Is there a market for a "scale" Thomas the Tank Engine O-Gauge product line?

That's a great-looking model Ted. That's all I need is to get into European trains now too.....

Nick, to me that would be like wanting a scale Mickey Mouse. Don

I'll reiterate:

I think the word scale got misinterpreted here. I meant it in the sense of fidelity to the trains on the show, which themselves had a reasonable amount of detail in areas such as the cab and drivers.

Ted, that's great!

Honestly, I think you would have a better chance of MTH making models of the real engines, then customizing them to be close to the The Railway Series pictures (the books written by Rev. W. Audry).

Also, if you want a good Thomas series, this has to be one of the best I have ever seen! 

http://www.youtube.com/user/WildNorWester

Nick, I think this is an interesting question. Speaking only for myself I think the current model is fine on the top but the drivers really do look crummy when compared to the Bachmann HO model pictured above. I agree that you don't want an ultra detailed Thomas like similar to high end Lionel or MTH because I seriously doubt it would sell but if they simply updated the drivers to me that would be enough. The thing is lots of detail is not needed anyway because the prototype (lets not the forget the 1:1 Thomas who brings in loads of money for tourist railroads) and the model from the show are not highly detailed locomotives themselves.

If Lionel offered it in 2 rail I would buy one in a heartbeat. I agree most 2 railers wouldn't but I would. I see no reason why I should be against running a Thomas or a Percy if a child or children came to see my layout.

I'd love to be able to get something similar in O gauge like Bachmanns HO line of Thomas trains. Lionels current line of Thomas is fine for kids and the occasional run on the layout but if there was a "scale" line of them I can see many layouts being designed to look like the TV show. I have actually thought about building a small HO layout with the Bachmann offerings as an interesting diversion from my O gauge obsession.

Jerry

Scale and Thomas are antithetical.

I guess if I ever get grandchildren it will become important to me.

For now, they are MY toys.

Guys, c'mon now are we reading the whole thread before responding? For the last time please, I'm not using the word "scale" in the typical sense here. I'm using it in the sense of fidelity to the TV show's models.

I'm sorry to have to sound like this, but it's the third time saying this now.

My kids loved Shinning Time Station so much that I actually bought some Hornby Thomas HO trains in England. Had planned on setting up an HO layout for them, then I took an Ertl Thomas and mounted the body on a 2037 motor and they could run him on my O gauge layout. The Hornby stuff is still sitting in storage!

The title is getting too wordy at that point. Instead, I've just added a note to the original post.

 we would be getting $1000 "thomas" enigines,a little to pricey for childs theme toys .to me, scale is scale, not scale fidelity,or thomas scale or whatever......... time to move on to the next weird topic,jim

First off, the concept we're discussing would cost nowhere near $1,000. Perhaps command control was just wishful thinking, but if the case is made for updated drivers and rolling stock, my best guess is the price jump would be $50-$200 on the various items. Secondly, I think you and a few others are forgetting the market this line would be directed at. Not children who just want to see Thomas trains run and don't care what they look like, but rather various older demographics who are either still active fans of the show or in my case very nostalgic for it and desire a more accurate product.

Finally, perhaps you should get in the habit of simply moving on when you don't like a topic instead of also taking the time to drop a rude post in it. There sure is a lot of genuine interest in this "weird" topic to boot, so don't let the door hit you on the way out 

Now, now... Play nice, boys.

BTW, in answer to the OP's original question... Let me just say, "no".

It looks like Bachmann has pretty well done the job for more accurate Thomas locos in HO. One thing that we have to remember is that O gauge is only a fraction of the entire model railroad market. It has been an interesting topic with a surprising amount of input.

Here's a shot of Bachmann's HO version of the old boy himself:

And here's the Hornby OO version, available to those who live in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.  I have one of these, and have fitted it with DCC control. 

I personally don't feel a need for an O gauge Thomas although I did purchase Bachmann's G gauge set to run for my nephew and his friends when they visit.

They love it and it's an exquisitely done, very faithful reproduction of the original as shown and explained in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfPF00yJies

If you're a Thomas fan, it'd be worthwhile for to you watch this if you've never considered G gauge. To me, Thomas doesn't get any better than this!!!

Regardless of the context of the word "scale"...no...there would be no market for it.

Then explain the market for Bachmanns HO line of Thomas trains? HO trains are not for little kids, way too fragile and to small for little hands to be used successfully. My grandson got the Gordon set when he was 4 and it was way beyond his level to use, fidgety couplers, hard to assemble HO track, constant derailments due to reversing at speed. So who is buying those trains? Adults that's who, whether for themselves or to operate for their kids so I think an O gauge version with simple electronics in it would be a great item. And since the HO crowd tends to be a little more scale oriented than those of us who swim in 3 rail waters makes the HO versions popularity even more puzzling, maybe O gaugers with a love of the TV shows realistic scenery coupled with a bit of nostalgic whimsy? We're the guys who buy the giraffe cars, alien cars, glow in the dark AEC switchers, Christmas, Halloween, etc. cars, Polar Express everyhting, put Dept. 56 types of buildings on our layouts alongside of Plasticville and then to think we'd not want a "scale" Thomas or Gordon, something just doesn't jive.

