TrainDad

TrackMaster products are hitting the shelves everywhere, and I’m excited at the changes. The product line is improving in numerous ways.

It’s all about track

You can never have too much track! HiT finally got it, and they are filling the need with the Backpack of Track and the Track Expansion Pack. Both are just packed full, lots and lots o’ track. Good stuff!

I noticed that the packaging says “requires assembly.” Well, duh!

One of the GeoTrax advantages is their fantastic system of elevated track, and TrackMaster is trying to compete. Every track set comes with a number of risers and elevated pieces. Unfortunately, these still use the same system as the old blue track. It’s not a stable or sturdy as GeoTrax and really doesn’t allow for complex multi-level designs. Similarly, they have continued to use the same bridge systems - wimpy. Overall, though, huge improvements here.

Remote control

The centerpiece of the TrackMaster makeover is Thomas at Tidmouth Sheds. This set even gets its own advertising video! It’s a beautiful roundhouse and turntable, and of course that remote control — they’ve learned something from GeoTrax. If this is the future of Thomas toys, I like where it is going.

More rolling stock, better detail

Numerous trucks and track sets are now available. I’m pleased to see both a focus on new rolling stock — these cars are what make up a real train, after all — and on much better detailing.

Lots of sets for the grandparents

And aunts, uncles, siblings… products like these are easy gift options, and always having “one more set” out there to add to the collection is good. TrackMaster hits the ground running. The product line has only been available for a few weeks, but look at what is already available:

• Thomas at Tidmouth Sheds
• Hard at Work at Brendham Docks
• Sodor Lumber Yard
• Thomas at the Station
• Sodor Copper Mine
• Birthday Celebration
• Sodor Adventure Set

More activities, better prices, and flexibility

Most of those sets contain a building or factory that is a good toy by itself; many have functioning parts that interesting. These are much more useful toys than the old Tomy sets! Sets can be had for as little as $15, which is better than past offers. And all sets come with adapters to connect them to the old blue track, so you aren’t abandoning your current system.

All things considered, HiT has made some huge steps to close up the gap with GeoTrax. They still have some weaknesses, such as the lousy coupling system, but overall this is a greatly improved line of products.

I suppose it’s pretty normal to make a train out of cardboard boxes, but this time Jonathan and I got a little bit carried away. We’ve been collecting big diaper boxes for about as long as he’s been alive; they are a handy size, very sturdy, and have nice “handles” cut in the sides. We decided they would make a great train.

We found some photos of a steam engine (the original Polar Express, Pere Marquette No. 1225) and printed them out, then adhered them to the sides of the box. At Jonathan’s request (read: demand!), we added a smokestack and the very important cow catcher. Just the right size hole cut in the top allows him to climb in and be the engineer.

A few more prints turned another box into a tender, then more for a hopper car and a tank car, and we had a nice little freight unit going. I have to admit to a special advantage: the ability to print onto adhesive-backed vinyl, in essence making giant stickers.

Unwrapped diaper boxes make up the rest of the train now, along with a wire rack and a hand-held sweeper. (Anything makes a train, when coupled to something else!) One morning I went downstairs to find that he had loaded each box up with stuffed animal passengers. He’s had a great time playing with it. Ah, these are the days!

More news is coming out about the new HIT Entertainment Trackmaster Thomas & Friends Railway system. HIT has established ThomasTrackmaster.com as the online home for the product line. Amazon.com is now carrying a long list of new Trackmaster products including several large sets and a track expansion pack. HIT has now re-released virtually every TOMY engine and car made. They have also released a remote-control Thomas, with a controller that looks like an exact clone of a GeoTrax remote. The products are being sold at Walmart, K-Mart, Target, Toys-r-Us and Kaybee Toys, as well as through the normal online retailers.

HIT entertainment is spectacularly good at marketing (read: selling), so I expect the Trackmaster line to get far more exposure than TOMY did. The current sets are using the same low-quality accessories (bridges, etc.), but I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t upgrade and improve over time.

Visit your friendly neighborhood WalMart and you’ll likely find that the standard Tomy Thomas Road and Rail items are rapidly being replaced by something new: the Thomas & Friends TrackMaster Railway System. At first glance, you probably wouldn’t even notice: the packaging is identical to Tomy except for a red band on the left side. Since it’s a Thomas product, they have to make it as confusing as possible: the packaging is so similar that most people would buy this thinking it is Tomy. And the product inside looks suspiciously like Tomy. But it’s not: it’s from HiT, the giant licensing company. At least, that’s what the packaging says. And it also clearly says that it is not compatible with any other Thomas products. Upon closer examination, however, the bottom of the engine is boldly stamped with the Tomy name. And a little testing showed that the engine is, in fact, completely compatible with the old Tomy sets. So what’s different? The track.

The track is dramatically improved. It is a single thick, molded plastic form very reminiscent of the “fat track” that comes with some Take Along sets. Sure enough, not only does the new engine run on the old track, but the old engines run on the new track as well. The whole thing is just a complicated disguise for a track replacement.

My assumption is that HiT bought out the licensing rights, but then turned around and had Tomy do the manufacturing anyway.

One note of interest… the new track has a new connector system, one that is extremely similar to the Take Along fat track connectors. There’s a problem with this: I think it infringes on the track patent held by Fisher-Price for GeoTrax. If you look at the back of any GeoTrax track, you’ll find a patent number. Research it, and you will see that it covers a few basic techniques for connecting track. The first one of those seems to describe the TrackMaster system exactly. Maybe nothing will come of it, but I think FP could have a case if they wanted it.

I didn’t expect this story to be full of dramatic twists and turns!

I discovered I was wrong in my identification of the Percy body. I thought it was from the pull-back series, but a strange swiveling tender on the back made me realize that it was something different. After a little research, I discovered that it is from a set called the Thomas Mail Delivery set. Out of curiosity, I also picked up a Percy pull-back to compare. They are very similar in size. I was surprised to see that they vary in details — relatively important details, such as the number of steam domes.

In any case, with my two Percies and “Blackie” in hand, I started disassembly. (”Blackie” has become our nickname for that early GeoTrax steam engine, taken at the recommendation of someone on the Yahoo group recently). I got so far as to realize that both Percies are about 1/8-inch (say, 3 mm.) too narrow to fit easily. Considering the options, I was leaning toward an evil juxtaposition: chop the front end and the cab off Percy; add the front end to Blackie, and replace Blackie’s cab. A few touch-ups to the “kick plate” around the sides, and the buffers front and back, a little paint….

Just then Jonathan entered the room and caught sight of what was going on. Oh my, the excitement that can be generated in such a tiny fellow! He gave total focus to Blackie –he really wasn’t too interested in the Percies at all — and just went generally crazy over him. He “helped” me reassemble and then add batteries. I pulled out that bright blue remote, and he was so excited he couldn’t speak: “Oh! Oh! OH!”

Well, Blackie is now a permanent part of his motive team, and I’ll have to wait on my frankensteinian  project. For now….

I happened across two items yesterday at Goodwill: a GeoTrax steam engine, complete with remote control, and the top shell of a pull-back Percy from one of the innumerable Thomas the Tank Engine lines. The Percy is the exact size and shape to fit on the GeoTrax engine, so here we go. It’s been done before: you can see step-by-step photos in the Yahoo GeoTrax group photos. I’ll let you know how it goes.