Do you do these reviews for adults to buy for their kids or for them to buy for themselves and do you play with them on a regular basis.....is it some hobby of yours??? Just curious!!!
this review is really aimed at adult buyers, parents trying to work out what works with what and what you get for your money. i saw in a number of web forums questions about these toys, loads of confusion related to wooden railway sets and lot of chatter about price.
my core hobby is making videos, but i also love collecting things and have a really amazing Thomas Tank collection.
@leokimvideo ....Yeah well....I reckon you do a FANTASTIC job in explaining the different aspects of wooden trains!!! Regardless of age!!!
And as for the video making-editing,sound and all that...ANOTHER fantastic job...coming from a person that has made none,I fully appreciate the work that goes into it!!!!
On that "Racing down the Raila" set, my 2011 yearbook has an extended layout plan in the back by also buying the Sodor Steamworks part and a track expansion pack.
Great layout review, but I think more effort and detail is needed in the major player's sets.
@J50Tank8905 for me racing down the rails was a huge disappointment, but i'm a adult looking at a childs toy. I did take this set into the house and let my 2 year old son play with it, he lost interest real quick, he seemed fixated on pushing thomas up the spiral track, if thomas rolled down the track i'm sure it would be a winner in his eyes as I see he really enjoys the take n play set rock quarry run
I remember years back I got a "wooden" train set, i recently managed to find the box and parts for it and astonishingly the wagons were plastic/metal for the chasis. The track was also hollow plastic but was compatible with wooden railway track. The only wooden part of the whole set was the front part of the loco. Its by far the worst use of the name "wooden train set" I've ever come across. Have you ever had this over in Austrailia Leo?
The "Rheneas and the Rollercoaster" version of "Racing Down the Rails" seems to me to be better. True, it has no mud trap, but it is typically priced much lower, contains far less plastic, and best of all contains an exclusive Rheneas and narrow gauge coach.
Here in New York, there's a wooden railway series called whittle shortline. They make EXCELLENT wooden diesel locomotives and wooden rolling stock and are based on real American locomotives and railroads. They're so good, a single car or loco is about $20 and a train set for almost $60. How's that for what you get for your money?
I accept the fact that they use plastic in Wooden trains, because it adds to the durability. I even collect plastic figures for my future wooden train project.
@leokimvideo I was wondering if you have seen the current sale that Myer has on the Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway range. They have an identical set to that of Racing down the Rails (called the Rheneas and Roller Coaster Set for $99.95 (reduced from $229.95), and the Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor set for $79.00 (reduced from $199.00). It is interesting to see the massive price drops in these toys - perhaps they realise that the sets are not worth that much.
@1picrick yes I did see that sale, and I went down to my Myer to see the wording on the Rheneas and Roller Coaster Set, but there were none in stock. As I state in the video the brand name trains can be found at heavily reduced prices if your prepared to wait and then possibly miss out.
Whats your thoughts of Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor for $79, is it a buy at that price..??
I have a feeling with a Myer one card you get another 10% off, but don't hold me on that
@leokimvideo I think it is a better buy than it was, but I feel that the price is still too much to be acceptable for what it is. One can see clearly from the Aldi train set that a wooden railway cannot be too difficult or expensive to make (considering they only produce a limited amount, and it is not continuously stocked), and that Thomas and Friends has taken to relying on its brand name and dominance of the market. Personally, I would still go for an Aldi set over the Steam Around Sodor set.
@1picrick i think the steam around sodor set is aimed straight at collectors, possibly at the reduced price it's a good buy as it's definitely a quality product
@thomasj219 hi, i'm actually dead against the trackmaster rail system, now I see there is a bunch of different colours in that track variety, i'm old fashioned and like the old blue tomy track which was reversible
@leokimvideo As am I, I loved the old style, it was what I grew up with. Don"t know why they would change that. There are a lot of options for this type of video, maybe a BACHMANN, HORNBY comparison with some bargain HO electric toy train brands (if there are any) thrown in. Anyway thanks for getting back to me, love your videos hope to see more from you soon.
When I saw the Racing down the rails set, I felt it was missing some trucks for Thomas to pull. That detracted from the value of the set.
Also, I felt that the Dieselworks set was lacking. I thought that they could have stuck in either Dart, Den, Norman, Sidney, Paxton or even Dennis and maybe even put in a wagon with Flynn's Hose. Also the turntable should have been a six way that lead to a small switch where sheds were for two engines.
@ShuntingTank043 I have just seen a set very similar to racing down the rails, it features Reneaus I do wonder what the wording on the box says in relation to the way the set plays
I agree the dieselworks seems a bit dry, but remember it's all about the need to buy more toys to make it all work, the days of mega sets with everything seem to be over
yes the one engine shed is a bit weird when you consider what happened in the film, it looks like all you get is diesel 10's little hide away
@jarvis1st i don't think the quality is lacking, but the base designs are very different, i feel chuggington lead the way when it comes to plastic in wooden train sets
@DiamondThomas this video really exposes just how much more your paying if your not careful, mind you once I start doing some destructive testing those high prices may be there for a reason
dare say those big names have massive advertising budgets, teams of staff and need to keep producing TV material, none of that ever comes cheap
pretty sure George Lucas showed the world that toys connected to a film can generate massive amounts of income
I enjoyed this video very much. I thought that "Percy at the Dieselworks Set" would be a flop. However, with your positive review, I will get it. Can't wait to see you in depth review on that set!
@HenryisGreat15 the percy at the dieselworks is a interesting set, some argue that sets based around parts of films don't work, I feel it would make a excellent addition to a much larger wooden layout
the bit I don't understand is why have they softened diesel 10's features, he used to be the classic bad guy and i'm pretty sure all will agree with me the new diesel 10 face is a fail face
its a great set to land all your diesels, the two loop tracks around the main shed seems suited for that
Great video! That did not feel like 20 mins at all... I could have carried on watching! Thank you for all your hard working in putting this together Leo, and for such an informative and informed review. Looking forward to the next in this series.
