I'm looking for this issue as there's an article on upgrading an N-scale Thomas. I want to make sure it's the one that I have before purchasing. Supposedly there are two models with the same exterior but slightly different interior as evidenced by two websites on installing a decoder in Thomas. Last week I purchased one and upon removing the shell, I realized there is yet a third variety. The one I got, believe it or not, is a split frame design with a motor!
There is one page (#21 )on 'Thomas in N Scale'. It seems to be how to make a Thomas out of a Graham Farish tank locomotive with an Ertl loco providing the face.. Also shows how to add a cheater car to improve electrical pickup. Al
Al, Thanks a million for looking that up for me. Looks like it won't do me any good. I would have been disappointed had I order it blindly. Thanks again!
MK It looks like that a third run of these has just recently hit the shelves and you got one. I wish I had been a little more patient. I jumped the gun to buy the one for my son by about 3 months. For others looking at Thomas stuff. I was digging around on the Tomix site and it looks like some of the other loco's are due for re-release also.
Tony, How did you get all this info? I purchased my on eBay from PlazaJapan. He's incredible. I placed the order Tuesday morning NYC time and it was delivered on Friday afternoon by USPS. That's Japan to NYC in three days for only $15 in shipping. Simply amazing. Looking at Thomas more carefully, it seems this lastest run is built like traditional hobby quality locos, split frame with the frame taking as much inside space as possible for additional weight. By chance are you running DCC and what decoder did you use? I have a TCS M1 on order from Litchfield Station. You should have seen my 4 year old's face when I sprung Thomas, Annie, and Claribel on him! I was an instant hero! Definitely worth the $67 (plus shipping). Do you know if these newer runs will be imported to the US? It seems Thomas is still distributorless in the US.
What I have learned is just by watching what pops up here and there on E-bay and the many reports from most dealers that the Thomas,Annie,Clarabelle set was discontinued and out of stock for better than a year. So far 4 loco's have been released: Thomas: originally with Annie/Clarabelle, then secondly with 2 troublesome trucks. The set with the troublesome trucks have been available but the original set with the coaches has bee gone for a while. Now it seems they are back. Henry: released with an express coach, second coach was sold seperate. James: released with a truck. Percy: released with the mail truck, second truck available seperate. As far as the Tomix site, I used bablefish to translate what I could and just poked around for a while to find things. June releases listed on Tomix site: 93801 Coming can plain gauze Thomas vehicle set 93803 スクラフィー freight car set 93804 Yellow tank freight car set 93805 Coming can plain gauze Henry bullet train set 93806 Bullet train (lead-lead) 93807 アニ ｰ and クララベル passenger car set 93808 Coming can plain gauze passee - vehicle set Use your best guess to understand the descriptions.
