If you are heading to the seaside in Ibaraki Prefecture, you’ll come across two things that will capture your attention.
One, is the city’s love for it’s hometown anime heroes, the Oarai students from the Tank Battalion series “Girls Und Panzer”
The other is their beloved trains (densha) on the Kashima Rinkai Railway Oarai Kashima Line, the Kashima Rinkai Railway 6000 series and 8000 series.
The line would operate a fleet of 12 6000 series diesel railcars (red/white/black) and six 8000 series diesel railcars (red, blue and cream color) and a line known for being a major freight railroad company.
But overall, these trains are known for its style and paintwork.
The 6000 series (6001, 6005, 6006, 6009-6011, 6013-6018) is a diesel car with a steel body and double cab. The train is manufactured under license from Nippon Sharyo and Niigata Ironworks since 1985. The train features a semi-cross seat with a convertible cross seat in the center.
While the 8000 series (8001-8006) is a diesel car with a steel body and a double cab manufactured by Niigata Transys since 2016. It is a 3-door car based on the Kanto Railway Kiha 5000 series diesel car (which is also produced by Niigata Transys) with a single sliding door at the end of the car and a double door at the center.
In essence, they do have a retro look, but considering that Oarai is a countryside/seaside town, it gives a local feeling that truly belongs with Oarai and visiting the area, was one of my favorite locations.
As how “Girls Und Panzer” connects to these trains. When you go to Oarai Station, you will see “Girls Und Panzer ‘das Finale'” promotions at the station and at one time, was featured as a train wrap.
In the original TV series, Oarai Station and the 6000 series was featured in episode 7 and in episodes 10 and 11, the 6000 series was a tractor for tank-loaded wagons.
This anime series is so beloved that the station, stores and even Mito Station in Ibaraki, promote “Girls Und Panzer”.
In 2012, the company Kato, known for making one of the best trains and train tracks (the Unitrack) in the world released the Kashima Rinkai Railway 6006 Girls Und Panzer Wrapping Train Car.
The first was released in November 2012, the second and third car was released afterward. And the fourth train car was released in December 2017 to coincide with the release of the final chapter of the animated film.
But for train collectors, by the time anyone became hardcore fans of the series, those first three cars became highly collectible to the point that they are not easy to find, and if you do want it badly, you are going to have to fork some hardcore money.
Fortunately, the fourth car can still be found affordably but the fourth car of course, has no motor. So what to do?
One can easily get the Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo 6000 Series NEW COLOR (10-1229) which comes with the motor car and another passenger car and connect the fourth “Girls Und Panzer” car to it…
Granted the “Girls Und Panzer” car, it could be your first car, second car or third car on the train line.
Sure, the original 6000 doesn’t have the Girls Und Panzer wrap and you can purchase Bandai “Shortie” train stickers to put your own version of a wrap (It’s important to note that these mini trains are so expensive as well at nearly $50). But I’m cool with just the original train and the single Girls Und Panzer train. As much as I want consistency, I’m not going to spend a ton on it.
So, let’s take a look at both Kato trains.
So,the first thing you will notice that inside the box of the the Kashima Rinkai Railway 6006 Girls Und Panzer Wrapping Train Car (16001-5), it comes with an extra antenna, destination stickers and priority seat display stickers. Very small, so be careful not to lose those.
The set also comes with a 186mm S186 train track piece, which is great for the anime fans who are not interested in trains but want to display the train on a Kato straight track.
In a way, I wish it did come with the jewel casing instead of the cardboard box. But considering this was released in 2017, it’s before they went full force with the collector’s jewel cases.
But you really have to admire the two sided of wrapping. And yes, the real trains actually had this wrapping representing two schools as with each front/rear. On one end, you get the logo of the Oarai Girls Academy, while the otherside features BC Freedom Academy with the fracture in the middle (as the school is politically divided between Free France and Vichy France). Personally, both schools represented is quite nice to see, as part of the film features the tank battle between both schools.
And while the fourth car doesn’t have a motor, it does light up when on a rail. The headlamps and taillights go on. There is no switch to turn the lights off.
The train features an ARNOLD-RAPIDO coupler. The Rapido coupler doesn’t resemble a real train coupler, but it’s been used on N-Scale for the last three decades. But for those who dislike Rapido couplers can purchase different Kato couplers.
Meanwhile, The Kato Kashima Rinkai Tetsudo 6000 Series NEW COLOR (10-1229) is a train that features the red/white but removes the black.
In reality, back in 2016, to reduce costs, they stopped painting the black portion and started using red to reduce painting costs
The train set, aside from the fact that it comes with a motor car comes with the same things such as the sticker display, this one shows “Mito”, “Oarai” and “Kashima Jingu”.
As for the ride, it’s probably one of the more frustrating Kato trains I own. I just don’t think the Rapido couplers work well.
There are times when I could get all three trains cars to work together, but more often, one would lose it’s coupling. My other Kato trains have
It’s a good train, well-made, not so expensive but It’s one that you probably would want to modify and remove those Rapido couplers and change it out with another.
But I do like it and as always, as a Tetsudo Mokei (Japanese Railway Model) fan, I only purchase trains that I have ridden on or have seen. So, for me, this was a major plus and glad to have gotten the Kato 1/150 version.