THis is a great video, my brother enjoyed it and he dosen't even like thomas! I think your $200 idea is definately the best choice! It is interesting how much trackside senery the cheaper sets have, the thomas and chuggigton sets have next to nothing in the way of trackside. I think the cuggington set look...lqame. Very plastic, and ....cheap! You must have spent a lot of money on all these sets! The thomas and chuiggington sets are so expensive!! I look forward to the crash testing!
@cyril227ify i know many of my viewers have wooden railways, and this is a video quite a few asked for, initially I was going to look at 5 sets but then that blew out to 7
the day of the diesels set was a very interesting inclusion to have when compared to the chuggington roundhouse
WOW you are a big spender when it comes to all things thomas! XD Yes I am really pleased you did this video, it was great to watch, as all your videos are!!
Yes it was, I much prfer the day of the diesels set, i am was not very impressed with the chuggington and i got the feeling you weren't either! I liked the comparision between the thomas set for $200 and what you would buy for $200. i know what I would go for! You choice is way better!
@simierski loads of the ideas for this video came from looking through forums ( adults speaking about shopping tips) and seeing parents get very confused about the wooden railway train sets, the repeated theme of these forums was the cost of some sets and how little you got for your money, the next big topic was which track works with which.
I'll be honest here the whole wooden railway thing is scary, some prices are off the scales and the inclusion of plastic is really sad to see
@simierski it's a vidoe with loads of info for parents and hopefully they will get an idea of how to beat the stupid high prices on some wooden railways
once you start punching through the $200 mark for a children s toy I first expect it to work as described on the box, and to have great play features. I let my son play with race down the rails and he lot interest withing a few hours, the mud trap was the only thing he really enjoyed, the track spiral was a non event for him
@simierski dare say it seals any chance for me to ever be aligned with the toy giants, because i say it as it is. my gut feeling is the audience enjoys the truth and that's going to power this video
lets hope the big toy companies have a closer look to what they pump out, i'm tired of seeing expensive toy which should be much better than what comes out of the box
@simierski that racing down the rails set needed a spencer, it's a really sad set for a number of reasons, just about everyone has agreed with me on this aspect, lets hope Hit takes note of this.
what confused me was there were heaps of glowing reports about this set, amazing tales from parents who said it had their children really enjoying the play on this set, i'm now highly suspicious of the comments of feedback on sites selling these toys, got a feeling it's all there to aid in selling
@simierski its a very strange set as the roundhouse in chuggington is actually 2 level. It does have the ability to key into other parts but thats more money
possibly the only thing going for the chugger set is you get two very popular characters, maybe a chugger fan will defend this set, strangely they always seem fairly quiet but love watching the videos
@simierski there was a tuber who alerted me to this bridge height thing, and that many sets have fail bridges, thats ok as kids can then just trash them
hey leo, I think I know why there is "box bloat" in most sets. It's because that if you want to put any set (thomas, chuggington, LEGO in particular), and do not want to lose the pieces, you put hem back in the box. But because you've thrown out the litte cellophane bags the stuff came in, when you put it back the amount of space the toys take increases dramactially, and makes it very hard to shoehorn everything in with a box with very little bloat. Though it's still ahrd with LEGO sets anyway.
@turbo1431 when i threw back in the Thomas and Henry around Sodor it presented me with two thirds box bloat, and I am being kind here. I did video the this but left it out of the video as it looks so bad for those selling this stuff, maybe I will tack it onto a video in the future as a bit of a throwback
all sets went back in their boxes easily, box bloat seems to be there for sometimes making a big box for display, big box looks good with big price
@leokimvideo Yeah, same problem as we both live in the same country.
As I've got ERTL, and Wooden Railway to keep Thomas in check I felt I didn't need a thomas HO set, but as you point out, Thomas Hornby is cheaper than wooden railway , something which still suprises me and the Bachman stock is even cheaper, I was able to find a Bachman Edward for $109 and two trucks at a train show while my wooden railway is around $400 and the HO track sets I used cost me around $150 for a 16ft by 16ft layout.
Funny that Chuggington sets are cheaper than Thomas. A lot of the times I see that Chuggington wooden trains are for sale for $12.95 and Thomas for $12.99 or even $14.99, yet Chuggington Wooden is bigger and more detailed. The chuggers set has a great advantage, as for you get a trainset and a roundhouse, usually kids want to put their trains to sleep, and that set allows them to do so, as for none of the others do. Thomas sets are good, but they are overpriced. Chuggington prices stay in range.
@leokimvideo who knows, people sell thomas for all different prices. In my area its always between $12.99 to $14.99. When i was a kid growing my mom said thomas wooden was about $7-$9 an engine, but that was when things were reasonably priced, but Chuggington toys seem to be priced at an acceptional amount, at least the Die cast, Wooden, and MEGA Bloks, which I have yet to own. I feel you will like Chuggington MEGA Bloks much more because it is so more exciting.
That is just horrible a Thomas set that is that expensive should have that spiral working fine, this is were as u said a "special designed" Thomas would come into play. I wonder how the electric Thomas would fair on that set?
It just goes to show that the cheap stuff isn't always bad...
@Lumpyrox1412 dare say the big lesson i learned is sometimes the box artwork and wordings can sometimes paint a great picture in your mind, the reality is sometimes fairly different
Thomas wooden stock is expensive though, after building up a minor layout I actually found it was cheaper to build a fullsize HO layout in my shed, the cost is the main killer with these
@BaiocoIslandFilms how about this for a thought, the lego passenger train from 2010 is around the same price as racing down the rails, now I know which one I would have and remember lego where I live is super expensive compared to the US price
the Hornby Thomas with passenger train and freight cost me $200, for some reason the Thomas wood pulls a really high retail price where I live
I'll admit, I like plastic sometimes in the sets, but too much is TOO much. Shame everything has gotten so cheap in the years. Original Wooden Railway sets were much bigger and it had a lot of detail, but now the sets are small and it's all cheap sh*t. What's happened to quality in toys these days?
