Vintage Plarail/Tomy Commercials

[Super]

Here are some vintage Plarail/Tomy commercials. We have come a long way in video quality haven't we?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUnokCyRQo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqVCvqbP1T4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw49zu987xI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPJz8pCqdDQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8VHuR2LU98
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuaMjmI80BA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOSnb2OjaXM

Yes, the technique progressed, but Plarail was wonderful even then! Moreover, I would like some infrastructure elements to be retained. In particular, sloping curves with "filled" plastic body (not with raisers) in video No 5 at 0:08; some stations (the one with the moving passengers in the last video is so cool!!) etc.

It is a real pity that many of the innovative solutions we can see in these videos are no longer available today...

It does seem a little pity that those are not available anymore... i also like them! sometimes when something goes to the future or moves on, they are not always liked by the comunity. like aeg. buut i like it either way. also, maybe you could 3-d print them?

[Super]

@Mr No
Had to look back at that station you mentioned in the last video. I have seen this station many times but never with moving figures. Excellent spot. Wonder where and when it came from?

The moving dolls seen in that commercial are mentioned in the BigLobe Plarail Museum here: http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~akeda/DOLL/set2.htm

A little less than half way down the page, ふくせんプラレールステーションセット (Fukusen Plarail Station Set) (1969-1972) mentions that the commercial and the outer box show the "rails" that the dolls move around on, but the final toy doesn't have them

The Fukusen Plarail Station Set was released in 1969, initially with a white platform, a clear red roof, and a mechanism that moved the dolls on the platform when the train arrived. A number of mould changes were made, with the roof changing to solid red and the platform to green or yellow, and the doll-moving mechanism removed.

The set was in the product line-up until 1974, with the station as an individual item continuing until 1975.

The information above is taken from: https://nayuho.hatenablog.jp/entry/2019/12/24/000317

On the other hand, the Plarail Museum exhibit of the individual item http://parlorfleur-pm.com/station.html tells us that:

"It was released at the same time as the double track system appeared. When the vehicle stops, the bell rings, and when the vehicle enters the opposite platform, it automatically departs. Accessories are included, and the Shinkansen platform display contains traffic lights, shops and office worker dolls. It seems that the earliest product had a gimmick in which the doll moved on the platform, but since it was only confirmed in the commercial, it may be a gimmick only for the prototype. There are three platform colours, white, green, and yellow, and white is the oldest. The roof of the white platform is clear red, and the one of the green / yellow platform is just red."

[Super]

Fantastic information...Many Thanks Duck and Dr Chris. This is probably why I haven't seen one. Sure would be great to know if any of the prototypes are still out there with the moving dolls as there would have to be at least one seen in the commercial. Such a great gimmick however it may have proved to fragile for the rough play of the little ones. If one is out there it would be interesting to see how much that would go for in an auction for sure. 😁

@DuckGWR
Its been a while since we have seen you here...bet your collection has grown immensely since last we talked 😃

This is soooooooooo cool! Many thanks, Duck & Chris!!