Learning Curve Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway - Battery - Powered Percy

by Learning Curve

Product Features

• Die-cast metal chassis and body
• Chunky rubber-lined tires grip track to prevent derailing
• Easy-to-operate start button
• Special magnet helps keep rolling stock on the track
• Recommended Age Range 3 to 5 Years

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.6 x 4.4 x 6 inches ; 7.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0000630KZ
• Item model number: LC99719
• Manufacturer recommended age: 36 months - 5 years
• Batteries: 1 AA batteries required.
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #3,235 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)

  #46 in	Toys & Games > Preschool > Pre-Kindergarten Toys > Activity > Trains & Train Sets
  #40 in	Toys & Games > Play Vehicles > Trains & Railway Sets > Train Sets

• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Percy die-cast battery-powered engine features powerful four-wheel drive, easy start button, auto shutdown feature, light, and realistic detail. Requires one AA battery (not included).

Product Description

All aboard the next stop along the learning curve. The Thomas Wooden Railway System grows along with kids' increasing skills, offering years of enjoyable play and new adventures around each and every bend.

Percy is a character from the classic Thomas & Friends stories. Designed with big buttons for smaller fingers, this engine features a die-cast metal chassis and body, powerful four-wheel drive, easy-start button and more. Works both on and off-track. Requires 1 "AA" alkaline battery (not included).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compatible with wood Thomas sets; More durable than plastic, September 9, 2003

By	H. David Peirce "Zossima" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

This review is from: Learning Curve Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway - Battery - Powered Percy (Toy)

This metal battery operated Percy engine and his metal battery operated companions (Thomas, Lady, etc.) are for use with the wooden track. There are larger plastic battery operated engines that fit both the wooden track and the blue plastic track by Tomy.

This is a great product. Very well-constructed. Very durable. It can be switched on, go forward or backward, and it can be pushed manually--another reviewer complained that it could not be pushed, but it can be pushed.

Purchasing recommendation:
* Wait until appropriate age: Our son started with Thomas when he was 18 months old, but we did not buy any battery engines until he was 3. We wanted for him to use his imagination in pushing and pulling for a while. Now he sometimes sits back and just watches the battery engines, while at other times he pushes them.

* The metal engines are more durable: The metal engines cost more than the larger plastic battery-operated engines, but they are far more durable. They feel solid in the hand. They go both forward and backwards, while the plastic engines only go forward. They pull the wooden cars that your child may already have. They're just a better fit!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Percy has a lot of accidents, March 3, 2003

By	Chateau Margaux "winemaker" (Bordeaux) - See all my reviews

Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Learning Curve Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway - Battery - Powered Percy (Toy)

My daughter (3 years old) had to get Percy the battery-operated engine. I was trying to limit our engine purchases to just Thomas (battery and wood) himself. What the heck? We'll have two battery engines for our "investment" now. Well, Percy is as cute as a bug in a rug, but he tends to fall off the track at every switch tower, sharp turn, or any gap in the track most likely due to the fact that he only has four wheels (vs. Thomas' six). If he's hauling the other cars, they fall off with him. "Percy's a little accident prone" is what we tell our daughter. She still loves him! Maybe that's the lesson here---you've gotta help the engines get back on the track.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Percy Died!, January 17, 2006

By	Emily C. Coursey "Normal Human Being" (Southwest Missouri) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Learning Curve Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway - Battery - Powered Percy (Toy)

We bought battery-powered Percy for our 22-mo-old son for X-mas. He had no interest in any of his other X-mas presents after opening this one, and unfortunately this was the first thing he opened, so that was that. He has played with Percy EVERY DAY since X-mas, and suddenly Percy died- his back wheels no longer turn. I had hoped that for the price he would last longer than he did. I also must mention that he had some difficulty staying on the tracks in curves- and they were Thomas tracks, not generic. Percy kept falling off, especially when pulling cars. I suppose we'll be returning him, but after reading other reviews we may exchange him for two wooden engines instead- they don't break! And f.y.i.- Brio's and Imaginarium's battery-powered engines aren't much better- they use up batteries like I don't know what. On the positive side, Percy was thoroughly enjoyed by our son while he lasted, and he had more speed, power, and longer battery life than the Brio and Imaginarium engines.