@UnknownThomasFan1 possible the only good aspect to the inclusion of plastic in wooden sets is it keeps the price down, but i'm with you about the too much plastic in some sets today
dare say plastic in wooden train sets is now just a fact of life
Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor was a previous set for the 60th Anniversary of Thomas. Though the set is nice, it is just a 'repaint' of a classic set. I think of the set was still badged as an Anniversary, people (and I) would be more willing to pay the higher price.
@MultiGreenThunder they are expensive but also a classic toy, that link I have in the more info about the grtiiy background of this system is well worth a read, sadly some companies today are stuffing with a classic format by adding loads of plastic
Wow, funny to think that almost twelve years ago when I used to play with this. Like 99% of the sets had wood. Now it seems like plastic is all the rage. Could it be that plastic is cheaper than wood? I used to think it was the other way around.
I never liked the idea of having sounds applied to buildings. It takes away a bit of the imagination and fun of creating your own sound effects. Even so, I must say that I do find the 'Day of the Diesels' set to be the most appealing of the lot. Plenty of interactive and moving parts as well as lots to look makes a definite winner for kids. When I was younger wooden railway was extremely pricey so I only owned a few pieces from that range. My parents preferred to by me the Tomy stuff.
@SilverZEntertainemnt nice comment, i too prefer the Tomy Thomas stuff, thats what I bought my daughter when she was younger, these days I have loads of Tomy stuff
@Legoghost14 why, that evil side to them was one of the best parts about the franchise, evil characters are the backbone to every classic story, and Snow White is a classic example.
@TrainzXtreme agree, remember it's the same company Learning curve behind the Chugg and Thomas sets, has me wondering how much plastic will Thomas have in years to come.
If there is a large amount of plastic I feel the 'real wood' sign is misleading
@leokimvideo Well more like next year. Because of Learning Curves licence to the Thomas brand exspires at the end of 2012, then Mattel (who now owns HIT) will be the ones releasing it starting in 2013.
Also, if you want a good example of a character who's more plastic then wood, look no further then Byron.
Very interesting idea--combining how you did with the ones you chose. Although I haven't picked up any Thomas sets in several years, I must agree with your assessments. The primary issue I have with new Thomas sets currently on the market is they are primarily vulnerable plastic and bland destinations. Destinations with character, story and participation in them like the Coal Station, Smelting Yard and Works' Shed have long since disappeared from these sets it seems.
@OrigamiAirEnforcer the concept for this video comes from seeing web forum chats from parents trying to work out which wooden railway is the best value, seems there is much confusion related to tracks and rolling stock
in essence most parents are intending to purchase Thomas & Friends but the very high price has them wary, this video aims to show if you do clever combinations you can make a massive wooden railway with a few hundred dollars
@leokimvideo Something that was really sad to see was the company withdrawing its backing of its products in about 2003. I believe it was a turning point for the brand. Thomas used to have many of the elements present in the cheaper sets such as trees. TWR no longer offers trees by themselves, and there are at most a scant few in a set like those shown. It appears TWR took its following for granted and is now trying to demand prices not justified by their products' contents.
Nice video Leo. I was thinking of buying that Racing Down the Rails set as well as possibly Percy at the Dieselworks one too, but now after this review, I might have to reconsider.
About plastic in wooden railway: A little is alright, but too much ruins the point. I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it is to see a plastic turntable in the Percy set, when 15 years ago, they had a wooden one that looked much better. Oh well, times have changed I guess. Great video, and nice comparisons!
@ThomasWoodenRailway thanks, i know you have loads of wood and know your business here. sure there is the collectible and rare side to the Thomas sets where people can have items which can bring a nice return
on the racing set i see some call it an ascending spiral and they knew it was never designed for down hill racing, i do struggle with the wording on the box and some of the amazing web write ups the set has obtained, dare say it's always buyer beware
@kkehoe5 in time I will see if tubers are watching this via insight, my ut feeling is once you crack the 4 min mark on the tube you loose large amounts of audience, take a note that just about all the mega tubers rarely produce videos longer than 6 mins
@14Golbeck14 no, it's totally overpriced but has all these glowing reviews across many web sites, even buyer feedback which speaks of the amazing play action....has me thinking it's all a scam of sorts
i feel the mud trap is in the wrong part of the set, once it's re-configured it's a fun but very expensive set
The new style Thomas track was specially made for battery powered engines. The funny thing is that they work better on the older style. Do your research, and find out more about the older style clickety clack track
@3HenrytheGreenEngine the fail of the battery powered Thomas on Thomas track is surely an embarrassment to the toy giant which is Thomas, i'll have to admit it certainly surprised me mind you I used to run this train on the old blue Tomy track and he loves that.
anyway all metal battery powered toys on wooden systems is in my books not needed, kids love to push toys around by hand on these sorts of trains sets, that's fairly common sense for many
That was informative. $200+ Australian Dollars for only 20 something pieces and no scenery in a Thomas set. That isn't exactly good value for you. Using the same amount to build a better layout that includes scenery, rolling stock, etc. is a better way to go.
@Blur4strike all the prices in this video are full retail prices I am exposed to, possibly they are less expensive in the USA as I have seen just about everything is far less expensive there compared to Oz
Sadly for me what I thought was going to be the most impressive and expensive set became the fail set.
