A Great 1st Accessory for Beginning Engineers.
Written: Jan 08 '03 (Updated Mar 27 '03)
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Pros: Nice graphics, well built, easily fit into almost any layout.
Cons: Expensive if you pay full retail.
The Bottom Line: Simple to use and a basic component for any railroad, this is a great 1st accessory for the littlest engineers.
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| dagny21's Full Review: Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends: Single Stone T... |
I recently started purchasing the Thomas & Friends wooden railway system for my 2 year old son. We started with the circle set(see review #84758859396), and several engines. Since Christmas morning, he's hardly touched or talked about anything but Thomas and his friends.
As much as the circle set thrilled my son, I knew immediately he was ready for more when he asked me to build him a tunnel from Duplo blocks. This worked great, but whenever he moved the tunnel, it fell apart on him, and I knew there was no getting around buying him a "real" tunnel.
My Search for a Good Deal
Though I'm happy to spend a fortune making my child happy, I was still quite reluctant to pay $18 dollars for a six-inch piece of decal-covered wood. I also realized that the tunnel would fit into just about any layout, except our circle set, so I knew I had to get more track. At an average retail of $10 to $12 for four pieces, I was starting to see what should have been a simple addition to my son's Thomas play time as a major investment.
I then contemplated buying the "Around the Barrel Loader" set for a whopping $100 dollars, which came with a bunch of track, the tunnel I wanted, a barrel loader, 2 engines not available elsewhere, and more. A good deal, except that I think my son is too young for the barrel loader accessory, and the two engines it came with(Stepney & Rheneas) he's not overly attracted to.
So, I turned to eBay and found the tunnel by itself for a low price of $7.99 brand spanking new but without a box, which makes you thankful for the collectible value of these toys, meaning anything you buy without it's original packaging is MUCH cheaper. From the same dealer I was also able to purchase 29 pieces of track (a retail value of about $80) for $34.95, also brand new without boxes.
The Tunnel
This is definitely worth the $7.99 I paid for it. It's a high quality, durable wooden toy that adds a great deal of value to my son's play. It fits easily into almost any layout we come up with for him, and it's one of the few accessories you can by for your Thomas set that even very young toddlers can easily play with. The decals that decorate it are not the flimsy stickers you see on a lot of toys. These decals are not likely to peel off any time soon, even if my son tries to do so. And, if they ever show any sort of wear, Learning Curves unconditional lifetime guarantee against damage applies.
Frustration Factor
The only thing I can see that might frustrate a child for a moment is on the rare occasion that he's only passing one engine or car through it, there is a possibility of it getting halfway in and their little fingers not being able to reach it to pull it out or push it through. However, this is easily solved by simply sending another engine in after it. Two engines are too long to get stuck. This is also a good learning opportunity for your little one.
Play
My son absolutely loves this tunnel. When he saw it the first thing he did was run to his aforementioned circle set and dismantle the Duplo block tunnel he's been using for the past 2 weeks, then grabbed it out of my hands and tried to stick it on top of the tracks, in place of the other tunnel. This caused a moment of consternation that was quickly solved by me showing him that this tunnel included a piece of track as its flooring, and that it had to be attached to other pieces of track.
In one evening's worth of play, we built several different layouts, all involving this tunnel of course. I feel confident that I won't have to buy another accessory to satisfy my son for a little while, which is good, considering most of the Thomas accessories are just too advanced for a two-year-old.
A Final Word
Though I go on and on about the money, these toys are worth every penny you pay for them, even if it's twice the retail price. Once you see that absorbed look on your child's face while he's playing with them, you know they're worth they're weight in gold.
I share with you my successes in finding good deals simply because I know you don't need to pay a fortune for this stuff.
FIND RELATED REVIEWS BELOW
Wooden Railway System
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Diesel's Devious Deed
Thomas: The Really Useful Engine
Buying Thomas
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 7.99
Type of Toy: Trains
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
dagny21
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 in Kids & Family |
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Member: Christine D
Location: Alaska
Reviews written: 388
Trusted by: 66 members
About Me:
Happily married mother of one boy.
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