TrainDad

With “grandparents” written all over it, the Thomas Track Rider set and accessories are about the best toys a Thomas fan could get. The ride-on battery-powered toy comes with a 6-foot circle of track. Of course, if you have $250 to spare for the train, you might as well spend a little extra to get things like the track expansion set, Annie and Clarabel add-on car, and the bridge and crossing expansion set. Oh, and another site sells a tunnel and track expansion set. Your little engineer drives the train by pushing a button — a problem for children that are too little, since it only drives as long as you hold it in. It also can’t hold up to very wiggly children, since they can tip it over or make it jump the tracks. I think it’s ideal for ages 3-5.

Not a big Thomas fan? That’s okay! The manufacturer, Peg Perego, has made a John Deere train — and it’s much cheaper, to boot — as well as a Santa Fe Express and another Santa Fe Express with caboose. These sets also have a figure-8 expansion track set available.

If that’s all too rich for your blood, you can always step back to the Thomas Pop-Up with Annie and Clarabel for $45 or, if that’s too pricey, just the Thomas Pop-Up by itself for $19.72.

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!

We visited the NC Transportation Museum this weekend, and were delighted with the spectacular facility, impressive collection, and the low cost to experience it all.

Nestled on main street in this little town outside of Charlotte, the NC Transportation Museum is a hidden gem with the goal of becoming a premier destination. It is located in the former Southern Railway locomotive repair facilities, and their displays are centered around a wonderful roundhouse and turntable. The first happy surprise is that there is no cost to enter the museum: it is free. Yup, F-R-double-E. Gotta like that.

Most people start their visit with a ride on the train. Prices are better than reasonable: $6 for adults, $5 for kids and seniors, and kids under three are free. Their collection of locomotives is large enough that they rotate their motive power monthly; check their web site to see what will be driving at the time of your visit. Of particular note is that you can take a ride in the cab for only $10, first come-first served. That single thing might be the most impressive element of the whole place.

The train departs from their (beautiful) depot to the roundhouse. It stops to let people unload, then heads back. Tickets are needed for this outgoing leg of the ride, but not for the trip back. Thus, clever planning can get you several rides for one low cost. I’d suggest riding out, touring the roundhouse, then riding back; then, take a walking tour through the gift shop and various displays in mechanic’s buildings, which will drop you out right back at the roundhouse; hop on the train again for a free ride back.

The roundhouse is home to an impressive collection of heavy metal. On the steam side there is a Shay, two 2-8-0 Consolidations, a 4-6-0 “ten-wheeler,” a 2-10-0 decapod, a couple Porters, a saddle-tanker, and a fireless. All are in good condition, and several are (more or less) operational. The diesel side has too many to list, including an E-3, E-8, FP-7, Amtrak F-40, GP-9, GP-30, Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44, and a Baldwin AS-416. Notable inclusions are three major passenger engines: two of the classic Southern green-and-white E- and F- series, and the unmistakable purple and white of the Atlantic Coast Line. The Southern engines are regularly used to run the passenger routes, along with several other diesels. Sadly, no steam is currently used.

Also inside the roundhouse are the museum workshops. At any given time there will be a dozen engines and cars in the shop being worked on. Easy access lets you watch the work happen.

While at the roundhouse, hop onto the turntable for a ride. It does cost an extra buck, but they give you quite a few spins.

Between the roundhouse and the station are long workshop buildings that house nice collections of automobiles, a few planes, and a gift shop. We ran out of time to see more than a glimpse of the main auto collection.

A major development is in the works as they convert the enormous backshop into a new display space. It looks good so far, but has a long way to go.

There is much more to see and experience. The entire collection of equipment is enormous: 13 pages long, in the latest list. Much of it is in fine cosmetic condition. There are many normal pieces — boxcars and the like — but there are also some unique items. One particularly fascinating example is a one-of-a-kind monster machine built by the Norfolk Southern to drive the tracks while scooping up ballast, cleaning it, and spreading it back out.

Across the street is a great model railroad shop and a small restaurant with good burgers, dogs, and ice cream.

Give it a try. This is a museum that won’t disappoint!

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.