fall inside a hole
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Tomica World
In the late 1990s Tomy began to produce Plarail and Motor Tomica crossover sets for foreign markets. Production for the American, European, and Australian Tomica World range began in late 1997 with sets and trains reaching stores in 1998. The range was in many ways released similar to how Plarail has always been sold, with a series of sets that include trains, track, and, usually, road and a road vehicle as well and companion accessories like train packs and a la carte accessories and track. U.S. market sets were imported and sold both directly Tomy Corporation of America and by International Playthings. As the regular series waned in popularity in the early 2000s, the range was converted over to focus on the Thomas the Tank Engine series of Plarail exports as Motorized/Motor Road & Rail. Before introducing Tomica World, Tomy marketed the Tomy Train range of magnetic, reversing trains that ran on Plarail-style track in Europe and America.
Tomica World Sets
Tomica World sets often included both Plarail and Motor Tomica elements, in keeping with the whole "road and rail" idea. Around this time, Japanese-market crossover sets and the Plarail catalogues referred to "Tomica Plarail World".
| Year |
Set name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7420 Basic Set | Small oval set with D51 steam locomotive with light, police car with oval of road, crossing with sound, and parallel road/rail straight | |
| 1998 | 7421 Large Set | Road and rail set with Kintetsu Urban Liner commuter train, zoo bus, elevated rail loop and network of road with overpass tunnel |
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| 1998 | 7422 Mega Set | Large set with square of track, Tomica railroad crossing, and road network | |
| 1998 | 7423 Super Deluxe Set | Absolutely massive set with two trains and ladder truck on a huge layout with three big loops of track with switches and crossings and bridges... |
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| 1999 | 7425 Medium Set | Version of the Thomas Station Set with Tobu Spacia | |
| 1999 | 7426 Super Set | Version of the Thomas Big Set but with 100 series Shinkansen | |
| 1999 | 7427 Super Mega Set | Updated 1999 "Mega Set" with railroad crossing and townhouse with garage |
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| 7428 City Set | Set with looping road and rail layouts with E3 Shinkansen | ||
| 7429 Tomica World Super Spiral Set | Set with two helical towers of track and partially elevated road network | ||
| 7430 TGV Set | Very cool set with silver TGV and road and rail station with elevated train line | ||
| 7431 Basic Set | Revised basic set with D51, road and rail drawbridge, and road turntable | ||
| 7432 Large Set | Large set with E3 Shinkansen and automatic railroad crossing | ||
| 2000 | 7436 R/C Set | Cool set with elevated section and radio control 300 series Shinkansen | |
| 2000 | 4774 Circuit Gare Routiere/Circuit Gael Deel | French/Dutch set with 300X and train station from the TGV Set | |
| 2001 | 7413 Amtrak Super Spiral Set | Large American set with two spiral towers, panel station, and Amtrak train |
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| 2001 | 7414 U.S. Patrol Set | Set similar to the Large Set but with 300 series Shinkansen and police car with slightly larger layout | |
| 2001 | 7416 Loop Road Set | Uncommon Motor Tomica-only Tomica World set with teal Honda CR-V | |
| 2001 | 7417 Steam Train Set | "Bucket" set with C12, cattle, and brake van and small loop of track in a red bucket with green lid with integrated track | |
| 4820 1st Avenue Set | Large set with 300 series Shinkansen, red car, station, and two parallel rail/road sections | ||
| 7436 IRC Train Set | Rereleased R/C Set with grey track | ||
| 8296 Medium Set | American oval with passing loop set with grey rails and blue EMD train |
Tomica World Trains
Individual Tomica World trains were sold in three packs like their Plarail equivalents in red sixth generation-style packaging in Europe, with few individual release trains imported into the United States.
