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Tomy Train (1988-1996)

First written April 16, 2024

TomyTrain was a train system developed by Tomy for international sale in the late 1980s. Tomy Train was a toy train system aimed at younger children with chunky reversing engines and magnetic couplings. Track was based on the Plarail track standard but made from dark blue plastic and the loading gauge was larger to accommodate taller trains. Engines and cars have magnetic couplings that are easy to connect and disconnect and figures and accessories have magnetic and other interactive play features. Many pieces included LEGO-style studded surfaces and the building toy compatibility was one of the advertised selling features.

Tomy launched the Tomy Train system as TOMYTRAIN or Tomytrain in Europe in multilingual packaging and as Tomy Train in the U.S. in 1988. American boxes used the white with red and blue line grid motif used by other "Preschool TOMY" toys in the U.S. at the time. European boxes were a dark blue. Both had windows to shown the trains included.

In 1990 the American range was expanded with new rolling stock and the first use of the magnetic feet as well as more involved use of the stud building system. In 1991 the American range was revamped with two sets in the Tomyville series with packaging reminiscent of the 1970s Playrail boxes, with older accessory packs still available in the white grid packaging into the mid 1990s.

The European range changed to using TOMY TRAIN stylized as with the period curvy Tomy logo and a bold stencil-like TRAIN around 1992, as well as using a cartoon of the driver figure named Tim the Train Driver on new packaging.

In late 1992 the first Thomas the Tank Engine series set was introduced, with several new Thomas characters coming out in 1994 and 1995. In 1993 new American sets were released under the TOMYVILLE TRAINS name before that was discontinued, with the only new 1994 and 1995 products for America being the Thomas series.

Europe meanwhile got new accessories and sets in 1994 with a revamped and a somewhat cut-down 1996 range using the name TOMY TRAINS with the curvy Tomy logo, a new yellow block text TRAINS, and a cartoon of the Tomy Train red steam locomotive and driver.

Production of some components was moved to Singapore for the last year of the Thomas the Tank Engine series sets in 1997, and the range was discontinued and replaced with Tomica World.

The TomyTrain series seems to have been most successful in the U.K. but was also released and sold for many years in America, Australia, and some other parts of Europe. After its discontinuation in 1997, Tomy would see more international success with the Tomica World range in the later 1990s and early 2000s. The exact distribution of some of these items was probably very limited and in many cases depended on if a regional Tomy variant decided to import the toys for their region. Tracking exactly which European countries imported which accessories in which boxes as well as what all was imported into Australia would be a herculean challenge - I have even seen an early TOMYTRAIN 1 with a Korean 토미트레인 or Tomy Train sticker on it before. I have not even seen some of the accessory sets mentioned below in any style of box before.

Trains

Tomy Train trains

Earlier (1988-1992 or so) trains and rolling stock have more studded surfaces that are compatible with LEGO, Tyco, or other similar compatible building bricks. This remained a selling point on boxes even after studs were removed from some trains (and some accessories). I have looked around and it does not seem like LEGO came after TOMY for the studs on Tomy Train, and as Lego's advancement to the plastic brick-building toy industry market was the underside "tube" support system and most Tomy Train items use studs but not necessarily any kind of mating tube I do not see how they necessarily could have. Studs remained on train bases and most other component besides roofs, buildable accessories,

Almost all Tomy Train locomotives share the same chassis with reversing gearbox, with a handful of later trains having some slight variations. A hanging metal reverser bar under the train interacts with reverser track pieces to switch the locomotive's direction. Exposed gear teeth on the driven wheels interact with racks in some sloped rail sections for guaranteed traction. All rolling stock uses magnetic couplings and many pieces have action or interaction features, with most cars sharing a similar black chassis with studs for the different car parts to be added.

1313 Engine, Carriage and Driver Set (1988)

The three initial Tomy Train engines were a red American-style steam locomotive and an American diesel in Amtrak and Santa Fe-style liveries. In 1988 packs containing a locomotive, car, and driver figure of the initial assortment were released in Europe in TOMYTRAIN style packaging.

