fall inside a hole
Tomyville Trains Tunnel Sound Train Set (1993)
Originally written April 18, 2024
The 1993 Tunnel Sound train Set was one of two new sets introduced for the 1993 American Tomyville Trains range of the Tomy Train system. The Tunnel Sound Set is based heavily on the previous Tunnel Train Set and in turn Tomy Train 1, being a small oval set with passing loop and red steam engine. The sound aspect of the set comes from the blue enclosed passenger car with internal "chuffing" mechanism, with no direct tie to the tunnel as the name sort of suggests.
The 1993 box design borrows from the previous 1991 Tomyville boxes which are in turn based on a series of wood-rimmed boxes Tomy first used in the mid 1970s.
Set contents| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 5 pieces |
Red #12 steam locomotive with "Chug
Along Express" car and caboose |
 |
| 1 | TOMY hat figure |
 |
| 1 | Half Straight Rail |
 |
| 8 | Curve Rail |
 |
| 1 | Reverse Rail |
 |
| 2 pieces | Turnout Rail (1 pair) |
 |
| 2 pieces | Tunnel |
 |
| 3 pieces | Fir Tree |
 |
| 1 | Stop Sign |
 |
The Tunnel Sound train is a fairly short passenger train consisting of the original Tomy Train 1 red #12 steam locomotive, enclosed "chuffing" passenger car, and buildable caboose. Being a later production set, the engine and caboose roof are the studless type.
The locomotive in this example was manufactured in June 1993. The passenger car, which is based on the old Plarail chuffing mail van, makes a chugging noise like a steam train by running a partially-tooth gear up against a spring which vibrates a diaphragm that amplifies the sound into a round chuffing. The previous Tunnel Train Set had the initial Tomy Train version of this chuffing car which was all blue with the thin "TOMY" sticker used on regular passenger cars, while this set uses the 1992 updated stickered version with windows on one side and "Chug Along" on the other to match with the "Express" on the engine of the European 1327 Chug Along Express train pack.
The tunnel in the set is the standard Tomy Train tunnel included in sets since 1988. Being a pretty basic set, it obviously does not have a ton going on.
The 1993 Tomyville Trains sets all share one instruction booklet which also includes the 1993 mail-in offer for 12 dollars worth of accessories.
Even being very small, smaller then the usual Basic No.2 Set-style layout, you can still have some fun with the reversing system of Tomy Train.
1993 was the last year of regular American Tomy Train releases. In 1994 and 1995 the only new Tomy Train releases in America were the Thomas the Tank Engine series trains and sets sold as the "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Battery Operated Railway" with no specific mention of the Tomy Train connection.