fall inside a hole
Tomy Bring-Along-A-Train/Tote-Along Train/Thomas (1982)
First written July 13, 2024Tomy produced a small folding train set toy seemingly around 1982. The set includes a wind-up train with open wagon that can carry the included horses and a figure-eight layout with station and scenery. In the late 1990s, Tomy released an updated Thomas the Tank Engine licensed version of the toy, as they did with several other of their older train-themed toys.
Tote-Along-Train (1982)
The American release of the Bring-Along-A-Train was called the Tote-Along-Train and was released in wood-boarded black packaging seemingly first in 1982. The European version uses different stickers and white plastic where the American version uses yellow.
Set contents| Quantity | Item | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Train |
 |
| 2 | Ponies |
 |
| 1 | Station |
 |
| 2 | Trees |
 |
| 2 | Fence |
 |
| 1 | Bridge |
 |
| 1 | Carry case base |
 |
The little train in this set is colorful with an attached car to carry the horses included in the set. The winder handle on mine has split and fallen off - I need to model and 3D print a new one...
The station has a boom gate that holds the train back to start and stop it. Pushing the chimney down fast enough produces a little whistle noise. This release was produced in Taiwan.
I do have all the fences and horses for this release, so at least it still looks nice and complete all set up for now.
Thomas the Tank Engine Tote-Along-Train (1997)
In 1997 a Thomas the Tank Engine licensed version of the set was released in the United States as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Tote-Along-Train. Like some other 1997-era Tomy Thomas toys, some releases were distributed by International Playthings.
Set contents| Quantity | Item | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas the Tank Engine (wind-up with attached carriage) |
 |
| 2 | Ponies |
 |
| 1 | Elsbridge Station |
 |
| 2 | Trees (two different types) | |
| 2 | Fence |
 |
| 1 | Bridge |
 |
| 1 | Carry case base |
 |
My American example of the set is unused and still in its inner cardboard frame. The U.K. example below can be seen in more detail.
Thomas Bring-Along-A-Train (1997)
Around the same time or perhaps shortly after a European Thomas Bring-Along-A-Train version of the set was released. Like other European market Thomas toys of the era, distribution for all of Europe was handled through Tomy U.K. with mostly text-free box fronts and multilingual backs so that one box could be used in multiple regions.
Set contents| Quantity | Item | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas the Tank Engine (wind-up with attached carriage) |
|
| 2 | Ponies |
|
| 1 | Elsbridge Station |
|
| 2 | Trees (two different types) | |
| 2 | Fence |
|
| 1 | Bridge |
|
| 1 | Carry case base |
 |
Thomas comes with an attached open wagon which can fit one of the ponies included in the set.
Similar to the original sets, the European and American bases have different stickers applied. The colors and stickers used elsewhere match between the two sets. My example is missing the two trees and one of the fences.
Like the original, Elsbridge Station contains a bell that is rung when the chimney is pressed down, and a gate can be lowered to start and stop Thomas. These sets were produced in China.
The wind-up motor in the train has enough power to go around the layout a few times.
Bring Along Thomas/Thomas Bring-Along-A-Train (2001)
In 2001 a new green-case version of the Thomas set was released in Europe, North America, and some other territories. Although there are some different regional box variations, the contents and stickers on these sets appear to be the same. This set was released again in an updated box in 2006 in the United States.