These packs were the Amtrak-style train with yellow hopper, Santa Fe-style engine with matching box car, and the red number 12 steam locomotive with a red open-roof passenger car. These releases were all the "studded" versions of the trains and cars (where applicable).

1320 Car Carrier Set or Animal Wagon Set (1990)

Assortment of either two car carriers with cars or two plank wagons with animals. Sold in the U.S. and Europe.

Car carrier version includes red and yellow car in red and blue car carriers. A red carrier with yellow car is included in the Great Freight Train Set. Car carrier body shells overhang the train chassis.

The little car is neat. I like when Tomy makes a license plate read TOMY.

The animal wagon assortment has a green and red drop-side wagon. The doors to these wagons are often missing. The pack originally includes a cow and a pig. The tooling was later used with unique black-wheeled train bases in the Thomas series.

1327 Chug Along Express Set (1992)

European release #11 blue steam locomotive and blue chuffing "chug along" car. Individual release train with driver figure.

This car uses a partially-toothed gear on its rear wheels to rub a spring periodically. The spring is attached to a moving diaphragm, which amplifies the sound of the spring and produces a "chuffing" noise. My example does not have or has lost its production sticker.

This chuffing car is based on the old Plarail chuffing mail car and was first adapted for Tomy Train in the 1991 Tomyville Tunnel Train Set, also appearing in the updated 1993 Tomyville Trains Tunnel Sound Train Set. Also included in the later 1996 U.K. Tomy Trains range.

1328 Engine Assortment (1992)

In 1992 the initial three types of locomotive (red #12 steam locomotive, Amtrak-style diesel, Santa Fe style diesel) as well as the #78 green steam locomotive were released individually with driver figures in European TOMY TRAIN packaging. Releases circa 1992 would still use the studded version of engines, while 1993 and on production runs would have had the unstudded types.

1329 Carriage Assortment (1992)

Similar to the initial locomotives receiving individual releases, the Santa Fe-style box car, yellow hopper wagon, blue container and flatbed, and red open roof coach were all released individually in 1992.

Like the engine assortment, production may have spanned the period such that the Santa Fe style box car was sold individually both with and without the studded roof. Incidentally, the roof of the box car also looks nice on the otherwise open carriage as well as as a cover for the yellow hopper.

The flatbed of the container car also has an earlier studded variant.

1331 Inter-city Engine with Carriages (1992)

A European exclusive four-car high speed train with driver modeled after the Intercity 125 high speed train.

This train was released individually as well as in the massive Tomy Train 4 set.

It uses unique blue train bases with a rear car that hangs over its chassis' rear coupling.

My example is somewhat worn, and is missing the Tomy stickers at the front and back. The chassis for the engines was not produced in blue however the power switches on at least some versions apparently are - my example is either missing its original chassis or is of a variation where this is not the case. Interestingly, the previous owner removed the blocker piece in the battery compartment that prevents a second battery from being inserted in parallel (my theory is Tomy encountered too many people in focus groups putting the batteries in in series, like I suspect at least the average American probably would if encountering this battery compartment after disregarding the instructions, and this causes a short circuit that will heat up both batteries as well as the contact strips). This doesn't allow the train to get any extra speed, but theoretically it could pull more current or run for longer without changing batteries. As far as I know, the only Tomy Train to actually use two AA batteries is the Hi-Speed Express train, which has working headlights.

1336 Construction Wagon Set (1993)

In 1993 Tomy released their last brand new rolling stock for the Tomy Trains line which included a two-pack of construction wagons. The one pictured here, also included in the American Great Freight Train Set, is a cement mixer that spins as the train runs. The blue chute swivels and a magnet under the red section of the deck can hold a figure in place while the train runs. The second car in the set is a surveying car with an extending lift.

The two pack version was sold in Europe in the TOMY TRAIN packaging in 1993 and then later in the U.K. in the 1996 Tomy Trains range. It also includes a Tomy-hat figure.