Fail
demarm1 2 weeks ago
can u plese put 2gether all these sets in this review?
thekoopanator01 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
Hagerwatches 1 month ago
Do you do these reviews for adults to buy for their kids or for them to buy for themselves and do you play with them on a regular basis.....is it some hobby of yours??? Just curious!!!
arcadia4819 1 month ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@arcadia4819 ....oh you're a "collector"....
arcadia4819 1 month ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@arcadia4819 thats a great question
this review is really aimed at adult buyers, parents trying to work out what works with what and what you get for your money. i saw in a number of web forums questions about these toys, loads of confusion related to wooden railway sets and lot of chatter about price.
my core hobby is making videos, but i also love collecting things and have a really amazing Thomas Tank collection.
leokimvideo 1 month ago
@arcadia4819 when i make a video for youtube I try to entertain kids and adults at the same time, and thats the real tricky part.
having young kids myself helps me understand what works for kids
leokimvideo 1 month ago
@leokimvideo ....Yeah well....I reckon you do a FANTASTIC job in explaining the different aspects of wooden trains!!! Regardless of age!!!
And as for the video making-editing,sound and all that...ANOTHER fantastic job...coming from a person that has made none,I fully appreciate the work that goes into it!!!!
arcadia4819 1 month ago
as it was called lazy in the review
TheRandomationStudio 1 month ago
, when he was going round the curves the powered thomas' middle wheel went up, this is probably why it was unpowered
TheRandomationStudio 1 month ago
This has been flagged as spam show
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
jbanfie 1 month ago
Have you ever thought of asking the treasurer why things cost so much in Australia.
4Corry 1 month ago in playlist Toy Reviews & Modifications
@4Corry i think the retailers are to blame
leokimvideo 1 month ago
@leokimvideo Then ask them why
4Corry 1 month ago
Now I want to buy an imaginarium wooden train set, they look good but not HO/OO good
TheNw1218 2 months ago
On that "Racing down the Raila" set, my 2011 yearbook has an extended layout plan in the back by also buying the Sodor Steamworks part and a track expansion pack.
Great layout review, but I think more effort and detail is needed in the major player's sets.
J50Tank8905 2 months ago
@J50Tank8905 for me racing down the rails was a huge disappointment, but i'm a adult looking at a childs toy. I did take this set into the house and let my 2 year old son play with it, he lost interest real quick, he seemed fixated on pushing thomas up the spiral track, if thomas rolled down the track i'm sure it would be a winner in his eyes as I see he really enjoys the take n play set rock quarry run
leokimvideo 1 month ago
percy has a fat face
carzy80 2 months ago
Comment removed
thekoopanator01 2 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
can u please put all the sets u reviewed in this video?
thekoopanator01 2 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
thomas wooden railway and chuggingtion are good . the rasing down the rails is a copy of reaneas and the rooler coster.
crazyaboutthomas 2 months ago
@crazyaboutthomas are you foreign or something because your spelling is bad
justinhu8 2 months ago
Awesome
Gman333Xferrari 2 months ago
I remember years back I got a "wooden" train set, i recently managed to find the box and parts for it and astonishingly the wagons were plastic/metal for the chasis. The track was also hollow plastic but was compatible with wooden railway track. The only wooden part of the whole set was the front part of the loco. Its by far the worst use of the name "wooden train set" I've ever come across. Have you ever had this over in Austrailia Leo?
sonicspeeder1 2 months ago
@sonicspeeder1 no, but it sounds interesting, i think the sets of today should state
real wood and plastic..! or real woostic..!!
leokimvideo 2 months ago
when will you review the day of the diesels set
masterdoctorten 3 months ago
@masterdoctorten i'm making that video right now, i will have the take n play set in the review as well along with a very interesting little intro
hopefully uploaded very soon
leokimvideo 2 months ago
Thomas
doctorwho3029 3 months ago
I Have The Same Little Loco From The 100 Piece set
ericpierre53 3 months ago
Great video!
Ffeifanc 3 months ago
In the USA, we have Racing Down the Rails for only 70 dollars, reduced from $180 for Christmas time!
xiaomeiish 3 months ago
cool video!!!!!!!!!
trackmaster1999 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
the thomas in racing down the rails needs some wight in the front
spdaylight1 3 months ago
The "Rheneas and the Rollercoaster" version of "Racing Down the Rails" seems to me to be better. True, it has no mud trap, but it is typically priced much lower, contains far less plastic, and best of all contains an exclusive Rheneas and narrow gauge coach.
tropicalfishswim 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
Here in New York, there's a wooden railway series called whittle shortline. They make EXCELLENT wooden diesel locomotives and wooden rolling stock and are based on real American locomotives and railroads. They're so good, a single car or loco is about $20 and a train set for almost $60. How's that for what you get for your money?
TheNw1218 3 months ago
Diesel 10 went from having his default face from TATMR to a wierd "rape" face.
Damn HiT, you scary.
RandomRobloxian 3 months ago 2
@RandomRobloxian rape face..lol, that's a new one
leokimvideo 3 months ago
@RandomRobloxian Well now a days when I think of *HIT* I think of "cheap pedo retards"
octivenote 3 months ago
I accept the fact that they use plastic in Wooden trains, because it adds to the durability. I even collect plastic figures for my future wooden train project.
trainguy111 3 months ago
Hey Leo, did you know that Brio used to make Thomas products? I would have stuck to Brio given the amazing wheel sets on the engines.
StevenFiedorReviews 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@leokimvideo is this box bloat? Nope...... Just chuck testa.
legomotion836 3 months ago
hey leokimvideo d10 is not happy he is grinning eviley
rglowacki71 3 months ago
@leokimvideo I was wondering if you have seen the current sale that Myer has on the Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway range. They have an identical set to that of Racing down the Rails (called the Rheneas and Roller Coaster Set for $99.95 (reduced from $229.95), and the Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor set for $79.00 (reduced from $199.00). It is interesting to see the massive price drops in these toys - perhaps they realise that the sets are not worth that much.
1picrick 3 months ago
@1picrick yes I did see that sale, and I went down to my Myer to see the wording on the Rheneas and Roller Coaster Set, but there were none in stock. As I state in the video the brand name trains can be found at heavily reduced prices if your prepared to wait and then possibly miss out.
Whats your thoughts of Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor for $79, is it a buy at that price..??
