Train Reviews

When my sister plays express with Gordon and all the coaches she sometimes has a hard time pulling them. Then when I help her I realize how many coaches Gordon can pull. It amazes me how strong gordon really is. Like all Thomas trains the magnet is very durable and it can be used for hours of use.

Gordon is a big express engine who is fast. He is the same size as He is in some story stops like Gordon takes a dip and Henry and the elephant. He has a tender with the number 4 on it.

This huge toy is loved by many; you can roll it around, make a train, play games, and lots of other stuff with it.

Also, it is very durable.

This toy is great!

This was a gift to my newborn boy, but my 2 1/2 year old adores it!
Pros:
1. helps teach letters (each animal has the letter that starts its name on its back)
2. compact, portable
3. cute!
4. animals good for other play (my daughter likes to pretend to "save" them when they are stuck in a tree, or have them ride in her "airplane" (shoe)... and much much more
5. OK for babies (although the animals are smallish, ~ 3inches tall, they never presented a choking hazard for my son -- who likes to chew them)
6. The animals machine wash well (see chewing note above :) )
Cons:
1. Lots of pieces to lose -- we lost the lion for quite a while, but he showed up behind the entertainment center
2. Some of the animals are not so recognizable -- I think "N" is a newt, but it's hard to tell.

Despite the few cons, this is probably my favorite toy that my kids have. Thus, 5 stars all around!

I bought this for my daughter at 17 months and she loves it. Not only is it beautiful, it's the best quiet time toy ever!!

We've owned this toy for over 3 years. The manufacturer (Pockets of Learning) replaces missing pieces at no charge, not even shipping!

I was really disapointed when I found my Lady's paint chipped off in most places. We need a new one now and that's a bummer becase I have at least 70 thomas trains and most of them survived pretty well .

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.

The only problem--if you can call it that--is that you can't just buy one! Your kids will want more and more. These are the most played with toys our son has. The characters are his friends, and we tell stories with Thomas, James, Gordon, and the rest of the gang.

Lady only appears in the Thomas and the Magic Railroad movie. But she is an important character, and the kids adore her. My own three-year old son was so overcome with excitement at the sight of Lady that for a long time he couldn't watch her when she first appeared on-screen and wouldn't play with her when we initially bought him this toy. She is magical, and kids pick up on that. THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL PIECE IF YOUR CHILD HAS SEEN THE THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD MOVIE. Note that durability is an issue: the smokestack is very thin at the bottom and can easily snap off.

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.

When I ordered this item, it was listed at $.... When I received the item in the mail, it was listed at $..., not what was shown on the website. Also, I thought this would be a metal piece, like the Thomas we already have, instead it is wooden.

My almost 2 year old daughter received this for Christmas this year (1 month ago).

She loves to play with it as a train - she lets her stuffed animals ride it and even tries to ride it herself.

As a puzzle, she has mastered the 'take it apart' aspect, and is learning to put it back together. It is a well designed puzzle that will be challenging for younger toddlers - some of the reasons that you'd choose block X over block Y are subtle - but it is still a serviceable train most ways you can put it together, although it might look odd.

It is very durable and safe. My daughter has sat upon it, stood on it, and dropped it on a wooden floor. So far it is still completely intact. Nothing has chipped or come loose.

This is another great Melissa and Doug product that will be enjoyed for many years, provided we can avoid losing the pieces. Toddlers can play with it on a simple level - it is a train - or a more complex level as a puzzle.

At first, I wondered if the Stacking Train was ever going to entertain my son. You see the cars slide off the linking dowels, if pushed down too hard. Well, at least when traveling on carpet, which is the main playing surface in our home. What's more, the order in which the blocks stack onto the cars is essential for movement. The blocks don't have to stack in perfect order, but certain blocks must be stacked in the appropriate places, otherwise the wheels cannot rotate. My husband and I noticed how aggravated Will became when he first started playing with the Stacking Train; thus, we intervened as the toy frustrated him so. Once he became familiar with the puzzle, (2 weeks later) he began to enjoy playing with it. The Stacking Train soon became a favorite, and now, 7-months later, it still amuses him for 30 minutes or more a day.

I have found that sometimes the age recommendation on toys is not always accurate. This plaything is appropriately labeled for 2 and up, and will probably continue to entertain my son for another 6 months or more. As a side note, the stacking order is quite complex for little minds. Although this does not take away from the fun-factor, it can add to the level of frustration. This mommy had to go on-line to see the stacking sequence so she could teach her son.

The Stacking Train is a well-built puzzle! It has been tossed around, stepped on, and even chewed upon, yet keeps on rolling. There are NO sharp edges on this toy, but we have had a few minor mishaps when my son, who plays rough, has pulled the dowels off the cars. We glued them back with wood glue, and the following day this choo choo is back to rolling around on the floor. Recently, my son lost one of the blue dowels, which links the cars together. I called the customer service number, found on the bottom of the toy, and the company replaced the entire train for nothing. Now that's excellent customer service! Overall, I recommend the Stacking Train as it's engaged my son for hours on end, plus the educational values are significant.

