Plarail μSky 20th Anniversary

The Plarail S-55 Meitetsu 2000 series μSky was released on January 27th 2005, to co-incide with its service-entry date. This was before the brand changed from Tomy to TakaraTomy, and it has been in continuous production in the same pre-2014 style 'type 9' box and with the same C-cell chassis ever since.

Here is the new releases page for January 2005.

This is a longer production span than for any other Plarail train. It's a mystery how this one has remained in the line-up for so long when so many other popular trains have fallen by the wayside, although the fact that it's still in service and will be the first Japanese train encountered by visitors arriving at Chubu Centrair International Airport may have something to do with it.

Does anyone have any other ideas why this might be?

The next contender for a longevity award is the S-60 EF66 electric locomotive, released September 29th 2005. Nothing else comes close, the next ones after that being released in 2009.

[Super]

This is a longer production span than for any other Plarail train.

Now that sounds like an interesting topic...listing the top 10 longest running, continuous production, Plarail/Tomy Trains ☺️

I would have thought a more interesting 'top 10' would be the non-limited ones released and available for the shortest time.  This would make them far more collectible and potentially valuable to collectors...

On the subject of hard to get models and apologies in advance if I have this wrong.  But, I seem to recall seeing people saying that the new PlaRail Real trains are difficult to get as they go out of stock very quickly?  Well if so I found these today on AliExpress if anyone needs them, although they only seem to have a couple of each at best, priced between £58 & £66 depending on model;

Plarail Real Class Odakyu Romance Car 3100

Class 201 Series Commuter Train ( JR West Japan ・Uguisui)

Real Class Twilight Express

Various (4 different types)

Also found some more 'normal' PlaRail trains at what seem like reasonable prices, around £16-17;

Loads to choose from...