1338 Hi-Speed Express (1993)

The last new individual train release, the Hi-Speed Express featured working headlights. Also included in the revamped-for-1993 Tomy Train 2 set.

Rail

Tomy Train rails

Tomy Train track is dark blue like Tomy Express and was first produced in Tomy's relatively new Thailand factory. The factory opened in 1987 and first produced Plarail in 1989, a year after Tomy Train seems to have first been released. Early rail is partially new Thailand toolings and old Japanese toolings which were moved to Thailand and updated with treaded rail surfaces while later track is a mix of later early 1990s Thailand toolings before eventually production shifted to Singapore in the range's twilight years.

1300 Straight Rail (1988)

Packs of six straight rails were sold individually for much of the range's lifespan in multiple regions. Early straight track is seemingly a fresh Thailand tooling with a treaded surface. The underside is marked THAILAND with a slot mark near the outboard connector

Half Straight Rail (1988)

Tomy Train half straights were not sold individually, with many appearing in sets from different eras as well as in some accessories like the Crossover Switch and Track Pack. Early Tomy Train Half Straight Rails are notoriously prone to splitting.

Later on a different less split-prone Thailand tooling was used, as seen here on this circa 1993 half straight rail.

1301 Curve Rail (1988)

Packs of six curve rails were sold individually for much of the range's lifespan in multiple regions. Early Tomy Trains curve track is a Japanese roughtop tooling that had tread added on top, with the oval bump over where the tooling originally said "JAPAN". Also present is the slot mark.

By 1993, Thailand-original toolings were in use.

1302 Stop, Reverse, and Half Rail (1988)

This pack included several rails not sold individually, although they appear regularly in sets.

Early Tomy Train Stop Rails are seemingly a rather old 1970s Japanese tooling that was originally all smooth. This tooling was later updated to have the serrated stopper platform, as seen here on a Tomy Trains stopper circa 1988. The treaded rail surface is actually fresh with no underlying roughtop layer as the stopper was actually updated with serrations before any kind of track tread. This earlier type can be spotted by its rougher underside and thinner stopper platform.

Later stop rails used more modern Thailand toolings.

Tomy Trains reverser rails were condensed down to half a straight rail from their older Round-Trip Plarail cousins. Otherwise, they have a very similar structure, and even revert to a roughtop surface around the directional changer.

See above for half straight track info.

1303 Point Rail (1988)

Pairs of turnout rails released in multiple regions. Early Tomy Trains switch track is prone to shrinking and splitting.

Later (1993 and on) turnouts seem to survive a little better.

1304 Slope Rail (1988)

The Tomy Trains elevation system is based around the taller loading gauge of Tomy Train trains, with the slope rails elevating track ~108mm to work with a system of red risers. This is taller than the Plarail Slope Rail and elevation system which is based on a ~65mm standard.

These slope rails are as long a two and a half straights horizontally as opposed to Plarail's two. The Tomy Train slope rails also include a rack on either side that the cogs on the engine's wheels engage with to give the motor a direct-drive against the rail. This makes sure an engine will pretty much always make it up a slope and also controls the train's speed when going down - it functions in some form like a real cog railroad. (This is somewhat humorous in a later Euro Park set where the "Big Dipper" coaster the train represents travels down the big hill just as slowly as it went up)

Tomy Train slope rails were initially produced in Thailand and later Singapore at the very end of Tomy Trains production.

Automatic Reversing Rail (1988)

In addition to the lever type half-straight reversers, these automatic reversers were included in many sets. These are very handy for putting midway down sidings so that a locomotive can pick up a train and then head forward out of the siding or to reverse any train in motion that would otherwise continue heading for a dead-end siding. The rail surface around the reverser is roughtop, and the underside of the tooling is different from a regular straight rail.

Similar to the "manual" Reversing Rail this is an evolution of the earlier Round-Trip Plarail reverser track piece, which funnily enough was produced in a familiar dark blue despite predating the Tomy Train standard by about a decade...

Ramps (1988)

Track-to-surface ramp pieces were first used to offer an entrance to the "road" in the standard Tomy Trains railroad crossing. It continued to be used in grey on the later yellow magnet-base stations on the attached road section.

