Plarail Remote Control

[David]

Ok, I've been burned out on train buying for a while, but somethings are tempting (like the recent Deki rerelease from Microace). Anyway, my problem seems to be mostly price (spending hundreds a month on trains was becoming a strain) and the fact that I don't have any real room for a permanent layout, meaning I've been actually losing space to store all the trains and accessories I can't run. I think the burnout happened when the table I use to run trains has become the table that all the overflow of train pieces is stored on.

 

Anyway on topic - those Plarail trains (and plarail advance, though the selection seems limited right now unless you are into Shinkansen) are interesting and I've always liked the low price. The ease of setting up track (all plastic, no cords) is another draw. To complete the picture I've seen on a number of occasions but have never caught the name of the remote controls - these take the form of a replacement for the Japanese battery (C3?) that includes a radio element and a controller. The best I saw could actually control three trains from the same controller, issuing the same or different commands to each one.

 

Does anyone know more about the available radio controllers, or if a radio controller exists for the Plarail Advance trains (which I think use a AAA battery)? Do any of them offer the ability to change speed or are they all just stop/go/reverse?

[CaptOblivious]

I'll be able to tell you more post-Christmas...I bought one of these sets at Akihabara Yodobashi for my little girl. Where have you seen them for sale? If it works well, ill need more of the remote units...

 

Anyway, I will post a review as son as I have a chance to play with it :)

[David]

This one seems to have speed control, and you can clear see the 'smaller battery inside a battery shaped remote receiver' mechanism.

 

This one looks more advanced, with the ability to control 3 trains. But there isn't any labeling and I can't tell if it's a real product or just a well put together homemade controller with some kind of custom reciever in the train (if I buy Plarail I want something easy enough for a kid to setup, so the battery type receiver is a must).

[CaptOblivious]

The one on the first video is the one I bought. Not compatible with trains that use smaller batteries, although you can buy a Mr Motorman motorized carriage for those units (which is what I did, even tho it looks pretty despot). It can, in fact, control three different remote units, which is nice (although I only have the one remote unit...thought the motorized carriage came with one, but it didn't, boo). Looks easy to set up too.

 

 

 

This one seems to have speed control, and you can clear see the 'smaller battery inside a battery shaped remote receiver' mechanism.

 

This one looks more advanced, with the ability to control 3 trains. But there isn't any labeling and I can't tell if it's a real product or just a well put together homemade controller with some kind of custom reciever in the train (if I buy Plarail I want something easy enough for a kid to setup, so the battery type receiver is a must).

 

 

[CaptOblivious]

Quick update: the Mr Motoman controller is awesome. More details to follow in the next couple of days as I find time.