Other Points of Interest:
· No batteries required
· There are NO safety concerns with this plaything, i.e. strangling, smothering, cutting, or swallowing
· Gender neutral plaything
· No assembly
· Lifetime guarantee

Happy Playing,
Mary

My child loves this wooden train set.
She started playing with this at 21 months
and still loves it at 24 months.
Great job guys!!!

Most of my trains are pretty old except for the new ones but Percy really hasn't had any scratches and i've had him for nine years. His magnet is still there and it's in working order. Percy is one of everyone's favorite engines and this one is a great buy!

My son is a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. His favorite is Percy. He takes his Percy trains with him wherever he goes (to bed, in the car, around the house, etc.). We even bought an extra for him just in case he loses one of them. If your children love Thomas (and what toddler doesn't?), I do have a piece of advice--get duplicates of the trains. You never know if one will get lost, or forgotten! I got doubles of most of the trains, Percy included, and it can be a real lifesaver when one gets lost or left behind!

This toy is great. My whole family has fun every evening playing with this train. The just can't get enough of it!

Also, it's able to withstand lots of rough playing.

This is a must!

My three year old loves this puzzle and it has helped her learn her letters. We even play games with it - kind of like "I spy" for the next letter. The peices are large and easy for her to assemble. Well worth the investment.

This has got to be one of the best puzzles or tools to teach the alphabet. My little one just received this for his birthday and has put it together all by himself already (he's 3)! It teaches great motor dexterity as well as the alphabet and 26 animals. He loves to make all their sounds as he goes along. It stretches clear across the kitchen floor and it's a bunch of fun for the cat too! My son is getting a big jump on the alphabet with this puzzle and it's just a great investment. Here's a little hint though. Don't wait until the last minute to get it for Christmas. I tried last year and it was sold out for 2 months! Get it now and don't be disappointed!

I bought this puzzle for my 2 yr old daughter for Christmas and she loves it. She doesn't know her letters yet, but she can find all 'passengers' on the train and we say the letter for the piece that she is looking for. Now, she is starting to know what letters we are looking for. This is a step up from the alphabet song and leading into letter recognition. The pieces are thick and durable. She stands on them and there is no wear and tear. This is a great toy for any preschooler! Wonderful 'hands-on' toy!

When I ordered the roundhouse I believed that the red 5-way switch track was also included, especially when it is pictured on the box, but was disappointed to find that it wasn't. As my 4 year old son believes, as I am sure most do, that this is a very necessary piece of the building he will have to wait until his birthday to receive it (...). A little upsetting.
Apart from this one thing the Roundhouse is a fantastic piece to have on any Thomas layout, my son loves it and plays with it for hours.

As an avid Thomas fan, my son (4) loves this roundhouse. For the unenlightened, this is the house where the trains "sleep." It is durable and easy to put together and immediately adds to the complexity and fun of any track combination. It allows my son to engage more easily into pretend play, as he can put differnt trains back to the roundhouse to take a rest while he plays with others. The only minus of this building is its size--it is quite big and cannot be put apart. But again, as all the Learning Curve Thomas series toys, it is durable (wood), fun, easy to put together and a long term favorite.

In the tradition of long hours of fun with Thomas toys, the roundhouse is a workhorse. The long track grooves inside the roundhouse allow your engineer to double stack up to ten engines inside as in the stories. The open back portion allows little engineers to see into the shed where their engines sleep. In addition to durable doors which are sized just right for little hands, the sturdy construction allows a pint-sized engineer to sit on the roundhouse while running at his/her feet below.

Some of the Thomas tracks don't stand up under my three-year old's impression of "Godzilla" but the roundhouse withstands the monster's fury every time!

It is unfortunate the Learning Curve did not see fit to market the red turntable as a part of the Roundhouse toy as it takes up less room on your island of Sodor than the other wood-colored turntable.

The roundhouse is a terrific anchor for any railway line. Happy Railroading!

I purchased all of the peek-a-block toy sets before my son was born. All of them have been a great hit. My son is now 8 months old and this is his favorite of all of the peek-a-block toys. At 6 months old I brought it out for him to play with and he instantly loved it, at 7 months old he had figured out that if he pushed the front of the train it would play music and move and he loves to crawl after it. He also discovered that if he pushed the spinning piece in the center it would play music and he instantly starts to move as if he is trying to dance. At 8 months he has discovered that at the bottom of the blocks there is a place to spin what ever object is inside and when he finally gets his little finger to turn the object inside he laughs, then places the block on the train. Also, my 3 year old nephew instantly runs to this toy when ever he comes over, so I know that this toy will be a big hit for some time.

