Thank you for all the info Plarnold

[Super]

Suzukawa gives us a closer look at this yet to be released set. Looks like even this promotional studio shots don't show the cheap cardboard trees in this video. Looks like new type motor and sound chassis using 2 AA batteries all housed in the lead engine which looks interesting. The set also includes an E5 Shinkansen shell but I guess you have to have you own middle and tail car for that. I did notice something strange in the video that may not be in the final product, the front wheels of the lead car are black. Not much for sound effects as far as I could hear and I was surprised to hear talking which, IMO, should be used on a sound station and not for the train itself. I couldn't tell if this was two speed or not which all the previous Shinkansens were.

I couldn't tell if this was two speed or not which all the previous Shinkansens were.

From the picture in the beginning of the thread, I would say it is a two-speed motor. I don't know much about them, but my two-speed Urban Liner is the only Plarail toy I've ever known to have that blue on-off switch.