I have a feeling with a Myer one card you get another 10% off, but don't hold me on that
leokimvideo 3 months ago
@leokimvideo I think it is a better buy than it was, but I feel that the price is still too much to be acceptable for what it is. One can see clearly from the Aldi train set that a wooden railway cannot be too difficult or expensive to make (considering they only produce a limited amount, and it is not continuously stocked), and that Thomas and Friends has taken to relying on its brand name and dominance of the market. Personally, I would still go for an Aldi set over the Steam Around Sodor set.
1picrick 3 months ago
@1picrick i think the steam around sodor set is aimed straight at collectors, possibly at the reduced price it's a good buy as it's definitely a quality product
leokimvideo 3 months ago
@leokimvideo True, although as a toy it is still a little limited for that price.
1picrick 3 months ago
Would you be open to doing one of these for TOMY/TRACKMASTER type sets?
thomasj219 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@thomasj219 hi, i'm actually dead against the trackmaster rail system, now I see there is a bunch of different colours in that track variety, i'm old fashioned and like the old blue tomy track which was reversible
leokimvideo 3 months ago
@leokimvideo As am I, I loved the old style, it was what I grew up with. Don"t know why they would change that. There are a lot of options for this type of video, maybe a BACHMANN, HORNBY comparison with some bargain HO electric toy train brands (if there are any) thrown in. Anyway thanks for getting back to me, love your videos hope to see more from you soon.
thomasj219 3 months ago
@leokimvideo Tomy still make the old blue track in their new sets
cubeproduktion 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
That was really funny when your were trying to make Thomas go down the other way. Hitting the table and shaking the set.
TheRManProds 3 months ago
excellent review!! because of this, i just bought an aldi train set..thank you for your inside :)
Trackmaster14 3 months ago
When I saw the Racing down the rails set, I felt it was missing some trucks for Thomas to pull. That detracted from the value of the set.
Also, I felt that the Dieselworks set was lacking. I thought that they could have stuck in either Dart, Den, Norman, Sidney, Paxton or even Dennis and maybe even put in a wagon with Flynn's Hose. Also the turntable should have been a six way that lead to a small switch where sheds were for two engines.
ShuntingTank043 3 months ago
@ShuntingTank043 I have just seen a set very similar to racing down the rails, it features Reneaus I do wonder what the wording on the box says in relation to the way the set plays
I agree the dieselworks seems a bit dry, but remember it's all about the need to buy more toys to make it all work, the days of mega sets with everything seem to be over
yes the one engine shed is a bit weird when you consider what happened in the film, it looks like all you get is diesel 10's little hide away
leokimvideo 3 months ago
When you bash the table to make Thomas move, it's like you're a very angry child. Recreating the reaction and the action. Very clever.
DTChapman1 3 months ago
@DTChapman1 dare say I was stunned by the lack of action of Thomas racing down the rails
leokimvideo 3 months ago
Wait if thomas and chuggington wooden rails are made by one company then why do they have different quality?
jarvis1st 3 months ago
@jarvis1st i don't think the quality is lacking, but the base designs are very different, i feel chuggington lead the way when it comes to plastic in wooden train sets
leokimvideo 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I have bought a good train set in a trift store once, you should check it out on ninjakio930 in a few minutes.
930Studios 3 months ago
THAT WAS AN AWSOME VID
ericpierre53 3 months ago in playlist Favoris de ericpierre53
$200 USD / AUD is around 125 GBP, now I say AUD USD as at the moment our currencies are riding at around the same level on the markets
where i live there is a 10% GST applied to goods and services
i used the XE currency converter to extract these figures
leokimvideo 3 months ago
What is $200 in GBP (£)?
loghead19 3 months ago
You should do a video of the $200 double Aldi set you talked about in the video
commanderfox360 3 months ago
You're pretty much paying for the brand name when you go for Thomas and Chuggington merchandise
DiamondThomas 3 months ago
@DiamondThomas this video really exposes just how much more your paying if your not careful, mind you once I start doing some destructive testing those high prices may be there for a reason
dare say those big names have massive advertising budgets, teams of staff and need to keep producing TV material, none of that ever comes cheap
pretty sure George Lucas showed the world that toys connected to a film can generate massive amounts of income
leokimvideo 3 months ago
I enjoyed this video very much. I thought that "Percy at the Dieselworks Set" would be a flop. However, with your positive review, I will get it. Can't wait to see you in depth review on that set!
HenryisGreat15 3 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@HenryisGreat15 the percy at the dieselworks is a interesting set, some argue that sets based around parts of films don't work, I feel it would make a excellent addition to a much larger wooden layout
the bit I don't understand is why have they softened diesel 10's features, he used to be the classic bad guy and i'm pretty sure all will agree with me the new diesel 10 face is a fail face
its a great set to land all your diesels, the two loop tracks around the main shed seems suited for that
leokimvideo 3 months ago
I had no idea what people get for their money here! $200 buys alot more than I thought!
MasterOfTheLemons 3 months ago
Great video! That did not feel like 20 mins at all... I could have carried on watching! Thank you for all your hard working in putting this together Leo, and for such an informative and informed review. Looking forward to the next in this series.
myoldreteacher 3 months ago
@myoldreteacher thanks, all these sets will end up having a very special home, that will be revealed at some point in the future
leokimvideo 3 months ago
THis is a great video, my brother enjoyed it and he dosen't even like thomas! I think your $200 idea is definately the best choice! It is interesting how much trackside senery the cheaper sets have, the thomas and chuggigton sets have next to nothing in the way of trackside. I think the cuggington set look...lqame. Very plastic, and ....cheap! You must have spent a lot of money on all these sets! The thomas and chuiggington sets are so expensive!! I look forward to the crash testing!
cyril227ify 4 months ago
@cyril227ify i know many of my viewers have wooden railways, and this is a video quite a few asked for, initially I was going to look at 5 sets but then that blew out to 7
the day of the diesels set was a very interesting inclusion to have when compared to the chuggington roundhouse
leokimvideo 4 months ago
WOW you are a big spender when it comes to all things thomas! XD Yes I am really pleased you did this video, it was great to watch, as all your videos are!!
