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Thomas the Tank Engine Go Out 3D Bag Complete Edition (2001)

First written August 14th, 2024

The Thomas the Tank Engine Go Out 3D Bag Complete Edition (きかんしゃトーマス おでかけ立体バッグ完全版) is a huge Thomas Plarail series set released in 2001. The set is centered around the large Thomas the Tank Engine Go Out 3D Bag and features a large bridge, turnaround rail, and branching paths with station.

This set was first released in 2001 when the Going Out Bag was still relatively new and continued to be on sale into the later mid 2000s.

The example shown above is marked for sale in 2006 with updated stickers over an original 2001 print run box - it seems that Tomy printed many copes of this box in 2001 and continued to use them even as their phone numbers and the components of the set changed materials slightly.

Set contents
Quantity
Item
Photo
3 pieces Thomas with Annie and Clarabel (set/export variation)
1 Going Out 3D Bag
2 Bridge Rail
1 Rail-road crossing
2 pieces Crossing track adaptors
2 Road ramps
4 J-03 Iron Bridge sides
2 pieces Tunnel
2 Tree (no base)
7 R-01 Straight Rail
2 R-02 Half Straight Rail
6 R-03 Curve Rail
1 R-06 Slope Rail
1 R-08 Stop Rail
4 pieces R-10 U-Turn Rail
1 pair R-11 Turnout Rail
1 R-12 Figure Eight Point Rail ("R" type)
1 R-13 Single/Double Point Rail ("B" type)  
4 R-18 Slope Curve Rail ("B" type)
1 R-20 1/4 Straight Rail (double convex type)
2 pieces Ffarquhar Station
4 pieces J-04 Big Iron Bridge
5 J-14 "New" Block Bridge Girder
6 J-15 Mini Bridge Pier
2 Bridge Support

Early copies of this set from 2001 feature Thomases with the old curvy logo chassis but separately fitted faces, a variation that resulted from the Thomas tooling being updated to accommodate different facial expressions for the Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set in early 2001. In 2002 the Thomas chassis was updated with new licensing information and the squared-off Tomy logo. This style of Thomas would continue to be produced for export Thomas train sets from Tomy in the 2000s but was replaced by the T-1 Thomas the Tank Engine with updated details in Japan in 2003. This set, along with the 2002 First Plarail Set and the 2004 rerelease of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Freight Cars Set, were the only sets to use this version of Thomas in Japan.

The centerpiece of the set is the Going Out 3D Bag, a large plastic canyon snapped into a plastic-covered foam mat, measuring about a meter across by 685mm when unfolded. The set includes all of the components and accessories from the original release including the railroad crossing section and road ramps. This 2006 production set uses a made in China 3D map.

Accessories in this set include Ffarquhar Station and the nice double rail-convertible J-04 Big Iron Bridge.

The later 2000s copy of the set I have has later production rails with the squared-off Tomy logo. Very early copies of this set from 2001 and earlier 2002 would not have had logos in the track sections. A variety of switches, sloping track, and the neat U-Turn Rail are included as well as several elevated sections and different risers.

All set up the layout for this set is absolutely massive. It does sort of feel like a full "Island of Sodor", with easy places to expand the road network and branch off with more track.

With plenty of space there is also lots of room for more trains. The red bridges, extended elevated section, and canyon all look great.

Set name Thomas the Tank Engine Go Out 3D Bag Complete Edition
きかんしゃトーマス おでかけ立体バッグ完全版
Release period 2001-2007, Japan
Train rating Track rating
Accessory rating Overall
Notes:      
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