In 1989 these were produced in red for the Plarail First Set. In the 1996 Tomy Trains range they were produced in dark blue. Decades later, they appeared in standard Plarail blue in a basic set.

Banked Curve (1988)

Premiering in 1988 in Tomy Train 1, the Banked Curve is a 90 degree curve rail with the footprint of two normal curve rails that raises up a modest distance in the middle. In addition to the long-lived Tomy Train 1, it was also included in the American Log 'n Load Set, the Euro Park set, and the Fun Day set. It was reused in light green as a hill piece in a Thomas-series Plarail set in the early 2010s.

1334 Tomy Train Track Pack (1990)

American track pack with eight straight rails, eight curve rails, four half straight rails, a pair of turnouts, a stop rail, and a reverser rail.

Single/Double Point Rail (1990)

In 1990 dark blue Single/Double Point Rails began to appear, with a pair in the 1316 Inter-City Station and one later included with the 1337 Automatic 3-Way Switch as the Plarail double rail standard was not well established in Tomy Train. Some sets also included single/double point rails.

Like in Plarail and the point rails, there is an A (convex single input and two concave branches) and a B (concave single connector and convex spurs) type.

1342 Adaptor Track (1990/1992)

First sold mail-order only in the U.K. in 1990 and 1991, later sold in a regular pack. Beginning in 1991 one of each type was also sold in 1326 Suspension Bridge. A few were also included in later sets, particularly ones that use the Y-shaped points.

Sloping Curve Rail (1991)

In 1991 as part of the 1326 Suspension Bridge pack dark blue slope curve rails that were originally designed for the Plarail mini block pier standard were released. There is an "A" type that curves up and to the left and a B type that curves up and to the right and they were only produced in the one joint configuration (I.E. to go up and to the left your track must currently end (or be able to be adapted into) a convex connector to connect a "B" slope curve.

These come from early 1990s Thailand toolings.

1335 Crossover Points (1993)

Tomy Train version of the Crossing Point Rail, oddly with an entirely new tooling that uses more plastic. Like the Plarail version, it includes four half straights which can be used with 12 curves to make a figure eight. The track change levers allow you to send a train straight or off to one of the adjacent branches in a tight turn.

Although seemingly based on the Plarail standard one, the Tomy Train crossover point is a solid piece of hard plastic instead of the softer and less filled-in Plarail type. Seemingly part of this was done so that all of the rail could be treaded - the crossover point remained roughtop-treaded for decades in Plarail.

1337 Automatic 3-Way Points (1990/1993)

First sold in the 1317 Siding Accessory Set, the Plarail three-way automatic switch was adapted for Tomy Trains and sold individually (with an opposing single/double point rail) and in some sets in Europe starting in 1993.

The later individual release from 1993 is marked Made in Thailand but I believe the earlier 1990 release from the siding accessory pack may be marked only Thailand.

1340 Y-Shaped Points (1994)

Tomy Train dark blue version of the Plarail Figure Eight Point Rail. These points have the footprint of two straights heading in opposite directions and can be used to build wyes and figure eights. Because of the connector configuration, one of the branches will have two of the same connector on either end. Included in some later sets.

These points come from Thailand tread-over-roughtop toolings that were originally from Japan (the oval marks in the points near the MADE IN THAILAND text is where the original JAPAN text was marked out of the mold). The double convex switch is the L switch and the double concave switch is the R switch.

Three-Way Points (1996)

Only included in a large Thomas-series set, the Plarail three-way "point machine" was released in dark blue. The lever on the side swings the directional decider between the three branches, with molding to allow a train to overrun the switch when set against it.

Sets

Tomy Train sets

Originally releasing the same sets in Europe and the U.S., the American and European ranges diverged in the early 1990s.

Initially, three numbered sets were released in Europe in TOMYTRAINS packaging and in America in white gridded Tomy Train packaging. Early European packaging has two variants, one for the UK and seemingly France and another that also includes German and Italian that uses a less bold font and a colored set number in a different typeface as opposed to the thicker text on the primarily English European boxes.

