Un-Boxing  and running Video of the Plarail Thomas's Boulder Mountain Set

WHAAAAT!..........You Have to put Stickers on Thomas?.....Whats up with that?
Besides the front cab windows and rear lantern, aren't the factories already set up for paint on Thomas. That rear lantern sticker doesn't match as the blue is not the same. Why wouldn't that be a clear background sticker? Its also weird that they painted his front buffers but not the rears.

My Thoughts on Plarail's 60th Anniversary Best Selection Train (not the set)

This 60th Anniversary Best Selection Train is very well built as we expect from Plarail. Solid and no stickers. Uses the newer, 2 speed chassis with quiet motor. I like how they detailed the springs and trucks on the sides of each unit without having fake wheels looks great. The details work cleanly with the actual gray wheels. I am also impressed with the 2 heavy weights over the two axles in the trailing coach. I assume that they did this to stabilize the rear when pulling other cars. Speaking of the rear coach pulling additional cars, the rotating Hook is not specially made, its a regular hook that simply sits in a round disk that can be spun. The working Pantographs are nicely detailed and look very neat when raised. The inside Cab control details are cool including the engineer.


Now for the issues (well really not issues, just what I would have liked):
Biggest question that came for this was whether the Pantographs would fit under risers or elevated rails...they don't. In fact they will most likely derail the train or just stop it in its track. I had assumed that it would be too high but what I was hoping for was that it would be made in such a way that if it came in contact with something it would just slide down so the train could easily pass. I think they did this with the side wings of the Buzz Lightyear Toy Story train. In fact, the way the detail is on the pantograph actually makes it 'hook' onto any obstruction preventing it from sliding down. This is even more pronounced in the trailing Pantograph since it enters obstructions backwards and doesn't fold down as far. So even if the lead Pantograph makes it through the rear one will definitely hook on.  The Pantograph does clear crossing a regular rail that is elevated but the clearance is very close so it may still catch if the Layout in on carpet. It will not clear crossing under an Elevated Rail track however. They could have easily fixed the Pantographs at the expense of a little detail by making them a bit more smooth so it could slide down when going under an obstruction.


The cute passenger cards in the middle and rear coaches are cute but why couldn't they have also put them in the engines windows? It looks out of place. It could have easily been done. In fact I have been working on copying the rears insert to place in the engine but I am opting to remove them all in favor of blacked out windows. Luckily the insert cards are easily removed and could be saved and re-inserted at any time.


I knew that the PlaKid driver was not going to be a real figure but I was hoping that at least he was just glued in place or held on with a screw from the back but he is molded in with all the interior details and painted. But he still looks OK so I am not that disappointed. The clear headlight lenses are also made in such a way that it would easily allow for a lighting modification.


The rotating rear hook is imaginative but I was hoping that somehow it would fold under or slide away when not in use but its not. I didn't think it would but one can hope.


All in all, these issues were expected and this train is still an awesome one. My question now is...will it become a collectors item? Meaning will this be the only set its released in and will this set be a Limited Edition and production stopping at some point. If there are plans to release this as a regular 3 piece train then that would end any idea that it would eventually be sought after later on.

What do you think?

Whats this? A new Chuggington Plarail release? Suzukawas latest video shows this and what I take from watching (because I don't understand Japanese) is this is a site specific release modeled after a Chuggington themed street car in Japan? Looking at the position of the on/off switch and two speeds it has to be the newer Plarail Chassis. I can only assume that this is a one time thing and Plarail isn't going to bring the Chuggington line back but I don't know.

I bought this set for my son at Tokyo Disneyland gift shop. I think it's a new design, with 1xAA and 2xAAA batteries and spring clips underneath, like the latest Tokyo monorail set. So it doesn't wobble as the old Disney monorails.




Here's a video of it I found on youtube:




I bought the set for 7140 yen (~$66) and got another set of tracks in China for ¥135 (~$20) so I can make some interesting tracks.

When I do get Mr. Motorman if I live in the US, do I have to use some sort of adapter?

The voltage in Japan is 100 Volts and in the US is 120 volts

Apologies Clarabel - but you were dispensable.



Actually I was going to try and screw the mounting bracket on to the car but the velcro tie works completely fine.

So I was wondering what everyone else does for on-the-rails filming?

Suzukawa has this un-boxing video of the 60th Anniversary Best Selection Set which apparently is already on the shelves in Japan.

150,414yen???  https://www.jauce.com/auction/j577187195

Anyone collecting these? Awesome but out of my budget I'm afraid.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-Vintage-...2383396056

A friend in Taiwan spotted this set that I wasn't aware of. It's a THSR version of the Dr. Yellow Super Speed set.



Note the jump in price between the two. Not sure why that is.