More train questions...

[pritchettzoo]

We had to drag Gracie away from the train table (and the KidKraft kitchen but that will be another post!) at Learning Express today, so it's time to delve into the land o' trains. :) Where is a good place to get a generic starter set if we don't want to wait until the after Christmas deals? I bought a set of Thomas that was on super duper sale at Target around Thanksgiving--is this not going to work with the wooden tracks (I think they're plastic?)? It's not opened, so I can save it for nephew's Christmas or birthday gift if it's not compatible.

Thanks for your help!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[MelissaTC]

Welcome to my world :)

The plastic trains won't go with the wooden. If you want a nice inexpensive set, I would check out TRU and look for a Figure 8 set. Another generic set would be the Brio Figure 8 Mountain set. Even the Thomas Figure 8 water tower set would be great. Once you have that, you can grow your collection with a figure 8 expansion set. I bought DS the Thomas set at AC Moore with the 40% coupon so it cost $23.99 and it included the track, water tower, bridge and Thomas & a cargo car. It also came with a wooden Sir Topham Hatt and a stop sign I think. DS loves these pieces. I have bought track from TRU (their figure 8 expansion set retails at $20) and have been totally happy with it. Good luck!!

[zen_bliss]

we're new to this too! she gets so excited by the train tables in stores, so i bought the TRU clearance train table yesterday and shoehorned it into the playroom last night. :) and spent way too long doing trial and error track building. over the last year, i had stockpiled a few sets of IKEA wooden train tracks. the sets are $12.99 but they show up in the as-is room often for a few dollars a set because the trains get taken out of the packages. it's a good basic bunch of track to start with, reversible curved pieces and two overpass bridges that form a big figure 8. they also have some other pieces. TRU's imaginarium brand wood train stuff is affordable. i got the $29.99 deluxe pack (not on amazon). it has a bendy bridge, a crossroads, a few switch tracks, two bridges, and a turning type depot (no idea what it is called) in addition to the basic track of varying lengths, so that was a pretty inexpensive way to get started. the IKEA track doesn't slide in perfectly, you have to angle the 'plug' to put it in place, but it does work smoothly once you get it fitted. oh, and keep an eye out in target's dollar spot. i bought a bunch of trains & cars that fit on the tracks there, two to a package. so, our whole start-up set up cost was about $70. unfortunately, the TRU coupons ended today. i had jaw-drop sticker shock over the price of the thomas stuff!! ouch, licensing!

[new_mommy25]

We have Thomas track and a bunch of generic track and honestly the quality of Thomas is soooo much better. DS loves battry operated trains and they always get stuck on the non Thomas track. I think a figure 8 set is a great way to get started. You might want to buy a few additional trains on top of that. Percy is always a big favorite. Then later you can supplement with either generic track or go for a Thomas expansion pack. We have bought quite a few trains at Costco. It's a DVD that comes with a train and it goes for 12.99. We think it's a good deal since many of the trains are that price if you buy them on your own and DS enjoys watching the Thomas movies.

[sarahs]

Target used to sell (and maybe they still do) "Interactive Thomas" sets. The track is plastic and the cars are metal, and they ARE compatable with the wooden Thomas. The track is the same wood color and size/shape as the wooden track. We got a set of this on sale around Thanksgiving too, and ds uses it interchangably with his wooden pieces.

Target also sells Take Along Thomas with gray plastic track and small metal cars. This is not compatable with wooden Thomas.

[LucyG]

I found a nice set made by Maxim at Tuesday Morning. I got it several months ago, but they still had one when I was there last week. Maxim is good quality, and is compatible with the wooden Thomas things. The set was $70, and included a bunch of various track pieces, a tunnel, a mountain, bridge, train with cars, animals, a barn, etc. It also came with a nice wooden chest to store it all in. We have some Thomas engines to use with it. Here's a picture similar to the set we have (ours has a few more things than this one):

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/26026.jpg

And, off-topic, but we have the KidKraft kitchen (not from Learning Express, but the same one they carry), and DD LOVES it!!!!!


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2 years and counting!

[ethansmom]

Creative Brains (online) has good prices on Thomas and other train stuff. They also have the Kidkraft kitchen for $159 shipped. www.bestpricedtoys.com has the kitchen for$150, but I've never ordered from there. However, our LE price matched. Oops, this wasn't supposed to be about the kitchen, was it!

Off-hand, I'm not sure what all they have, but the 40% off coupon at Michael's makes for some great Thomas prices!

[pritchettzoo]

Your LE price matched on the kitchen? I wonder if they all do. Was it like pulling teeth?

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)

[ethansmom]

Yep, they price matched on the kitchen. I believe the stores are all independantly owned, so they probably don't have a chain-wide policy. I first inquired over the phone, and although it took a few minutes, I definitely didn't have to pull teeth. I spoke to the owner when I picked up the kitchen, and he said they don't always price match - it depends what the item is and how many they have in stock. He did tell me it never hurts to ask.

BTW, since the white kitchen is exclusive to LE, they would only price match the pastel. However, I did contact Kidkraft to see if it could be painted and they sent me a "tip sheet" with instructions. I'm too lazy though....plus, it's a good lesson for my DS re: colors and gender. ;-)

Oh ya, I know a lot of people love their wooden food, but we also saved by just getting a child's stainless cookware set from Marshall's and using old egg cartons, yogurt containers, coffee canisters, non-perishables etc. I'm sure we'll get the wooden food at some point, but for now, DS loves to play with this stuff and I even get to use it as extra pantry space. ;-)

[nitaghei]

Anna,

I saw a 70 piece generic wood set at Target for $19.99. My advice would be to buy that, buy a Thomas set (we love the Water-tower) using a coupon at ACMoore/Micheals, and then add on other Thomas pieces over time. So you can get started for under $50, if you have a ACMoore/Micheals coupon.

The Thomas track is the nicest, but the generic one works just fine. I like it better than the IKEA set (which has plastic insets). Our generic set is a bit different from the one at Target, but looks pretty similar. What I like is that the track is solid wood, and it does work perfectly with the Thomas stuff. And at least the one that we have came with a turntable, which I consider indispensible.

And don't get too much, to begin with. Initially, DS got overwhelmed if I set up an elaborate layout, and pulled out everything. So I stuck with a fairly simple figure 8, with a bridge. Now we do much more complicted stuff.

Right now, his favorites are Thomas and Emily. He loves the zoo cars, too. I probably should get him something new - he hasn't got anything Thomas since his birthday.

HTH

Nita (wool is my crack)
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a PWD and a cocker (at the Rainbow Bridge)

[pritchettzoo]

No IKEA here until late July. :( No Trader Joe's either. Sigh.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)