My 8mth old loves this toy it encourages him to crawl after it and to play with the blocks. he also try's to put them back on the train. when you push the trains smoke stack it starts playing music and starts moving he starts to laugh and crawl.This toy is great!

I have not yet purchased this item, just thought about it.
But after reading these great reviews from other parents I am going to buy it tomorrow for my little girls 1st birthday.
I showed her the picture of the train on the screen, and she was trying to grab it while nearly freaking out in joy.
It sounds like a great toy, and I know she will just love it.
Thank you parents for rating this toy.

OK, my son loves Thomas. He really, really loves this starter set. STARTER SET! I had tried to avoid the whole Thomas thing because it is kind of a money pit, but my husband said, "it's just a train, he won't need any more than this" - famous last words. Truth is - he loves it, he plays with it, he wants all of it, every accessory, every car - EVERYTHING!!! It is another in the long line of toys that require fifty additional purchases at 30 bucks a pop - but it is durable, fun and has alot of repeat play value - and collectibility. Someday we can sell it all on eBay! :)

This was bought this for my little boy at 18months and whilst he was fascinated he hadn't yet developed the patience to use it as probably intended. As such the pieces were often pulled apart or he got frustrated when pieces were knocked out of line. However, the train going under/over the bridge proved an enormous attraction.
Now, a year later it is coming into his own and he constantly plays with his 'Choo Choo truck'. He has learned how to move around the track and keep it in one piece, pretend to start and stop, make various noises and generally capture his attention for at least an hour at a time. He is also keen to get me to play with him at the same time.
So:
An excellent educational toy as evidenced by his use over the past year. It has encouraged hand/eye, patience, construction, imagination and sharing his track with others.
It is great fun to play with. There is a great variety of colours, actions, etc. etc. for my son.
Its only minor issue is durability, particularly when used by a very young child. The pieces do last, but become a little battered around the edges. If you have a table then this can be minimised, but if it's set up on the floor it inevitably gets taken apart and pieces go under sofas etc. etc
Nevertheless, I cannot rate this too highly as both a fun toy and an educational means. And, you can buy all the extra bits to make a truly great train set.

I brought this toy for my 3 year old daughter after, a little boy I knew liked Thomas. We went to his house and there was Thomas stuff everywhere. Well she fell in love it. And when ever we go to his house all she wants to do is play with his trains. So I got her her own.

This Thomas the Train set is a huge hit with the 3 kids in our house: my girls, ages 2 and 4, and my husband! The interlocking track is easy enough for my youngest daughter to attach (and detach, which she prefers to do). The trains run on the track, on the floor, and even the carpet (slowly). The drawbridge works like a charm. My oldest loves the lever to stop one train (usually to cause a wreck with another oncoming train). The set comes with Thomas and cars Annie and Clarabel. Toys R Us had a sale, so we also bought a Percy, Gordon, and James. It's a good thing we did! Christmas Day my husband had trouble releasing the catch to install the batteries in Thomas and Percy. The instructions (graphics only, no words) were no help at all. Fortunately the batteries in Gordon and James are easily installed into their coal cars. We took the Thomas and Percy back to the store for help. We like this set so much we plan to buy additional track.

My 7-year old son still continues to play with this set and all the other related Thomas sets we have. We started collecting these pieces when he was 3 years old. He's been able to put this track together in so many different ways with little or no help from the start. He has a huge toybox full of this train set now. After 4 years, 2 of our 3 bridges broke after being stepped on. We have glued one back together and now it works just fine. None of the bridges have their sides anymore, but the trains work just fine and stay on the tracks very well. Only one piece of track has ever broken, which says a lot for it's durability. You have to be a little careful with the trains with the tenders, i.e. attached second car, like Gordon, Henry, etc. (Not included in this set). The batteries are placed in the tender and 2 wires connect the train front to the tender. If these wires get pulled roughly, the train will no longer work. As I said though, we've had this set for over 4 years and only lost a handful of trains. My son no longer watches Thomas videos or cares to spend a "Day out with Thomas", but he continues to play with this train set and ask for the newest pieces for Christmas and birthdays. We don't mind buying them either. It's a worthwhile gift to buy as it is durable and gets a lot of use.

This was my son's very first Thomas set from Tomica--or any other manufacturer. It was a gift from his aunt at Christmas. After watching him play with this set, I knew we had to purchase more like it. My wife thought we should invest in the wooden series of Thomas toys. But I said, "No way". The toys from Tomica look more like the engines from the Thomas television series, they are every bit as durable as the wooden ones (if not more so), and they are cheaper in the long run. The wooden trains look like only a 2-4 year old would ever play with them. But, Tomica toys are mature enough to please children beyond those ages and still hold up to the abuse of little engineers. We have since added numerous engines, track, and accessories to the set--most of which are available thru this Toys-R-Us website. Even my other son started out his railway with this set. It's a fine toy for any young Thomas fan.