Customer Reviews

Trackmaster - James w/ Tender and Freight Car

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.