Year Region	Set name	Description
1988 Europe	1120 TOMYTRAIN 1	European release small "Basic Set No.2"-style set with red steam locomotive, tunnel, and station
1988 Europe	1121 TOMYTRAIN 2	Larger "Overpass" style set with diesel and freight train, road crossing, station, and elevated bridge
1988 Europe	1122 TOMYTRAIN 3	Biggest initial set, expanded overpass layout with operating crane and signal, bridge, forklift, and freight train
1988 America	1120 Tomy Train No. 1	American release oval with passing loop basic set. Includes steam engine, yellow well wagon, red coach and caboose
1988 America	1121 Tomy Train No. 2	American Release TomyTrain 2 with Santa Fe-style diesel locomotive, well wagon, box car, caboose, station, and railroad crossing
1988 America	1122 Tomy Train No. 3	American release TomyTrain 3 with Amtrak-style diesel locomotive, well wagon, container car, caboose and forklift

In 1990 the European and American market sets (and most accessories) split. Europe got an even larger Tomytrain 4 set, and in 1991 Tomytrain 3 was updated with a new train and updated accessories.

Year Region	Set name	Description	Photo
1990 Europe	1123 TOMYTRAIN 4	New massive European set with train based on the InterCity 125, bus, road crossing, Intercity station, engine wash, and more
1991 Europe	1125 TOMYTRAIN 3	Updated European Tomytrain 3 with green steam locomotive and new log loading station, engine shed, and bridge

In 1991 the Tomyville name was introduced for American sets, with the numbered sets being abolished in favor of two relatively small sets. In 1993 the range changed to using the Tomyville Trains name and the smallest set was updated slightly with a new large freight set also introduced.

Year Region	Set name	Description
1991 America	Tomyville Tunnel Train Set	Small passing loop type set with red steam engine, early variant of the chuffing coach, caboose, and tunnel
1991 America	1126 Tomyville Log 'n Load Train Set	American set showing off the new-for-1991 log loader with Amtrak-style diesel locomotive, log tipper wagon, caboose, and log truck
1993 America	1327 Tunnel Sound Train Set	Updated Tunnel Train Set with "Chug Along" style chuffing car, banked curve, and tunnel
1993 America	1135 The Great Freight Train	Large set with train shed and wash, crane, bridge, and freight train full of cargo features

In 1992 new and some carryover European products were released in new TOMY TRAIN packaging with a new Tomy Train 2 with updated train and components coming in 1993. New sets for 1994 and 1995 departed from the numbered schema.

Year Region	Set name	Description
1992 Europe	1120 TOMY TRAIN 1	Rerelease Tomy Train 1
1992 Europe	1125 TOMY TRAIN 3	Rerelease updated Tomy Train 3
1992 Europe	1123 TOMY TRAIN 4	Rerelease Tomy Train 4
1993 Europe	1121 TOMY TRAIN 2	New European intermediate set with the new Hi-Speed Express train and Signal Station
Europe	1136 TOMY TRAIN Passenger and Goods Train Set	Mostly unknown set that does not appear in catalogues with Santa Fe style train with red box car and coach on a fairly large layout centered around a crossover switch
1994 Europe	TOMY TRAIN Euro Park	Amusement park themed set with carnival train and several exclusive accessory variants
1995 Europe	TOMY TRAIN Le Shuttle	Channel Tunnel set with papercraft channel tunnel, combination car/passenger train, and French and English stations and landmarks

In 1996 a smaller mostly UK-centric range was released with several older accessories as well as the Thomas series getting new Tomy Trains boxes.

Year Region	Set name	Description
1996 Europe/U.K.	Busy Day Train Set	Oval layout set with small bridge and steam-drawn passenger train
1996 Europe/U.K.	1144 Busy Freight Train Set	Larger freight train set with crane and log station variants
1996 Europe/U.K.	Your Town Train Set	Big mixed freight and passenger set with Intercity style train, Intercity station, and other accessories