| Year |
Name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7460 Super City | Tomica World release of the 300X Shinkansen |
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| 1998 | 7461 Silver Streak | Export version of the 883 series Sonic train |
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| 1998 | 7462 Inter Rail | ||
| 1998 | 7463 Tomy Express | "Tomy Express" version of the red 485 series Kamome Express |
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| 1999 | 7464 Bullet | Tomica World release of the 400 series shinkansen |
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| 1999 | 7465 Virgin Train | ||
| 1999 | 7466 Eurostar Train | ||
| 1999 | 7467 TGV | Orange TGV | |
| 7560 Animal Express | Red C12 with action animal cars |
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| 7561 TGV | Silver TGV |
Tomica World Vehicles
Individual battery-powered cars and other vehicles based on Motor Tomica were also sold individually
| Year |
Name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7470 Taxi | Yellow taxi | |
| 1998 | 7471 Ambulance | ||
| 1998 | 7472 Fire Engine | Red fire engine with ladder | |
| 1998 | 7473 4WD Jeep | ||
| 1998 | 7474 Dump Truck | Blue dump truck | |
| 1998 | 7475 Sports Car | Red sports car | |
| 1999 | 7478 Police Car | ||
| 1999 | 7479 Crane Truck | Yellow crane truck | |
| 2000 | 7570 Petrol Tanker | White and red petrol tanker | |
| 2000 | 7571 Sports Coupe | Black coupe | |
| 2000 | 7572 Dustcart | Green garbage truck | |
| 2000 | 7573 Breakdown Van |
Tomica World Accessories
Tomica World accessories were mostly localized Plarail accessories, often with changed stickers where applicable. They were sold in cardboard boxes. Because Tomica World was not the most popular toy, many of these accessories hung around and were marked down on clearance and some can still be found brand new in sealed boxes.
| Year |
Name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7485 Rail Bridge | Tomica World release of the Plarail Iron Bridge |
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| 1998 | 7486 Rail Drawbridge | Tomica World release of the classic red spring-loaded drawbridge |
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| 1998 | 7488 Country Station | Plarail Country Station with Tomica World stickers |
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| 1998 | 7491 Long Tunnel | Tomica World release of the expandable block tunnel |
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| 1998 | 7492 Overbridge | Pedestrian crossing with Tomica World stickers |
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| 1998 | 7512 Road Turntable | Yellow Tomica road turntable with ramp and accessories |
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| 1998 | 7514 Traffic Lights | Operating traffic signal with changing lights | |
| 1998 | 7516 Road Tunnel | Stackable road tunnel that works with the road girder system |
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| 1998 | 7518 Toll Booth | Automatic toll booth | |
| 1998 | 7521 Tunnel Intersection | Yellow rail bridge over road tunnel with accessories |
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| 1998 | 7522 Road and Rail Tunnel | Road bridge over rail tunnel in the shape of a mountain | |
| 1998 | 7524 Automatic Construction Site | ||
| 1999 | 7496 City Station | Tomica World version of the Plarail City Station commuter platform |
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| 1999 | 7540 Bridge Crossing | Rail drawbridge over road with road stoppers and trees |
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| 1999 | 7541 Automatic Crossing | Automatic railroad crossing with many small accessories |
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Tomica World Track Packs
Similar to how Tomy sold Plarail, Tomy Train, and other export series, Tomy also sold Tomica World packaged rail. Instead of plastic bags with hanging tags, Tomica World track and accessories come in cardboard boxes.
| Year |
Product name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7480 Straight Rail | Pack of four straight rails |
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| 1998 | 7481 Curve Rail | Pack of four curve rails |
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| 1998 | 7482 Adaptor Rail | Six of each 1/6 straight joint rail |
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| 1998 | 7483 Points Rail | Pair of turnouts |
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| 1998 | 7484 Stop Rail | Two stop rails and two buffers | |
| 1998 | 7489 Girder | Six pack of new block bridge girders |
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| 1998 | 7490 Y Shaped Points Rail | Pair of figure-eight point rails |
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| 1998 | 7493 Sloping Rail | Pack of two sloping rails |
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| 1999 | 7494 Half Straight Rails | Six half straight rails originally sold through the Tomy Careline and later in Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging |
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| 1999 | 7495 Quarter Straight Rails | Originally sold through the Tomy Careline, nine quarter-length straights and track adaptors |
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| 1999 | 7497 Sloping Curve Rail Accessory Kit | Tomica World equivalent of the R-18 Sloping Curve Rail set with four of each sloping curve and 12 mini block piers |
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| 1999 | 7500 Rail Bridge Supports | Six mini stacking piers, first sold through the Tomy Careline |
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| 2000 | 7526 Engine Turntable | Small half-straight turntable with seven rail connections | |
| 2001 | 7585 Extension Kit | European track pack with curves, straights, switches, a tunnel, trees, and other accessories |
Tomica World Road
As the Motor Tomica range was heavily integrated into the Tomica World system, many Motor Tomica accessories released in Japan were also released in the Tomica World range.
