Reviews (1)

Not compatible with other railway systems
Well, the store I bought these tracks in doesn't sell the matching blocks to hold the tracks up, so I figured I would take a trip to Ikea and get their package which has 6 of these raised track support blocks.

It appears that the tracks are the same width, they are the same lengths, they are even the same thickness. But the elevation of the Thomas tracks are in fact higher than with this other system. I managed to use the blocks anyway, but the tracks are fairly shaky at the moment and at the apex of the ascent and the start of the descent, the tracks do not align correctly.

Today I will take a block of wood, route out a grove, and cut to the correct height a few replacements. This should improve the situation.

That being said, I have to continue to tell the good part of these tracks. My son Thomas at the moment is 2 years 4 months old. He loves his Thomas the train toys. I sometimes hide it from him for a few weeks at a time so he won't get bored of it so easily. Every few weeks he feels like he gets a new toy since he forgets that he had it. Well, he loves his trains and these new elevation tracks are just great since the add the extra dimension to the tracks. If at some point today I managed to find more of these tracks around town, I'll buy them to add a second level.

Before buying this tracks make sure you can get the blocks that go beneath them ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good overall
My kid (2 1/2) loves this toy. Like another reviewer mentioned it's hard to get other track through the arches (solved by adding a short piece of track between them) and the trains sometimes seem to catch on the track going up hill (particularly Toby). Great overall, well made, well used, well loved by my Thomas fan.

Think twice before you pay $$ for this addition!
My son received this to go along with his other track accessories. When we are building tracks, the track that runs underneath this MUST be straight on, or the trains will hit the underside of the bridge. The wooden pull tabs that come out at the top to support the "climbing" track are neat. However, the next time I buy a bridge, I'll double check the clearance. ... Read more

Editorial Review

James the Red Engine is one of Thomas the Tank's friends featured in thefamed stories by Rev. W. Awdry from England. James comes with three cars to ride therail on the Tomica Road & Rail System: a coal car, cattle car, and passenger car. Onebattery runs this plastic steam engine replica. Young fans of the Thomas the Tank bookand TV series know just how much trouble James can get into; here they can createwhole new escapades for this storybook train. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (3)

mom to alex
I bought this for my two year old to go with his Big Set. The battery is in the coal car and its' lid/cover keeps coming off! I have taped it on to keep my son from playing with a battery and that works for about one day. All the other trains that we have of this set have battery compartments in the bottom and you need a screwdriver to get to them. I do not like this James set. There are others that are better.

Buy Percy Instead
My 3 year old loves playing with his Tomy Thomas Train Set so we bought him this to expand his original set. The Thomas engine in the original set took a lot of abuse from my toddler and it continues to run fine. However, the battery for James is pulled behind it in the tender car. There is a wire that connects the car to the engine. This wire broke after about two weeks of play so the engine doesn't run any more. The only good news is that my son is able to hook up the cars that came with this to his Thomas train to make a longer train.

My recommendation for younger children would be to buy Percy. The battery for Percy goes inside the engine, just like Thomas.
I think James would be fine for older children who can handle it more carefully.

Great but the pamphlet that came with it was misleading!
James the Red Engine,

The small pamphlet that comes with it to show how to insert batteries is misleading and incorrect.

Using only diagrams (with no words) it shows how to lift the cover of the caboose to insert one battery. The diagram also shows how to lift the cover of the locomotive to insert a second battery. Squeeze from both sides and lift up. Tried it, it wouldn't lift up. Used a knife to force the 2 parts of the locomotive to separate but luckily stopped short of breaking it. Finally used a screw driver to unscrew 4 screws on the bottom of the locomotive ... 7 parts came out ... what a mess, but wait ... there was no place to insert a battery either! Took me half an hour to put it together again while my 3-4 kid hovering around. What a relief when I finally flicked the switch on and the train wheels started to move. My son loves it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

There's nothing like the hustle and bustle of a busy seaport. With the Tiny 'n' Tuff Marina set, even the youngest sailors can get their feet wet with their very own tugboat, yacht, fishing vessel, and fireboat (or whatever they want these relatively generic boats to be…). Four tough plastic boats (they really float!) can weave past two buoys, then belly up to the marina dry dock for refueling or switching out their two-part mix-and-match tops. Interlocking brick-style blocks make it all possible. This imagination-inspiring 24-piece set is compatible with other Tiny 'n' Tuff sets. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Editorial Review

