Question about Thomas Train Sets

For BTDT moms of Thomas fans--we bought a Thomas starter set for DS yesterday at TRU. His birthday is early december, so my thought was we give him this for his birthday. If he seems to love it, we can get an addition to the set for Christmas.

But I hate TRU and so does DH. So while they cost a bit more, I might prefer buying additional trains, tracks, etc. at our local toy store. More pleasant for us, closer to home, and I hate forking money over to a store I just don't like.

Does anyone know if these sets are really interchangeable though, or do you need to basically buy all the stuff in one place? I noticed later that Target has different Thomas toys, it's all so confusing!

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

I think all of the wood sets are the same and all of the plastic sets are the same. They have the wood sets at AC Moore too.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

In yesterday's paper there was an AC Moore ad with a coupon for 40% off your entire purchase of regularly priced Thomas stuff, good from 5-10pm on Wednesday.

Or you can use the 40% off one regular priced item any day.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

I happen to have a PhD in Thomas and anything trains. Lol! DS is addicted and has been for 2.5 of the 3.5 yrs of his life they have 2 different kinds of plastic sets and 1 kind if wooden tracks. As long as you get the same type of track it doesn't matter where you buy them.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

Thomas is not interchangeable with other sets. There are some sets within itself that it doesnt work with, and not all the trains work with all tracks.

The Thomas wooden is the most universal, all the Thomas wooden trains work with it, as do the talking railway express trains. HOwever ,Take Along Thomas is not compatible with the wooden trains and vice versa.

AC Moore has them 40% off sometimes, so watch for those sales.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

we are so mismatched.

thomas trains, thomas tracks, melissa and doug tracks and trains, imaginarim tracks and trains...

sign up for your local toystores coupons, i get great ones in the mail.

also ac moore

eta: we are only using wooden tracks, i guess that's why there is no issue

Message edited 11/23/2009 3:39:18 PM.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

Depends on the set you buy.....the die cast, the wood.....they can't be used together on the same tracks.

We have the die cast talking ones......and bought them because SIL gave us a bunch of tracks and stations that use the die cast ones from her 6 year old who outgrew them.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

Trackmaster is my favorite and that is the moving plastic type ones found at Target, Walmart and other small stores. Rumor has it this division of Thomas is stopping though. Only Trackmaster trains work on these tracks.

Take Along is the tiny ones with the magnets. Only take along works on these tracks.

Wooden and the new Talking Wooden Railway System go on the wood tracks. Also the Imaginarium trains and tracks work between each other. And I am pretty sure Melissa and Doug tracks and trains work also with the wooden Thomas tracks.

Re: Question about Thomas Train Sets

Thanks for the info!

I think the trains are wood--the box says made with wood though somehow they look more like plastic. Though I can open it and if they are plastic I may take them back. I'm sure he'd like those too, but if they will be harder to find, not worth it.