| Year |
Product name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7510 Straight Road | Four pack of straight road |
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| 1998 | 7511 Half Straight Road | Six half-straight road sections |
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| 1998 | 7513 Curve Road | Four pack of curved road |
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| 1998 | 7515 Road Girder | Six pack of white road girders |
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| 1998 | 7519 T-Junction | Blue three-way intersection with road ramp |
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| 1998 | 7520 Crossroads | Blue four-way intersection |
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| 1998 | 7523 Sloping Road | Two pack of sloped road |
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| 2000 | 7525 Quarter Straight Road | Originally Tomy Careline exclusive, a set of eight quarter straight roads |
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Tomica World Catalogues
Tomica World catalogues and pamphlets. More catalogues and instructions can be seen on the Tomy catalogues page
| Title | Description | Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Tomica World 2000 Catalogue | Partial U.K. Tomica World catalogue from 2000 |
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| Tomy Tomica World Video | 2000 Great British PAL Tomica World Show VHS tape included with some Tomica World sets |
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Thomas the Tank Engine series (1998-2003)
In the United States in 1997 Tomy released three sets and three accessory packs in a single wave of "Battery Operated Rail System" sets. This range was referred to as Tomica City in the 1997 Tomy Dealer's Catalogue and includes some seemingly holdover Tomy Train accessories like orange square-based fir/cedar trees and stoplights. More details can be found on the Motor Road & Rail page, but it seems that this served as the jumping off point for exporting Thomas-series Plarail.
Thomas-series Plarail products were incorporated into Tomica World from its introduction in 1998 with Thomas-licensed sets, accessories, and trains. Few non-Thomas Tomica World products were released in the United States after the very early 2000s, and in 2001 new American Thomas & Friends Motorized Road and Rail packaging was introduced, with the U.K. also getting a new style of Tomica World boxes in 2001. After the discontinuation of the regular Tomica World production in 2003, the Thomas the Tank Engine series continued to be sold in Europe and Australia as Thomas Motor Road & Rail alongside some carryover Tomica World accessories into 2008, with Tomy continuing to contribute some trains to the 2008 U.K. Tomy TrackMaster range.
Tomica World Thomas Sets
The first Tomica World Thomas sets had yellow "Tomica World" banners going down the left side of the box and used the old full "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" branding. It does not seem that the new products for 1999 were sold in the United States.
| Year |
Set name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7400 Thomas Starter Set | Oval with turnout and Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel |
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| 1998 | 7401 Thomas Medium Set | Tomica World version of the Thomas the Tank Engine Basic Set |
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| 1998 | 7402 Thomas Big Set | International release of the 1997 Plarail Thomas and Bulgy set with elevated road and rail bridge crossings |
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| 1998 | 7403 Thomas Deluxe Set | An uncommon Tomica World Thomas set with an engine other than Thomas; includes Percy, Bertie, and nice large intersecting rail and road loops with Elsbridge Station Crossing | |
| 1998 | 7404 Thomas Giant Set | Massive set with the Plarail Giant Thomas and several loops of track and multiple trains | |
| 1999 | 7405 Thomas the Tank Engine Set | Small set with oval of track, turnout, crossing with sound, and Thomas with freight cars |
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| 1999 | 7406 Thomas Station Set | Medium-size set with larger outer loop and elevated inner loop with bridge and station |
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| 1999 | 7581 Elsbridge Station Crossing | The only individual Thomas-series Tomica World accessory, road-and-rail crossing with moving gates and stoppers |
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European Market Tomica World Thomas Sets
Starting in 2000 the European Tomica World range began receiving updated packaging, unique sets, and different trains. The yellow Thomas boxes were redesigned to match the red stripe of regular Tomica World sets, with the new squared-off Tomy logo appearing on boxes in 2001. Australia also continued to receive exclusive sets under the Tomica World name
| Year |
Set name | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7408 Thomas Adventure Set | Classic Tomica World set with large red bridge, Harold flying station, and Bertie with road layout and tunnel |
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| 2000 | 7409 Thomas and Cranky the Crane Train Set | Australian exclusive release of the Plarail Thomas the Tank Engine Strongman Cranky Set |
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| 2000 | 7410 Thomas & Friends Bucket Set | Australian exclusive set that comes in a bucket | Can be seen here |
| 2001 | 7401 Thomas Medium Set | 2001 European rerelease of the Thomas Basic Set |
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| 2001 | 7402 Thomas Big Set | Rereleased European Thomas & Bulgy set |
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| 2001 | 7405 Thomas the Tank Engine Set | 2001 rerelease of the small Thomas the Tank Engine Set |