There is lots of work to be done on the Island of Sodor. Today is going to be a busy one for all the engines. Help James get his fuel before collecting a load of cargo down at the barrel loader. Turn the crank on the coal loader to shake the coal down the conveyor belt and into his waiting caboose. Then help Thomas load up at the Barrel Loader, by rolling barrels onto his waiting barrel cars. This durable, well-made 26-piece wooden railway set can be paired with other Thomas the Train sets to bring stories from the Island of Sodor to life. --Deb Oroszlan ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Delightful for kids of all ages!
I have a 2 year old and a 6 year old and this set has provided hours of fun for both of them. The tracks are very durable and easy to snap together in different configurations. My two year old spends a great deal of time making all sorts of different track shapes, he has the circle set which easily fits with this set and provides even more material to work with.

The set is a great way for kids who love trains to use their imagination. They set the configuration of tracks, they move the trains, they guide the action. It's so much better than a lot of toys which do everything for kids.

Best of all, the trains and the track are very durable. My sons are pretty hard on toys and the set has held up well to their abuse. For all of the hours of enjoyment they've had playing with the set, it has been absolutely worth the money.

Fun toy, Buy it
While I am an older child I still play with my Thomas Wooden Railway toys. They are fun and I can use my imagination to build an infinate amounts of track layouts. These toys are fun and helped me to accuire my motor skills. I Reccomend this toy.

Great for 18 months and up! But expensive...
The Thomas train and train collections are durable toys. Their real value, though, is that playing with the toys allows children to act out the great Thomas and Friends children's stories they read and watch.

This is a nice layout that provides more track than the usual figure 8 layout that gets purchased first. But it is very expensive. There is generic track available that costs far less. Our kids haven't noticed the difference. Kids' imaginations can remarkably supply buildings and water towers and cranes, etc., so that they won't even miss what might be lacking from less expensive sets. And families can build some of these items themselves out of old boxes, etc.

Purchasing recommendation:
* Choose which type of Thomas trains you will 'standardize' on. There are three kinds: This size of wooden trains from Learning Curve; larger, plastic, battery-operated trains from Tomy; and smaller, die-cast metal trains from Ertl. The wooden trains have the most products and accessories available.

* The clickety-clack (grooved to look like real railroad) track in the Thomas series is great, but it's expensive; I recommend buying generic track. ... You can literally save hundreds of dollars by buying these kinds of sets.

* Buy the Thomas and friends engines separately--and wait for sales. The kids care about the characters, so no short-cutting (ie., Brio or generic trains) here.

* Look for trains bundled with VHS videos. You can get a video and a train (on sale) for about the same price as a train alone. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

loose treads
We bought this toy on sale and I'm glad we didn't pay full price. My 3 y.o. has played with it every day and several (it seems like at least a hundred) times a day I have to put the treads back into position. Although they can't come completely off, they are very loose and slip out of position very easily. If you don't like giving your child's toy your full attention, avoid this one! ... Read more

Editorial Review

A sure hit for Thomas & Friends fans, this high-quality wooden train-track set features a yellow Sodor Cargo Co. cargo crane where engines can pick up crucial deliveries. Just turn the knob to lower cargo into the waiting car. From there, engines can travel up the mountain and down through the quarry mine tunnel, where they'll disappear briefly before re-emerging through a secret door. The set includes Thomas; a black-and-gray, dour-looking Diesel; an orange cargo car; and a blue cargo box. Heavyweight magnetic couplings allow Thomas and Diesel to tug around the cargo. The track is simple to assemble, and, for variety, all the straight pieces feature train track on one side and road on the other. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Editorial Review

