HNBG's ventures

HanoibusGamer · 2024-04-22T01:52:40+00:00

I had a thread in this topic before, but I put 2023 there so I decided to make a new one instead. So, 2024, took me four months before I can show some stuff...

Super

The Super Large Nozomi is a very cool 'All in One' Train/Case

HanoibusGamer

Super wrote
The Super Large Nozomi is a very cool 'All in One' Train/Case

Almost! I'd say the Big Tsubasa (Like this one but modeled after 400 series Shinkansen) is a better all-in-one, since it contained a full loop within itself.

HanoibusGamer

Okay time to revive this thread.
I can’t believe I found this train just hiding around at a random toy store in my city, and for cheap!

From what I can gather, this is supposed to be a reward for whoever completes a stamp rally in 2024. The transparent Shinkansen E3 Tsubasa reward largely overshadowed this transparent E235 Yamanote though, regardless finding this train in the wild is interesting by itself.
I bought it for 230000 VND (_US$10), and it was just chilling with other Plarail trains in that store. I was intended to buy the Real Class 100 series Shinkansen though, but they haven’t got it yet. This is a nice consolation though!
Other images:

Super

Great find Hanoi and in its box too…amazing

Mister No

Beautiful transparent “microvawe oven”!

[Yamanote Line trains, specifically the modern JR East E235 series, are nicknamed “microwave ovens” (or denshi-renji) by railfans due to their distinctive, somewhat boxy front design, resembling a kitchen microwave.]

Super

Mister No Beautiful transparent “microvawe oven”!

chrisjo

Great find!

https://www.jreast.co.jp/tokyo/plarail_stamp-rally/2023/

(I know it says 2023 in the URL, but it was 2024 as you say. The 2023 one was different)

HanoibusGamer

chrisjo
So from what I can gather here, apparently there are supposed to be 200 of these floating around. Somehow one of them (probably escaped from a factory here in Vietnam (the box said so)) and randomly appeared in this one toy store. Neat!

HanoibusGamer

Time for a huge haul!
A combination of my Thailand holiday and a discovery of a gold mine locally. I think I’ll separate the posts here.
First, what did I get from my holiday?
1/ Tomica Plarail Block - Class 923 Dr. Plarail. I’ve already had an extensive review on this, so I won’t be talking much here.

2/ J-23 Consecutive Departure Station

I saw the hype, so I can’t resist. It’s interesting how the box could have been smaller, see that huge cardboard filler in the middle there?

While the product description said that you should use three cars and fewer for each train when using this set, in actuality Plarail has thought of everything. The clear parts provided for the train release function are divided in such a way that the space between the two stops can be any number of R-01 rails, starting from 1 like the picture below.

Every additional J-23 set you bought would only increase the spacing by one R-01 though, so keep that in mind if you want to run longer trains on these.

And lastly, the most expensive thing I got from this trip, buying this alone would qualify me for tax refund, the double 0 Series Shinkansen set for 65th Plarail Anniversary!

These adds another unique set of Shinkansen to my collection, classic ones!
Nothing much to say though, wish Plarail could made another mould for the remaster of the first Super Express Hikari, since it’s much too similar now.

Close up on one of the stickers on the 0 series.

Oh and yeah, there’s the recreated ticket too. Wish they actually use the real train though.

You have probably spotted a few elephants in these pictures, I’ll be sharing them in the next post.

Super

What a great Holiday Haul Hanoi 👍

HanoibusGamer

Now for part 2!
Let’s address the elephant in the room,
This the only one I paid standard price for locally, The Plarail Island Platform.

Undoubtedly a step up from the usual Plarail stations, it’s quite realistic and goes very well with the trains.
The problem, however, is that mine was a defect, (as with many Plarail products available in Vietnam from unofficial shops) three out of 4 platforms have no yellow lines!

So I decided to spraypaint them, a bit messy, but no problem in photos.

