Vehicle Reviews

First off, I will also agree with many of the opinions - the included instruction page (note: singular) needs some more detail. I also had to resort to the box illustrations for help.

However, I *DID* manage with the instructions. I didn't have any problems with the battery compartment, the tracks fit nicely, and the whole track stayed assembled.

The next challenge was to figure out the motorized routine. After about 10 tries, I finally was able to coordinate the motor's direction, orientation, and the train-cover layout to get it all working.

And me and my son just stared at that toy for ten minutes straight. Whenever the train changed from Thomas to Percy, he would giggle. Same for when the bulldozer activates. He does appreciate the "fragility" of the system by telling everyone to "stand-back" while it runs. I also think a lot of it had to do with me having fun with the toy as well. Since I didn't get (too) frustrated with putting it together, he wasn't afraid or put-off by it either.

Tomy also has an even larger kit that adds-on to this one. I might have to save that for another day....

BOTTOM LINE: Not a typical train-set. Takes some effort to construct *AND* operate. Features 3 popular Thomas characters.

The trike will topple over if the wheels are turned too sharply. The center of gravity is too high for small children. One of my daughters said she's rather just walk in the parade and wave a flag than learn how to ride it for the 4th of July parade. That's when I decided I need to get her a different trike if her experience has been that bad.

Also, the bolts come loose and the wheel can turn without turning the steering wheel no matter how tightly the bolts are tightened. Same with the seat - it wiggles.

The other daughter fell off the trike and the lever for the bell dug into her skin causing a bad scrape.

It's pretty and the bell has a lot of nostalgia but it hasn't been practical at all. Trike riding should feel like a joy but with these, the kids think I'm giving them a chore when I say "Let's go ride tricycles."

A trike is exactly for having mild spills, and to teach falling skills, or for cautious kids risk mitigation. Skin will surely meet pavement sometime!

The thing is, I know a little bit about conditioning batteries and electric motors as I fly an Ikarus Piccolo - an electric model helicopter (and I'll compare this toy to that at the end)

The first thing I did was squirt WD40 over the gears and into the electric motor and then ran it for a few seconds. It doesn't say to do this in the instructions, but I did it anyway.

Next: I conditioned the batteries. IT SAYS TO DO THIS IN THE INSTRUCTIONS. If this isn't done, then the toy will not fly.

I charged it up, and drained the batteries as follows:
Note well: as has been said in another post: the toy will auto-cutoff (criticism to Tyco - it didn't explain this in the "conditioning batteries" part of the manual, or at least not in the version I've got). I did the following:
- Charge toy as per manual
- Turn toy on
- Turn transmitter on
- Operate toy as it says in "Conditioning battery" section (ie power it up but don't lift off !!)
- Wait until the engine stops. Note Well: This most probably isn't the battery being drained, but the auto-cutoff feature. This isn't explained in the version of the instructions that I've received (Tyco - take notice!!) Therefore:
- Turn transmitter off
- Turn toy off
- Count to 3
- Turn toy on
- Turn transmitter on
- Operate toy again until cut off again
- repeat as often as necessary until you know the batteries are worn down (the rotor blade will struggle to turn, even though you can hear the magnetic hum of the motor)

I did this a couple of times last night. I took my toy out for the first time today and it flew !!

OK - now onto "It's not durable":

Today was a **windy** day - so I launched it by hand after throwing some grass into the air so I knew where the toy was going to go ("downwind"). (Kids and adults: I'm 36, I'm allowed to be stupid enough to ignore the instructions and launch it by hand if I want to, and I've experience of being hit by model helicopter blades so I know to be very careful. The instructions say to stay well away from the blades for a very good reason - because they can cause injury)

NOTE WELL: Read and understand the shut-off feature of the remote control: Being a model helicopter flyer, I know very well that if you have the time to realise the helicopter's main blades are going to strike the ground, then shut off the engine otherwise the helicopter (and XFO!!!) will beat itself to death.
To shut off the XFO, pull the joystick towards you.

Just so you know about this stop feature: When you turn the transmitter on (do it with the toy still off): note the brightness of the LED above the joystick glows brighter when you push the joystick up. This indicates it's transmitting a signal.

Now pull the joystick back beyond the bottom position - and you'll see the red LED glow brighter again - it's transmitting the "Engine stop" signal - this is the "Stop" position.

So, I would launch it, gust of wind catches it, Uh Oh! About to strike the ground, and pull back on the stick, thus shutting off the motor. The blades will strike the ground and fold back as designed. No problem!!

When I did launch it and it started to drift downwind - just before it was about to land I pushed up on the stick to arrest the rate of decent, then as it was about to touch down (I knew it was going to trip over as it had too much sideways speed) I again shut it down. Toppled over, blades folded back, nothing broken.

As it says on the box: easy to learn, challenging to master.

Back to the Piccolo comparison: I was impressed with the XFO's engine! eg even down to the cooling fan on the engine's drive shaft. I looked at the toy and thought, "They could quite easily add servos, swashplate and tail rotor to this thing..." - the Piccolo retails about £350 - i bought my XFO for £20 (and it retails for £59.99 so still very good value). The blades' leading edges and tips are rubber which means they'll survive an impact well - the Piccolo's aren't (in fact, I know of no model helicopter that has this feature). And the rotor head pops on to the main shaft in the same way as a Piccolo's head pops onto the main shaft.

How much fun: reduced from 5 stars to 4 because it's a pity it doesn't have some directional control.

Educational: 5 stars, because a) it introduces someone to helicopter-style flying, and b) the joystick is like the vertical axis control of a model helicopter's radio control

Durable: 5 stars: just learn the engine shut-off feature and use it ! I flew it in wind today, and had (7 or 8?) several blade strikes with the ground - and it's not broken at all.

Well - hope my ramblings help someone.