Yes it was, I much prfer the day of the diesels set, i am was not very impressed with the chuggington and i got the feeling you weren't either! I liked the comparision between the thomas set for $200 and what you would buy for $200. i know what I would go for! You choice is way better!
cyril227ify 3 months ago
@nojake1995 for the price it's a massively disappointing set, without a special Thomas it's a fail set
leokimvideo 4 months ago
15:01 were you mad? becouse you could just push it again.
douglaskim777 4 months ago
@douglaskim777 well I had spend well over $200 for a wood set which for me did not perform as I expected, dare say you would be mad as well
it should be re-named, push me up the mountain spiral to race down the rails
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo yeah I agree
douglaskim777 4 months ago
My very 1st set was imaginarium.
lovfortrains 4 months ago
Thanks!
chlorophylfactor 4 months ago
Brilliant, informative video. Thanks Leo!
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski loads of the ideas for this video came from looking through forums ( adults speaking about shopping tips) and seeing parents get very confused about the wooden railway train sets, the repeated theme of these forums was the cost of some sets and how little you got for your money, the next big topic was which track works with which.
I'll be honest here the whole wooden railway thing is scary, some prices are off the scales and the inclusion of plastic is really sad to see
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@simierski it's a vidoe with loads of info for parents and hopefully they will get an idea of how to beat the stupid high prices on some wooden railways
once you start punching through the $200 mark for a children s toy I first expect it to work as described on the box, and to have great play features. I let my son play with race down the rails and he lot interest withing a few hours, the mud trap was the only thing he really enjoyed, the track spiral was a non event for him
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@simierski dare say it seals any chance for me to ever be aligned with the toy giants, because i say it as it is. my gut feeling is the audience enjoys the truth and that's going to power this video
lets hope the big toy companies have a closer look to what they pump out, i'm tired of seeing expensive toy which should be much better than what comes out of the box
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Spencer looked severely crossed after hitting the mud! XD
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski that racing down the rails set needed a spencer, it's a really sad set for a number of reasons, just about everyone has agreed with me on this aspect, lets hope Hit takes note of this.
what confused me was there were heaps of glowing reports about this set, amazing tales from parents who said it had their children really enjoying the play on this set, i'm now highly suspicious of the comments of feedback on sites selling these toys, got a feeling it's all there to aid in selling
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Great combinations too. Great consumer advice.
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski as I said loads of the ideas come from seeing parents chat about these sets in forums, it's a wooden railway minefield, bombs everywhere
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Chuggington seems a bit bare!
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski its a very strange set as the roundhouse in chuggington is actually 2 level. It does have the ability to key into other parts but thats more money
possibly the only thing going for the chugger set is you get two very popular characters, maybe a chugger fan will defend this set, strangely they always seem fairly quiet but love watching the videos
leokimvideo 4 months ago
What is with the bridges? They all seem to have different heights.
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski there was a tuber who alerted me to this bridge height thing, and that many sets have fail bridges, thats ok as kids can then just trash them
leokimvideo 4 months ago
There seems to be a pattern for the cheapest ones - poor axles and wheels.
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski yes the first two sets have poor rolling stock, but loads of cheap track and little bits of detail for a layout
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Pity about the sloppy wheelsets on the first set. Otherwise it looks quite good quality.
simierski 4 months ago
Just started watching this, bear with me! Now hosted.
simierski 4 months ago
@simierski ok i will return the fav with ep 6
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Hmmmmmmmm.... The only one I would buy is Thomas and maybe a slight chance of chuggington. However your idea with the $200 set Is VERY smart.
ThomasTheTankMoosh 4 months ago
I wonder if the battery Thomas would get stuck on the old clickety clack track.
reedman9 4 months ago
@reedman9 whatever is going on here it's highly embarrassing, el chepo track loves the battery powered all metal wooden thomas
leokimvideo 4 months ago
hey leo, I think I know why there is "box bloat" in most sets. It's because that if you want to put any set (thomas, chuggington, LEGO in particular), and do not want to lose the pieces, you put hem back in the box. But because you've thrown out the litte cellophane bags the stuff came in, when you put it back the amount of space the toys take increases dramactially, and makes it very hard to shoehorn everything in with a box with very little bloat. Though it's still ahrd with LEGO sets anyway.
turbo1431 4 months ago
@turbo1431 when i threw back in the Thomas and Henry around Sodor it presented me with two thirds box bloat, and I am being kind here. I did video the this but left it out of the video as it looks so bad for those selling this stuff, maybe I will tack it onto a video in the future as a bit of a throwback
all sets went back in their boxes easily, box bloat seems to be there for sometimes making a big box for display, big box looks good with big price
leokimvideo 4 months ago
The oil car in the TT set looks like one of your LPG Tankers.
Trainfanz 4 months ago
can you review the sonic and sega all stars racing RC toys sonic and knuckles?
argtyl 4 months ago in playlist More videos from leokimvideo
@argtyl well that sounds like an amazing toy, my daughter loves sonic stuff
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Toys R Us Are Selling Cars 2 Wooden Sets! I saw it in Highpoint AUS. We live in the same country. :D
WillJill89 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Yeah, same problem as we both live in the same country.
As I've got ERTL, and Wooden Railway to keep Thomas in check I felt I didn't need a thomas HO set, but as you point out, Thomas Hornby is cheaper than wooden railway , something which still suprises me and the Bachman stock is even cheaper, I was able to find a Bachman Edward for $109 and two trucks at a train show while my wooden railway is around $400 and the HO track sets I used cost me around $150 for a 16ft by 16ft layout.
BaiocoIslandFilms 4 months ago
i think the the chuggtion rondhouse
skylersutube 4 months ago
TT Set: For cheapskates
Aldi Set: For people looking for a good set at a good price.
