Plarail New Releases 2025 onwards (non-Thomas)

chrisjo · 2024-12-27T20:23:53+00:00

By popular demand, a new thread as per the title. Please continue using the existing Plarail TOMY Thomas NEW RELEASES thread for Thomas-related news. =====...

Mister No

Well, it seems like a real little commuter train renaissance. For a fan of such vehicles, like me, a real treat! 😊🎶

Super

Frankly these two Toy Story releases may be modeled after actual trains wrapped with Woody and Buzz Lightyear but I must say these Plarails can’t come close to matching what previous releases have come up with. Also they look to be in the realm of the (no Longer???) E3 series with the squashed middle coach. I do notice though that the Buzz Lightyear has purple wheels which, off the top of my head, is a first…right?

Mister No

Ah, as soon as I saw they were in the ES series, I knew what it meant - the oddly cramped middle car, etc. But I think I’ll get them - because they’re Woody and Buzz!! I don’t know if there are actually electric trains in Japan with this wrapping (there are all sorts of trains in the ES series, often fictional ones), but I like them anyway.

Of course they’re nowhere near the quality of the earlier Plarail Toy Story models (the wonderful little set with the Toy Story Disneysea Electric Railway, the trains with the beautifully crafted steam locomotives, the set with the big Slinky Dog…)
I also noticed those purple wheels (and I like them). I also don’t remember ever seeing purple wheels before…

HanoibusGamer

Every of those character wrapping train are using this exact mold from ES-12 “My Plarail Train”, which
1/ It’s a completly original train based on no specific real train
2/ Interestingly already uses sticker template.
except, for ES-12 it’s blank so you can draw on it.

So Plarail can just design the train digitally, perhaps even only some PNGs, print them out, and slap them on the train! Quick and easy.

Super

Interesting, thanks for this. They can use this method forever all they need are the permissions and rights to use images of characters.

Mister No

I have Tom & Jerry Wrapping Train from the ES-line, and yes, it’s the same train, just with different basic colour and wrappings.

chrisjo

Continuing their policy of re-issuing their limited edition trains with special couplings at the back, Keikyu Railway’s next release is the Keikyu 1500 Series (dedicated coupling specification), to be sold at Keikyu stores and online from June 3rd, but before then through some sort of lottery system at the Keikyu Family Railway Festa 2026, tomorrow 17th May.

Mister No

chrisjo Keikyu Railway’s next release is

You phrased it well, Chris. It’s not a Plarail release, it’s a Keikyu release. Has there ever been a regular Plarail release of a Keikyu train? Keikyu always releases their trains as “special editions” or “event only” or whatever. Or they only sell them on their website (which doesn’t support overseas purchases). I don’t praise them for that…

Super

They must have used an original release picture above as you can clearly see the hook and hole couplings.

chrisjo

Mister No Has there ever been a regular Plarail release of a Keikyu train?

No.

chrisjo

’Your Town’s Hero Series’ - Keihan Railway 8000 Series (Double Decker), July 18th

Real Class 415 Series Commuter Train (Red Train), July 25th

Super

Thank you Dr Chris 🙂

Awesometrain77

Mister No

Wish they did a better job with these Toy Story releases .

Buzz train could have just reused the buzz bullet train with new graphics

Woody train could have been a western steam engine . With a coach that has figures of Woody Buzz Jessie and Bo Peep .

The blank version of that same train is something that I’m surprised we have not seen yet . Overall, there was definitely potential here. To make some solid Toy Story releases but they really dropped the ball

chrisjo

Awesometrain77 Buzz train could have just reused the buzz bullet train with new graphics
Woody train could have been a western steam engine …. they really dropped the ball.

To be fair, I think we’re in danger of forgetting who the target demographic for these kiddie’s wrapping-train things are. It’s probably safe to say that very few of us here (i.e. Mister No. 🙂) would be included, and that Takara Tomy are selling them in reasonable numbers, otherwise they wouldn’t keep paying more license fees and churning them out. I suppose I might buy one, one day in a moment of weakness, but it hasn’t happened yet. Next order from 🇯🇵 in prep. though, ……..

Mister No

I think you’re absolutely right, Chris. They certainly don’t do it for no reason. As for Toy Story, they’ve already released a lot: a western train (2), a shinkansen style train (Buzz), even a tram (Disneysea Electric Railway), so why not release this ES train, kids (myself included) who love those characters will definitely be happy with them.

By the way, I already have the Tom and Jerry train from that series, and although it’s of course… simple, - it’s not bad at all! 😁

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