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| 2001 | 7406 Thomas Station Set | Thomas Station Set in a new red box |
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| 2001 | 7408 Thomas Adventure Set | Rereleased European Thomas Adventure Set |
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| 2001 | 7409 Talk 'n' Action Magic Rail Set | Tomica World version of the Plarail Talking Thomas Set with talking Thomas, sold in Europe and Australia with a British English voice |
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| 2002 | 4761 Thomas Bucket Set | Small set that comes in a bucket | |
| 2002 | 4763 Percy and Bulgy Set | Set similar to the Tomica World Large Set but with Percy and Bulgy |
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| 2002 | 7408J Talking Thomas and Harold Adventure Set | European Talk 'n' Action version of the Thomas Adventure Set | |
| 2002 | 7412 A Day Out with James Set | Neat set with James, Lorry 1, loops of road and rail, and Caroline at Wellsworth Station | |
| 2002 | 22303 Thomas and Terence Adventure Set | Australian release of the Thomas and Terence Deluxe Action Set, slightly earlier than other export versions |
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| 2003 | Thomas and Freight Cars Set | Australian and later Korean exclusive Tomica World release of the Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set |
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Tomica World Thomas Trains
Thomas-series trains were originally sold in their Plarail configurations in hanging three-piece sets. These trains first came in yellow Tomica World packaging with a red style briefly appearing before changing to the blue style of packaging used in a few varieties for most of the rest of the 2000s
| Year | Engine | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 7440 Thomas | Thailand-made four-wheel Thomas with Annie, and Clarabel |
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| 1998 | 7441 Toby | Toby with Henrietta and troublesome truck |
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| 1998 | 7442 Henry | Henry with grey box van and log wagon with logs |
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| 1998 | 7443 Gordon | Tomica World Gordon with green express coach |
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| 1998 | 7444 James | Tomica World James with cattle van and brake van |
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| 1998 | 7445 Percy | Percy with mail van and fuel tanker |
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| 1998 | 7446 Duck | Duck with S.C.Ruffy and Toad the brake van |
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| 1999 | 7440 Thomas | Six wheel release of Thomas |
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| 1998 | 7447 Bertie | Individual Tomica World Bertie |
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| 1998 | 7448 Bulgy | Tomica World Bulgy individual release |
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| 1999 | 7449 Diesel | Tomica World Diesel with milk and fuel tankers |
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| 1999 | 7450 Oliver | Oliver with two red coaches. Not released in the United States |
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European Tomica World Thomas Trains
Around 2000 the European/U.K. and American releases began to split. Europe received additional releases and characters that America would not get until years later exclusive to sets or in smaller packs. In 2001 and 2002 red and blue Tomica World packaging was used, with new blue Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging for existing trains and new products appearing in 2003.
| Year | Engine | Description | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7454 Lady | European release of Lady with matching purple trucks |
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| 2000 | 7455 Diesel 10 | European release of Diesel 10 with mustard-colored trucks |
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| 2001 | 7456 Splatter and Dodge | Three-pack release of Splatter, Dodge, and double-ended van |
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| 2001 | 7457 Edward | Edward with truck and van |
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| 2001 | 7458 Ben | Ben with two trucks with clay loads |
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| 2002 | 7451 Mavis | Mavis with green breakdown train |
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| 2002 | 7453 Lorry 1 | European individual release Lorry 1 van |
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| 2002 | 7490 Talk 'n' Action Magic Rail Percy | Train pack with talking Percy, fuel tanker, and six trigger tracks |
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| 2002 | 4794 Donald | Donald with two troublesome trucks |
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| 2002 | 4796 Boco | BoCo the diesel with troublesome truck and tar tanker |
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| 2002 | 4797 Stepney | Stepney with troublesome truck and grey brake van |
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Thomas Motorized Road and Rail/Motor Road & Rail (2001-2008)
In 2001 sale of most non-Thomas Tomica World sets ceased in America and the Thomas range was rereleased in new red and blue Battery Operated Road & Rail System packaging that still mentioned Tomica World on the back. In 2003 portions of the European Tomica World range of accessories were repackaged in blue Thomas packaging as part of the Thomas-focused Motor Road & Rail range for Europe and Australia, with existing Thomas sets and trains also being rereleased in updated packaging. This range carried into 2008 with new sets and trains before being supplanted by the Tomy TrackMaster range made in conjunction with HiT Toy Company, with HiT and later Mattel taking full control of TrackMaster.