Do you ever have Thomas pull other than his Friends?

That's funny! I placed Marvin the Martian as the engineer (Thomas remote set). Now, my 2 yr old grandson wants Marvin to drive all of the time. He places his Disney characters in Clarabel, but I am not permitted(by him) to place any in Annie. (Not sure how he knows the difference)

I am also not permitted to attach any of my rolling stock behind Thomas. I recently acquired Christmas Troublesome Trucks, but haven't introduced those to him yet.

I let him rule and I enjoy watching what he decides. I'll post a photo next time he is here and we'll see what he decides that day.

My grandkids didn't like it. I have eight or nine assorted traditional rolling stock - boxcars, flat cars, tank cars - I have shortened all to nine inches to match my BEEPS in length.  Thomas looks good pulling them, too, but like Moonman I am not ermitted to intervene.  Thomas pulls his train, period.

This is beyond my level of authority regarding the trains. My grandchildren make this determination, and it is to be disputed at great risk.

Gerry

My Thomas has hauled 8 hopper cars and a caboose on occasion. But only when I am alone in the house. 

These answers are funny.  Although I don't own a Thomas, a grandson does.  I showed him once that it could pull other cars, namely gondolas in which he could load items, but he wasn't amused.  Proper cars for the proper engine.

I Ran Thomas, the new remote model, at a train show for 3 days last week. I asked kids watching if they would like to see Thomas pull something different to Annie and Clarabel. I was told, in no uncertain terms, NO. Who am I to argue?  We ran all sorts of other high end trains, and Thomas was the clear favorite.

Thank heaven for kids with an interest in trains!  I have, some time ago now, seen

a replica Thomas (full scale) parked behind the enginehouse at Strasburg.  I think I

was told it traveled around and that I did once see it operational there, on a

"non-York" weekend.

I did not notice what it was pulling..sorry, I have my "pet" engine there, but wonder

with regard to this question, what if the kids saw this pulling something else (if it does?)?  I don't guess the Strasburg was using it to make up morning trains.

My grandson discovred that the MTH Christmas passanger cars with reigndeer names look allot like Annie and Clarabelle. He wants them instead of the originals because "they have people and lights "

Well, Jim, it's his right to do it. In all seriousness though, Thomas has to be the best thing ever for the model railway hobby. He will always feature on our club's layouts at shows and open days.

Dave you are certainly right! He loves Thomas, but will run anything & Everything, and his choice changes every day. Legacy, and DCS he runs without help, too!

Coloradohirailer, we'll be in Strasburg tomorrow riding behind Thomas, . . . and every other piece of operating motive that they make available to visitors. A full day of trains, trains, trains!

Here in the Baltimore area, kids are used to seeing Thomas pull other passenger cars, as he does on his visits to the B&O Railroad Museum. (photo 1)

They did question the placement of the caboose next to Thomas, rather than at the rear. they seemed satisfied when we said "Thomas wanted it there." So, when I ran Thomas at the National Capital Trackers Holiday Festival of Trains display at the museum, with TCA Bicentennial cars, there were no comments. (Photo 2)

However, when one is also in the role of "Mr. Conductor," Thomas will pull what ever you tell him to! LOL

Bill, I LOVE your story and photos!

Thanks, TrainsRMe. It was always a treat to work with such a useful engine. One little boy asked "why aren't Thomas's eyes moving?" His sister, maybe age 6, replied: "He's posing for pictures."

today we rode on thomas pullling a few strasburg passenger cars.  he was working hard!

When Thomas comes to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan where I work, the kids don't seem to mind that he's pulling our open passenger cars.  I don't know what the conductors tell the kids, but I guess they're too happy to see the "real" Thomas to mind.  B&O Bill is right.  He'll pull anything you tell him to pull.  He is indeed a VERY useful engine.

Being an S Gauger, there is no Thomas for me to run with my grandson, Sammy.  But since he's only 18 months old, I'll have to wait until he's more vocal to know what he's thinking.  I am just about done, and need a bit more time to paint him the proper colors.  I used a Flyonel (that's American Flyer by Lionel for you O gauge guys) Docksider chassis for the mechanism and sheet styrene for the boiler, cab and the two "tag-alongs" behind him.  I just need a few more days and I'm ready to paint.

Jerry

We have our tickets for the first trip of the day with Thomas on Friday at Strasburg.  Taking our 2 yr. old grandson and it will be a surprise for him and he is going to love it!  (Well, me too...)

You can check the entire 2013 schedule for the USA HERE.

Back to the original post topic- I have a couple RMT PRR Peeps I plan to add to the new Thomas set that he will be getting this Christmas. I don't think he will mind.

At our Pike Thomas is allowed to pull the same as any other useful engine.  Thomas pulls Peep cars all the way up to full scale auto carriers.  Only issue is I have to have my youngest tone down the number of cars to pull.

Jim

One day my daughter was sick, so we loaded a few gondolas with the fish from "That Fishing Game" and had Thomas pull them around the layout. We used the fishing poles and tried to catch the fish as he pulled them past.

J White

Yes a couple of times I put a few traditional sized cars behind my remote Thomas, however I find it more entertaining to have a challenger or SD70 pull Annie and Clarabel 

Great responses! Thanks.

I'm surprised that there are many little ones who are adamant about keeping it as on TV.

I like the tactic of declaring that Thomas needs to be a useful engine.

  --Joe

If Thomas is a really useful engine:  Anything that needs to be moved.

But he is on an Island layout......

Yes, Thomas pulls a variety of rolling stock on the modular club layout.

My favorite was when I ran Thomas in reverse pushing a Dash 8 CSX Dummy. To top it off, I put an angry face on 'ol Thomas. It looked like poor Thomas was getting dragged around backwards by a mean old Diesel. The kids hated it until I stopped, reversed Thomas and let Thomas drag the Diesel for a while.

Gilly