Trackmaster - James w/ Tender and Freight Car

by Trackmaster/Tomy

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2 x 12.6 inches ; 9.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• ASIN: B00000ISXS
• Item model number: 7444
• Batteries: 1 AA batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,235 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

James the Red Engine is one of Thomas the Tank's friends featured in the famed stories by Rev. W. Awdry from England. James comes with three cars to ride the rail on the Tomica Road & Rail System: a coal car, cattle car, and passenger car. One battery runs this plastic steam engine replica. Young fans of the Thomas the Tank book and TV series know just how much trouble James can get into; here they can create whole new escapades for this storybook train. --Lynne Sampson

Product Description

Includes James w/ Tender and one freight car - 3 pieces in all!

James measures approximately 4.5" long - tender and freight car measures approximately 3 inches long each.

The box is labeled with both the Trackmaster and Tomy symbols. According to the manufacturer, all of the Tomy engines and trackmaster engines are cast from the exact same die...so they are exact is size, wheelbase, shape, color...etc...so completely compatible as far as working with other engines/cars.

Requires 1 C battery (not included). Track is NOT included.

Not compatible with the Thomas Wooden Railway System.

Product Code: tomy-074446

by TOMY

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great but the pamphlet that came with it was misleading!, October 11, 2000

By 

Michael M. Kadri (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Trackmaster - James w/ Tender and Freight Car (Toy)

James the Red Engine,

The small pamphlet that comes with it to show how to insert batteries is misleading and incorrect.

Using only diagrams (with no words) it shows how to lift the cover of the caboose to insert one battery. The diagram also shows how to lift the cover of the locomotive to insert a second battery. Squeeze from both sides and lift up. Tried it, it wouldn't lift up. Used a knife to force the 2 parts of the locomotive to separate but luckily stopped short of breaking it. Finally used a screw driver to unscrew 4 screws on the bottom of the locomotive ... 7 parts came out ... what a mess, but wait ... there was no place to insert a battery either! Took me half an hour to put it together again while my 3-4 kid hovering around. What a relief when I finally flicked the switch on and the train wheels started to move. My son loves it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy Percy Instead, March 22, 2003

By 

Beabea (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Trackmaster - James w/ Tender and Freight Car (Toy)

My 3 year old loves playing with his Tomy Thomas Train Set so we bought him this to expand his original set. The Thomas engine in the original set took a lot of abuse from my toddler and it continues to run fine. However, the battery for James is pulled behind it in the tender car. There is a wire that connects the car to the engine. This wire broke after about two weeks of play so the engine doesn't run any more. The only good news is that my son is able to hook up the cars that came with this to his Thomas train to make a longer train.

My recommendation for younger children would be to buy Percy. The battery for Percy goes inside the engine, just like Thomas.
I think James would be fine for older children who can handle it more carefully.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars mom to alex, October 7, 2003

By 

Christine Navigato Coke "Mom of 2" (Commerce Twp., MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Trackmaster - James w/ Tender and Freight Car (Toy)

I bought this for my two year old to go with his Big Set. The battery is in the coal car and its' lid/cover keeps coming off! I have taped it on to keep my son from playing with a battery and that works for about one day. All the other trains that we have of this set have battery compartments in the bottom and you need a screwdriver to get to them. I do not like this James set. There are others that are better.