Plarail ES Series

Each ES-series box comes with a link to its own online information sheet. For example:

https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/pl..._n700s.pdf

ES-01 N700S unboxing & comparison video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rubYQeDax9g

ES-05 E7 Kagayaki unboxing & comparison video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CuAVHNCyG0

Note the new ES drive chassis.

[Super]

Thank yoy Dr Chris 👍

I am so curious about the idea and the possible profits these can bring in order to re-tool a whole assemble line to produce these entirely new and similar line of trains. Not only the size themselves but a whole new power train chassis as Chrisjo points out. What do you all think of this new way of coupling with these. Are they thinking that this new way of connection is easier for tots?. In my way of looking at logic....I guess the the sliding coupler (holed) on the engine could help little hands with with getting the hook into it as it holds the coupling still not letting it go from side to side. I can see why that would help the little people a lot buuuuuut....they negate this help with the long slot on the Hook side which would have to frustrate children even more as when you try to push it into the holed coupling it keeps sliding into that long slot and out of the way...I certainly don't get that part if indeed that their main motivation for creating these slightly smaller trains is for getting children into the Plarails at a younger age.

Any thoughts?

I thought maybe the couplings were designed that way to be less easily broken when the components are played with individually, but really I don't know.

All the ES-series are still available to order / pre-order at Hobby Search, meaning that the demand just isn't there. Same for the recently re-issued regular S-series Shinkansens with LEDs.

[quote='Mister No' pid='62380' dateline='1659144906']
Here is the new Yamanote commuter train:




Just look how ridiculous the middle car looks. What is this? A midget car? This is totally unacceptable. 


the middle carriage is a good fit for mcdonald plarail train

Well, I guess there's good and bad here.

Good - So the Yamanote train is all-stickers. Guess my modding plan for making UK DMUs and taking advantage of the boxy shaped EMU design (and the fact the pantographs are on the rubbish middle car that I'd leave out) is definitely possible. Will probably score myself a couple for just that reason ^_^

Bad - I 100% don't get it. None of it. Why do these exist. If this is meant as some kind of introduction to Plarail for little kids, then let me tell you something; I have a 2 year old relative (cousin's son) who adores trains, especially Thomas (specifically the older pre AEG series) - He's been over to my place a couple times, and I have a small box of well worn Plarail parts that I've accumulated while assembling my collection that he plays with when he comes over.

Now, the first time he came over, he had never seen Plarail/Tomica World in his life, only Duplo trains. Yet, in less than 5 minutes, he'd worked out how to build and operate a layout (with a little help from me) - He now does it all by himself.

Point is, while I see Tomy's logic, it's unnecessary. Regular Plarail is no more or less complicated than ES, and frankly if a 2 year old doesn't struggle with the regular stuff, then what advantages are gained with ES?

Incidentally, since I'm likely to order some ES Yamanotes for customs, plus the Jurassic World train and possibly the car carrier set, I'm going to order him a Thomas starter track set as well as Thomas, Hiro and Kenji as a Christmas gift, so he gets the best of both British & Japanese locos that way, while also being Thomas themed, which will obviously win his approval .

My cousin has literally been raving about how much fun his son's been having, and asking me where he can get it (he used to have Tomica World back in the 90's so he was surprised that it was still being made) so yeah, think that'll be a nice surprise for a new young Plarail convert 😅

Alright so from what I initially thought (and find on Tomy JP website), it is advertised as a starter train.
For us, it might be a "budget" version, as a near 1000 yen difference is somewhat significant enough, but still, it's not too significant to make this a good alternative to the standard trains.
3+ age rating is still there, as the ES build is no different from standard, now with stickers.
Also yeah, it's cheaper, they will make you apply the stickers.