That's a good thing.

I will say what Lionel has done with the LC sets is pretty exciting too.  The remote was a big draw for the kids as well but Thomas got them to the table.

I can say this for the LC set, it ran non stop for 2 days with kids running full speed forward, reverse, and forward again.  The remote was dropped 4 or 5 times to a hard tile floor and the set just kept on running.  I was very impressed.

Marty- Same results here. Percy has been doing hot laps on our layout for weeks. Not a single issue. However, I did turn off the electronic chuff sound. The kids go nuts when they have a chance to run the train. The green machine has travelled the equivalent of Washington DC to Cleveland without a hiccup.

However- is it just NE Ohio kids or do all of them run it in reverse 80% of the time at speeds that would allow time travel if Lionel installed Flux Capacitors????

These are the kinds of products ( and in this case, events/meets ) that is what is needed to promote the hobby.  Thomas and his friends are a perfect way to do this!

Alan

I've known this all along Marty, but glad you had a chance to witness it and participate.

Many here complain about the fantasy, make-believe and licensed trains Lionel makes, as if these trains prevent Lionel from making what they want. Yet it is these products: the Thomas line-up, Polar Express, Peanuts and others that are reaching new customers. It make take some time, but this is where someone else's interest in trains will begin.

Too bad Lionel couldn't have gotten the Sponge Bob license. The starter set market is not MTH's strongest point (even though they do make quality sets, for certain).

Some years ago it was very easy to find these neat Sponge Bob figures in bubble gum machines for 50 cents... perfect size. I've incorporated these into some custom made Sponge Bob cars, which always get lots of happy reactions from kids. One of these days, I need to get a digital camera, learn how to use it and do some photos.

There's a vast divide between the sorts of trains commonly talked about here, and the sorts of trains like Thomas, that help grow the hobby, one train set at a time.

Yea where is my scale Legacy  Thomas with Whistle Steam and Blowdown

No question about it Marty, Thomas is the KING.

I noticed last week on Yahoo that Thomas was one of the top three items in their Top holiday Searches list.

Jeff Davis

Thomas is cool - at least if you are five years old.  To many kids of that age, Thomas is trains, and vice versa.  I guess later it becauses the Pollar Express, etc., but at age five . . .

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Among other things interesting to me about Thomas.  One of our several Thomas's had the mechanism that moves the eyesl back and forth break.  It is amazing how many (all) and how fast (near instantly) kids see that and remark on it!!!