Imaginarium: For those who are practical and modern.
Chuggington: Only for hardcore Chugginton fans.
Percy at the Dieselworks: For the adventurer
Thomas and Henry: Collectors
Racing Down the Rails: Way overpriced.
Freezingred2 4 months ago 9
@Freezingred2 well said, I totally agree with your thoughts here
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Funny that Chuggington sets are cheaper than Thomas. A lot of the times I see that Chuggington wooden trains are for sale for $12.95 and Thomas for $12.99 or even $14.99, yet Chuggington Wooden is bigger and more detailed. The chuggers set has a great advantage, as for you get a trainset and a roundhouse, usually kids want to put their trains to sleep, and that set allows them to do so, as for none of the others do. Thomas sets are good, but they are overpriced. Chuggington prices stay in range.
CalleyFan 4 months ago
@CalleyFan on chuggington I see where I live they have pricing which is always just under a related Thomas price
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo who knows, people sell thomas for all different prices. In my area its always between $12.99 to $14.99. When i was a kid growing my mom said thomas wooden was about $7-$9 an engine, but that was when things were reasonably priced, but Chuggington toys seem to be priced at an acceptional amount, at least the Die cast, Wooden, and MEGA Bloks, which I have yet to own. I feel you will like Chuggington MEGA Bloks much more because it is so more exciting.
CalleyFan 4 months ago
That is just horrible a Thomas set that is that expensive should have that spiral working fine, this is were as u said a "special designed" Thomas would come into play. I wonder how the electric Thomas would fair on that set?
It just goes to show that the cheap stuff isn't always bad...
Lumpyrox1412 4 months ago
@Lumpyrox1412 dare say the big lesson i learned is sometimes the box artwork and wordings can sometimes paint a great picture in your mind, the reality is sometimes fairly different
leokimvideo 4 months ago
13:34 Thomas in the background, "what am I doing".
ThomasandRiofan 4 months ago
Thomas wooden stock is expensive though, after building up a minor layout I actually found it was cheaper to build a fullsize HO layout in my shed, the cost is the main killer with these
BaiocoIslandFilms 4 months ago
@BaiocoIslandFilms how about this for a thought, the lego passenger train from 2010 is around the same price as racing down the rails, now I know which one I would have and remember lego where I live is super expensive compared to the US price
the Hornby Thomas with passenger train and freight cost me $200, for some reason the Thomas wood pulls a really high retail price where I live
leokimvideo 4 months ago
I'll admit, I like plastic sometimes in the sets, but too much is TOO much. Shame everything has gotten so cheap in the years. Original Wooden Railway sets were much bigger and it had a lot of detail, but now the sets are small and it's all cheap sh*t. What's happened to quality in toys these days?
UnknownThomasFan1 4 months ago
@UnknownThomasFan1 possible the only good aspect to the inclusion of plastic in wooden sets is it keeps the price down, but i'm with you about the too much plastic in some sets today
dare say plastic in wooden train sets is now just a fact of life
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Thomas and Henry Steam Around Sodor was a previous set for the 60th Anniversary of Thomas. Though the set is nice, it is just a 'repaint' of a classic set. I think of the set was still badged as an Anniversary, people (and I) would be more willing to pay the higher price.
StartugSunshine 4 months ago
@StartugSunshine it's a lovely set but the price kills me once I look at it compared to the others in this review
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Have you ever heard of GeoTrax?
LongArmProductions 4 months ago
@LongArmProductions no
leokimvideo 4 months ago
A lesson I have known for years for all to see WOODEN TRAINS ARE EXPENSIVE!
MultiGreenThunder 4 months ago
@MultiGreenThunder they are expensive but also a classic toy, that link I have in the more info about the grtiiy background of this system is well worth a read, sadly some companies today are stuffing with a classic format by adding loads of plastic
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Wow, funny to think that almost twelve years ago when I used to play with this. Like 99% of the sets had wood. Now it seems like plastic is all the rage. Could it be that plastic is cheaper than wood? I used to think it was the other way around.
ArtsBoi14 4 months ago
@ArtsBoi14 the plastic fantastic change over is become all the rage, al we need now is a REAL PLASTIC sign on the boxes along with the REAL WOOD
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Haha, yeah. Or "REAL MATERIALS" just for kicks.
ArtsBoi14 4 months ago
Wow...the last set was a complete RIP OFF!!!! :(
josephmlong 4 months ago
@josephmlong sadly your correct, but has glowing write up's all over web sites selling this set
leokimvideo 4 months ago
I never liked the idea of having sounds applied to buildings. It takes away a bit of the imagination and fun of creating your own sound effects. Even so, I must say that I do find the 'Day of the Diesels' set to be the most appealing of the lot. Plenty of interactive and moving parts as well as lots to look makes a definite winner for kids. When I was younger wooden railway was extremely pricey so I only owned a few pieces from that range. My parents preferred to by me the Tomy stuff.
SilverZEntertainemnt 4 months ago
@SilverZEntertainemnt nice comment, i too prefer the Tomy Thomas stuff, thats what I bought my daughter when she was younger, these days I have loads of Tomy stuff
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Yeah, I always enjoyed the fact that the wooden trains were compatible with my Tomy track.
SilverZEntertainemnt 4 months ago
RACE DOWN THE RAILS FAILS!
TrainzXtreme 4 months ago
@TrainzXtreme correct, and look how much it costs
leokimvideo 4 months ago
And you're right, Marklin is a massive rip off, but it'sm a premium brand too....
TrainzXtreme 4 months ago
@TrainzXtreme mayve when I do the destructive testing we will see the Thomas stuff show what it costs so much, but who knows a no name may be as good
leokimvideo 4 months ago
I remember my first Wooden Railway set. It was a figure-8 shape with a driver, stop and go sign, and an arch bridge.
LNER4771 4 months ago
all the original evil diesels from TTTE are now good
Legoghost14 4 months ago
@Legoghost14 why, that evil side to them was one of the best parts about the franchise, evil characters are the backbone to every classic story, and Snow White is a classic example.
