Lots of New Stuff for Jan / Feb 2018

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Plarail is alive and well with these new releases for late Jan early Feb 2018 releases.

S-22 JR Shikoku 8600 Type (3-Car Set)
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10513463
Certainly different looking. 'C' Size Battery.




Kumamoto Electric Railway 01 Wrapping Train
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10513462
'C' Sized Battery.





Cruise Train DX Series Train Suite Shikijima (6-Car Set)
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10513485

My favorite & ordered...has something unique...

-Top car: with powered car replacement chassis with light
- 4th lounge car: LEDs are mounted to express interior lights.

Has any Plarail ever had Interior lights that weren't add later? Wonder if its a light generator although there doesn't appear to be traction tires on those tiny wheels. It doesn't say but by the looks of the shell clips on the engine this may be a 'C' Size battery. But then to add to the mystery it states "powered car replacement chassis" which one would assume to be the new AA two speeder. I guess I won't find out for sure until mine or yours arrives first




Now here are a couple that I had already thought to be released, at least I thought I had these in the Future World Collection. Are these any different or possibly Plarail having another production run of the same Shooting Star Gordon & Streamlined Thomas because they were so popular and the public demanded more? Might these be different in some way? Slated for a Mid-Feb 2018 release...

TS-20 Plarail Stream Lined Tomas
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10513402




TS-21 Plarail Shooting Star Gordon
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10513403

Man, Tomy is kickin’ it old school.... uh, they are releasing sets reminiscent of older products.

Anyway, there’s a lot of cool stuff and I note it’s mostly all C battery powered. The Shinkijima Cruise Train is especially stunning (and the preorder is closed). I’m also surprised to see a re-release of Streamlined Thomas and Gordon but obviously they’re popular.

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Hmm, maybe I got the last pre-order for the Shikijima. I see there is a pre-order on Ebay for it.

I am curious that if the Shikijima is truly a 'C' sized and the shell is removed for battery placement, how they have the lighting wire installed so children won't pull it apart. Gonna be interesting to find out that and how the lighting works for the lounge car. I am also quite excited to see if the front lighting actually looks like these light bars in the picture...will be awesome if it does.

Maybe they are using some of the EL Wire or Tape that I've been tinkering with? That would work if the driver circuitry was set correctly and give those type of bars

[Super]

I like that idea.

The Kumamon train looks cool, maybe I get that...

Oh wait...

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Minus money is never good...

..lol

Gonna be interesting to find out how the lighting works for the lounge car.

My guess is it will have an axle fitted with traction tires that is attached to a dynamo, similar to the N700 Sound Car that I believe Ucwepn owns.

[Super]

Thant was my first guess Chrizzly but after seeing this close up picture of the tiny wheels with no evidence of friction tires I discarded that idea....the mystery is exciting.

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Here is another interesting tidbit I just noticed on just the see inside cars, the two with close up pictures both have what looks to be the heavy 'Eye Hooks' commonly only seen in use by the motorized tender driven trains. These use the hole method where the hook can swivel side to side as opposed to the normal 'Pegged' hooks that can only go up and down. Hmmm...another mystery.