With the exception of a few train sounds, and some flashing lights, this logging train set keeps playtime pure and simple: it leaves most of the innovation to its users. Included is up to 6 feet of track, made of 25 lightweight, sanded wood pieces. They can be laid in the typical circular or figure-eight pattern but--with a two-piece ramp, log-cabin lumber mill, street crossing and tunnel included--imagination comes in handy. There are also painted wood conifers and an illustrated mountain backdrop for a landscape. Set in timber country, the set comes four vehicles: the train's engine, two bed-cars for hauling logs, and a heavy-duty truck for taking timber on the road (other cars are sold separately). Required: adult guidance during construction of both track and log cabin mill; two "AG13" button cell batteries. Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Compatable with the "Thomas" set
Our son is a Thomas fanatic, and we've been slowly building up his train set. The only drawback to the Thomas brand stuff is that they are so expensive (the "Roundhouse" by itself will set you back 80 bucks!)and almost never go on sale. This "logging adventure" set by Imaginarium fits neatly into the Thomas tracks, and you get more equipment for your dollar. Plus, it comes with different trucks and engines, adding more variety to your child's playtime. A nice "filler" for less money.

logging adventure set by imaginarium
We bought this train for our son for Christmas and we were very upset when we put it together there was a part missing.
The child has never been able to run his train all the way around and use it properly because of the missing part.
... ... Read more

Editorial Review

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is an ensemble of lovablerailroad characters that includes Cranky the Crane. Cranky is one of theadd-ons to the award-winning Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway System.Straight out of the books by W. Awdry that made Thomas famous, Crankyhas a fascinating history and a captivating personality. This cranecomes with experience, a slightly testy temperament, and two large redhandles for easy operation. Cranky's body attaches lickety-split to thecrane tower. One handle pivots Cranky around; the other raises andlowers cargo for loading and unloading cars by magnetic power. Crankythe Crane comes with one piece of cargo, also durably built of wood.--Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Not the Best Choice for Cranes
On a recent trip to Strasburg, PA (train heaven)we allowed our 3 1/2 year old son to choose a special Thomas item. He had recently become familiar with Cranky through one of our videos. We tried to gently steer him to the Sodor Crane but he was adamant (that darn character identification starts early). Our experience with the toy has been mixed. He loves picking things up with it and recreating stories. But the piece itself is very awkward for a young child to control and we find that it is always falling over, bumping into other items, etc. I think it would be a lot easier if it were attached to a piece of track, the way the water tower is. It would give additional stability that is lacking. Some people would prefer the flexibility of moving the piece wherever they like. We've also had several instances where Cranky's head has come off - rather traumatic but fixable. Even with these problems, my son still is very happy with his Cranky.

Great gift!
We bought this toy for our twin sons for Easter. They are 3 and LOVE Thomas! We were dissapointed that, when my husband took it out of the box, the head fell off. We thought about returning it, but the boys love it so much, we just can't bear to take it away from them. I admit that it is a pain to have to keep putting the head back on, but one of my 3 yr olds can do that himself (much to his joyous discovery!) so this makes it easier. My 16 month old loves it too. Now all we have to do is get the Down By The Docks set (minus Cranky) and they will be all set!

Skyler's favorite
My son recently got this piece for his 3rd birthday. It's his absolute favorite piece hands down. It can be used with any magnetic or metal cargo like the scrap cars. I bought some extra cargo from BRIO as Thomas does'nt sell thiers separately. Cranky's head sometimes comes off so my son brings it to me and it goes right back on. A very versatile piece too. Because it is not connected to the track, it can go anywhere in your layout.

Very poor design
I bought Cranky for my 2 1/2 year old son. Initially we all loved it, however I have gotten really tired of sticking Cranky's head back on. His head falls off whenever too much weight is attached to the magnet (like the weight of any of the engines). I also wish he had come with a boat to load cargo on and off of. I wouldn't recommend this toy unless it was re-designed.

For the older Thomas fan
My son got Cranky from Santa this year. He is 2 1/2, and finds Cranky a bit difficult to operate. His hand/eye co-ordination is not developed enough yet that he can really get Cranky to work properly. I think this toy would be better for an older child, perhaps 4 and up. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Fun, but not practical
My mom bought this for our thomas enthusiacs 3rd Birthday. Although this is a cute toy and he loves to play it...the legs fall off too easily and the trains do not drive aroudn the track as well as they should. He still likes to play with it, but I have to store it on his dresser to keep the legs and tiny trains from getting lost.