Granted the investment in tooling would be significant and a good bit of market research would need to be done, but how much was done for the Polar Express? Or was it more of a "I have a hunch this will sell kind of thing"?

Jerry

Jerry, we seem to be on similar wavelengths 

As for who's buying he Bachmann HO models, all the people on YouTube that make videos of them all sound like they're between the ages of 10 and 30.

What you mean ... "we" ?  I don't stretch my 3-rail fantasy world that far!

Although I did pick up a roofless Clarabel car for a buck at Goodwill, made a roof for it and sometimes run it behind a $5 "Beep" loco.

Jumijo:

I hope you don't mind me repsonding since you directed your question to Nicole. I've never visited Hatton's in person but I've ordered on-line orders from the store a number of times. Hatton's strikes me as the UK's version of Trainworld with its huge selection and attractive prices. The service is very fast as well. Depending upon how quickly things are moving at customs, the transit time can be about the same as ordering from a stateside business.

Bob

Actually, a good way to determine the popularity of Thomas in the modeling world is to pay a visit to the Bachmann Trains forum (www.bachmanntrains.com) and browse the "Thomas & Friends" sub-forum.

There are participants there who are VERY serious about Thomas, and the ages range from quite young (apparently) to old geezers (also apparently).  There are more than 50 pages of discussion topics related to Thomas, and it continues to be a very active forum.

Lionel was asleep at the switch for years while Thomas was already a popular children's show, then they finally came out with items in O and large scale. A day late and a dollar short. In the meantime the Thomas wooden-track trains are hugely popular and he and his friends are available in N and HO as well. Considering how pricey O gauge trains are across the board, and with not-so-expensive alternatives in other scales, I don't think "scale" versions of the Thomas trains would sell very well and I say that in the context of "scale" as the original poster intended. Just my two cents worth.      

Here are some photos of the Thomas series that I made up with O gauge / scale models and toys faces.

Gordon and Henry from Hogwarts models; I think Lionel could make these locos from the Hogwarts molds with a few modifications.

Toby, Percy, Donald and Douglas.

Photo of Mavis, Toby and Boco.

Kids love the many characters. 

 In the distance are James and Hiro and various vehicles and the Lionel Iron Harry/Bert Diesel and cars.

Time Lionel did a more scale tank car and some of the other cars.

Would love if something was available more to scale in the series.

Hi Jumijo,

I did visit Hattons once, a long time ago, but I still order from them fairly frequently. As Bob has mentioned above, their service is excellent. They have a very extensive range of products in all gauges, quick delivery and very keen prices. And all of that is backed up by really good customer service. I'll be ordering the new Hornby Southern 2BIL set from them as soon as they have it in stock. I spent many, many, hours riding in those when I was young, and I remember that they had really comfortable seats. 

Bachmann has done a good job a staying faithful to UK outline equipment for its line of Thomas rolling stock:

Bob

There already is a Command Control Thomas. I have one. I bought it last Christmas for my grandson. It was reviewed in OGR. It is compatible with TMCC or DCS. All you need is the hand held receiver that comes with it and it can run on any O gauge CC layout. At Christmas time I was running it along side of TMCC and DCS locomotives.True it doesn't have a full sound set but has a whistle and bell.

kj356, awesome job with painting up those Hogwarts engines!

I wouldn't worry with the naysayers.  I have two kids who both love Thomas.  I would love to have O gauge versions, except the Lionel ones look like garbage.  Plus, with my sound locos it's hard for them to stack up in the kids eyes.

I think that if the came out with new versions with better fidelity (maybe not 100% of the TV show but close) with smoke and sounds, it would sell very well at a price point of 300 USD give or take.  Seeing as the Lionel Thomas set can be had for under 150, I don't see why the above is not possible.

I don't think people are being "naysayers."  This is a forum and the thread asked the question about a "scale" Thomas.  Obviously the question is going to have two answers...those who think it would be marketable and those who think it wouldn't.  Both sides have given their reasons as to why or why not.  Very simple.  Matt

Indeed this thread was essentially started for the purpose of weighing the yays vs. nays and why. There is only an issue when the nay side puts forth a very rude dismissal of the idea.

I think they might come out with a scale Thomas right after they make the giraffes scale in the operating cars

In a scale/gauge filled with fantasy track, engines and cars, the fact that folks are poo-pooing this idea is rich.

Exactly, there are two choice, yay or nay.  The naysayer was not meant as some derogatory term, just an attempt to distinguish between the two.

I do find it funny how many so nay when this scale is in fact the least scale of them all for the most part.

Awwww. Don't blame Rich! It's not his fault.    (Otherwise, I quite agree with you. )