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Way to much plastic in the Cuggington set
TrainzXtreme 4 months ago
@TrainzXtreme agree, remember it's the same company Learning curve behind the Chugg and Thomas sets, has me wondering how much plastic will Thomas have in years to come.
If there is a large amount of plastic I feel the 'real wood' sign is misleading
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Well more like next year. Because of Learning Curves licence to the Thomas brand exspires at the end of 2012, then Mattel (who now owns HIT) will be the ones releasing it starting in 2013.
Also, if you want a good example of a character who's more plastic then wood, look no further then Byron.
Omeganui 4 months ago
i love wooden railway if u need help with your layout i have a skype
thomaswoodenrailway3 4 months ago
it is very sad that the trains are rip offs.
trainguyrocks 4 months ago
Very interesting idea--combining how you did with the ones you chose. Although I haven't picked up any Thomas sets in several years, I must agree with your assessments. The primary issue I have with new Thomas sets currently on the market is they are primarily vulnerable plastic and bland destinations. Destinations with character, story and participation in them like the Coal Station, Smelting Yard and Works' Shed have long since disappeared from these sets it seems.
OrigamiAirEnforcer 4 months ago
@OrigamiAirEnforcer the concept for this video comes from seeing web forum chats from parents trying to work out which wooden railway is the best value, seems there is much confusion related to tracks and rolling stock
in essence most parents are intending to purchase Thomas & Friends but the very high price has them wary, this video aims to show if you do clever combinations you can make a massive wooden railway with a few hundred dollars
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Something that was really sad to see was the company withdrawing its backing of its products in about 2003. I believe it was a turning point for the brand. Thomas used to have many of the elements present in the cheaper sets such as trees. TWR no longer offers trees by themselves, and there are at most a scant few in a set like those shown. It appears TWR took its following for granted and is now trying to demand prices not justified by their products' contents.
OrigamiAirEnforcer 4 months ago
Comment removed
OrigamiAirEnforcer 4 months ago
@chasesutherlandfilmz yes, at least that would tie in with the story going on in the video it's attached to
even a Spencer would have been a great splash
leokimvideo 4 months ago
that first chuggington set was not worth $160. Too small
Snotrod191 4 months ago
@Snotrod191 agree, compared to Percy at the Dieselworks it makes the Chugger set look very overpriced
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@LinkandRutofan the last thing i pounded was the fail Hornby controller I had with my Thomas HO set, just replace each pound with the word fail.
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Nice video Leo. I was thinking of buying that Racing Down the Rails set as well as possibly Percy at the Dieselworks one too, but now after this review, I might have to reconsider.
About plastic in wooden railway: A little is alright, but too much ruins the point. I can't begin to tell you how frustrating it is to see a plastic turntable in the Percy set, when 15 years ago, they had a wooden one that looked much better. Oh well, times have changed I guess. Great video, and nice comparisons!
ThomasWoodenRailway 4 months ago
@ThomasWoodenRailway thanks, i know you have loads of wood and know your business here. sure there is the collectible and rare side to the Thomas sets where people can have items which can bring a nice return
on the racing set i see some call it an ascending spiral and they knew it was never designed for down hill racing, i do struggle with the wording on the box and some of the amazing web write ups the set has obtained, dare say it's always buyer beware
leokimvideo 4 months ago
The Aldi coaches look squashed. Also, is the ascending track up to the top of the chuggington roundhouse steeper than normal thomas ascending track?
TheRailfan747 4 months ago
@TheRailfan747 we will need a wooden rail expert to answer the track chugger v thomas ascending, dare say in time it will be answered
leokimvideo 4 months ago
Where do they come up with the prices of some of theses sets.
penninefilms 4 months ago
@penninefilms my now empty pocket, but in the end I have a very special home for all these sets and this will be the subject of another video
i'm not interested in keeping them as I don't do wooden railways
leokimvideo 4 months ago
@leokimvideo Thanks for the reply and I have to say it was a very interesting review you did on theses train sets.
penninefilms 3 months ago
You make the only 20 minute YouTube videos that me and my kids will watch all the way through.
kkehoe5 4 months ago
@kkehoe5 in time I will see if tubers are watching this via insight, my ut feeling is once you crack the 4 min mark on the tube you loose large amounts of audience, take a note that just about all the mega tubers rarely produce videos longer than 6 mins
leokimvideo 4 months ago
not so happy with racing down the rails i see
14Golbeck14 4 months ago
@14Golbeck14 no, it's totally overpriced but has all these glowing reviews across many web sites, even buyer feedback which speaks of the amazing play action....has me thinking it's all a scam of sorts
i feel the mud trap is in the wrong part of the set, once it's re-configured it's a fun but very expensive set
leokimvideo 4 months ago
The new style Thomas track was specially made for battery powered engines. The funny thing is that they work better on the older style. Do your research, and find out more about the older style clickety clack track
3HenrytheGreenEngine 4 months ago
@3HenrytheGreenEngine the fail of the battery powered Thomas on Thomas track is surely an embarrassment to the toy giant which is Thomas, i'll have to admit it certainly surprised me mind you I used to run this train on the old blue Tomy track and he loves that.
anyway all metal battery powered toys on wooden systems is in my books not needed, kids love to push toys around by hand on these sorts of trains sets, that's fairly common sense for many
leokimvideo 4 months ago
That was informative. $200+ Australian Dollars for only 20 something pieces and no scenery in a Thomas set. That isn't exactly good value for you. Using the same amount to build a better layout that includes scenery, rolling stock, etc. is a better way to go.
Blur4strike 4 months ago
@Blur4strike all the prices in this video are full retail prices I am exposed to, possibly they are less expensive in the USA as I have seen just about everything is far less expensive there compared to Oz
Sadly for me what I thought was going to be the most impressive and expensive set became the fail set.
leokimvideo 4 months ago