Thomas race on Rails Review
I got this for my grandson's 3rd birthday. He absolutely loves Thomas, as does his older brothers. All of them were enthralled with the race at first, but the toy didn't last very long. It tips over quite easily, and that's frustrating for the little ones. Also, after a few uses, the trains wouldn't race anymore. They couldn't go down the tracks without a push. Changing the battery didn't help, either. If there were replacement parts, I would buy them, but unfortunately, I can't find any, so I guess the set will go in the trash. Unfortunate for such a cute toy.

This toy is a keeper!
My son is 3 years old and is beg. to like thomas the train- I purchased this toy as a starter to see if he would take the time to play with a train set. It is very cute - however, it is on the noisy side. The legs do come off very easy and cannot be glued (they come undone) He plays with it all the time and I would recommend it to others. The cars are very small so if you have other young children in the house you may want to think about that. It was definately worth the [money] we paid for it.

A big hit at our house!
I got this for my now 4 yr old son for Christmas. He absolutely loves it! In fact, when we put it together Christmas morning, every single kid in the house gathered around it for ages, including nephews and a niece ages 4-8. We have it on a play table in our living room, so it doesn't get carried around, and we just leave it set up all of the time. That way, we don't have a problem with the legs. They do need some adjustment occasionally.
My only complaint is that the noise can get on your nerves after a while. Of course, since it's in our living room, it seems worse! :) My son can operate this toy very easily, which is a plus. Every one of his friends who comes over just gravitates right to it. The engines are small, however, so I had to make sure he knew not to carry them around so they don't get lost.
I'd recommend this for any Thomas fan over 3.

It's a mess!
I bought this for my then 4 1/2-year-old son last summer after seeing it in action at a Thomas the Tank Engine fair. It looked like a lot of fun and my son loved it. But once I got it home, it was such a disappointment! The legs do NOT stay on and are very hard to put back in their proper holes. This toy sits on the floor of my son's bedroom perpetually tipped over and my son got very frustrated with it and never plays with it. Defiinitely now worth $40! I can't wait to get rid of it. It would be so much fun if it worked well. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

useless
I found this toy to be pretty useless. Yes the blocks have the letters on them but you can buy wooden blocks that stack better and can build more things. the only thing the blocks were useful for was stacking one on top of the other. The train cars don't stay together well, they come apart way to easily and it frustrated my son. Also the blocks don't lock tightly either and when they'd come apart he would get frustrated again. Save your money buy a more durable train and the wooden square blocks with letters on them.

SONS FAVORITE
My best friends mom got this for our son's first birthday and he loves it (he's 13 months now). He's not too interested in it when it's conected, but all he does is pick up one car and it unsnaps. It's a very durable toy that has been dropped, thrown, chewed on and attacked by cats repeatedly. With all six cats having very sharp claws, there are still no claw marks in the plastic. This is the only toy we take with us when we're out and he's always entertained. We can take a few blocks, or put the blocks on the cars and stack the whole thing. There are holes on the bottom of all the cars so that the blocks fit into the undersides as well. This makes for great storage, just put all the blocks on the cars, stack them together and put away. The only thing that I don't like is that the alphabet isn't complete. I wanted to show my son, Jason, what his name looked like and there is no J in my set, but there are doubles of some other letters. Go figure, this may just be my set though. All in all a great buy I think.

Girls Can Choo-Choo, Too!
Grandma mailed the Mega Bloks ABC Train to my daughter for her second birthday. Both she and her older sister (3 years 9 mos) cheered when we opened the box! One engine and two railcars in bright rainbow colors make for tons of fun. I like the train because it helps them develop dexterity, sorting skills, and letter identification (both upper and lowercase). But my youngest daughters favorite activity is chugga-chugga-choo-choo! The wheels spin freely. About 1.25 inches square, the blocks interlock easily in either direction. I had to show them how the cars snap together. One design issue: the roof on the engine cabin has four pegs, but because of the curved shape the blocks do not fit snug. They keep popping off! A pull string would've been nice, but my girls are more than happy with this train as is.

Wonderful Toy!
Out of ALL of the MANY toys my 2 year old received for his birthday, this one is definitely his favorite! The multi colored blocks are helping him to idetify colors and he loves to repeat the letter as he adds the block to the train. He plays with this toy for hours! He loves to build the train and then play with the train itself. I'll be buying more for gifts! ... Read more