I’ll be having part 3 actually, since this one is purchased from a different place from the others.

chrisjo

HanoibusGamer The problem, however, is that mine was a defect, (as with many Plarail products available in Vietnam from unofficial shops)

I could live with defects like that if the price was right! I am envious that you have shops where you can get these things.

HanoibusGamer

chrisjo You do have to dig far and wide though. Our internet marketplace (Shopee) is the easiest, then groups and pages selling branded toys/ Japanese 2nd-hand products. The second option will be more tricky because Plarail products won’t be available all the time, and sometimes the algorithm might just bring you the shop you needed one day.
And sometimes, like that transparent E235 Yamanote Line, you just have to look for it in random toy shops that don’t have an online page. Although, in my case, it was located in the famous toy street in Hanoi, and I knew they stock Plarail products every now and then.

Mister No

Sometimes I really miss going to a physical toy store and buying a nice Plarail. Too bad there’s nothing like that on my continent! 😢😡

HanoibusGamer

AND PART 3! This one should wrap up this haul for now.
All of these are purchased from a shop I found on Facebook, all while brand new, are purchased at least half the retail price (Once again, because Tomy has factories in Vietnam, and some shops can acquire defects smuggled from there. There are risks (like some examples above), but it’s all been fine so far.
1/ The singles.
These are the cars sold separately, not in its original box, but are fairly new anyway, with only very
few minimal scratches.

–> Two-car 885 Series in Splatoon livery (they only have these). Nicely shaped, so I got them.

–> E3 Shinkansen Komachi. This one has the newer chassis, I guess it comes from a double set?

–> EF510 Red Thunder locomotive, without Red Thunder sticker

–> And the transparent E3-2000 Shinkansen Tsubasa, tail car only. It’s nice that even the retractable nose is also made transparent.

2/ How about a full train? S-15 Narita Express, coupling specification.
I specifically asked them to send me this one, as they also have the non connector variant. They didn’t dissapoint me.

While I should have two of these to match the real thing, I have E353 Azusa instead, and they can couple just fine.

3/ And finally, the magnum opus of this whole haul, Plarail Real Class 100 Shinkansen Grand Hikari!

Comparison with my 200 Shinkansen (same type, so it’s fine)

And that is all for now!

Super

That Real Class 100 Shinkansen Grand Hikari is sweet with the head lights. I don’t think I have seen a Splatoon livery before or I have forgotten. Another nice haul Hanoi. Thank you for sharing as it takes me down memory lane of my buying frenzy’s 😁

chrisjo

The 885 srs JR Kyushu Splat Train comes with a Plakid:

HanoibusGamer

Back again because I can’t stop just yet! This time it’s a McDonald’s lot instead, and I bought this because everything you see in the pictures alone cost me just under 4 US dollars! The stickers are all crooked up in many of these and/or missing, but most are recoverable, so for $4 this is worth it.

Notable ones:
You can’t get enough of 0 Series Shinkansen. The stickers on these ones are maintained the best of this lot.

Three E7 Series Shinkansen with varying levels of sticker integrity. One of which is the special transparent one with mostly painted details instead.

H5 and E8 Series Shinkansen, both with retractable cap, H5 has the realistic coupler while E8 has the usual McDonald’s one.

D51 and two C61 locomotives. The boilers on C61 will glow if you point a light source directly onto the red plastic openings.

Plarail Railway Speed Jet (unstickered) and Jet Stream. You can open Jet Stream nose to reveal a holographic cockpit.

Two H5 Series Shinkansen middle cars and one E5 Series Shinkansen middle car. Looking for tips to clean off whatever paint/crayon leftover on one of H5 cars.

James’ tender car.

And the “not Plarail” ones.

chrisjo

HanoibusGamer Looking for tips to clean off whatever paint/crayon leftover on one of H5 cars.

Good question. You need to be aware that the metallic green paint on these is EXTREMELY sensitive to any kind of liquid. I had a set with some extra cars that were all ruined just by being left in a damp shed for a few months.

Super

You sure got a lot for only $4 👍