WOW-Never Heard of These Before!!!

[Super]

I am always amazed that I am still finding things I have never seen or heard of before. Double height sloped rails before but here they are. My question is....what engines were made to ride on these as they must have had side gears to engage those cogs in the rails to help it up the steep grade. Anyone have more info on these or other videos showing what engines ran on it?

the slope rails came from vintage Tomy trains based on the dark blue colour tracks. I would assume the old vintage Tomy engines are the ones that can only make it up the slope.

[Super]

Well sure, its evident that they are early because of the dark blue color but exactly what engine or engines were made with as a side cogwheel train to engage those teeth which are on the outer portion of the slopes. 1989 with the rounded Tomy Logo are stamped into the underside which also brings to light that these are not reversible like the currant slopes and are parts A & B for connection purposes.

Leyland, have you seen any Cog type Tomy trains that may be vintage? I wonder if they are from the friction motored era. My guess is that the drive wheel has an additional gear wheel on the outside of each drive wheel with a smaller circumference so the gear would clear the sides of the normal rails. Very curious..


EDIT   EDIT   EDIT

EUREKA! And here it is...Wow, is this set every big, the biggest I have seen with just about every gimmick included.
A great video and there is even a Shoutout to BluePlasticTracks.com near the end 

Nice set Super, just goes to show the old sets can still teach people things

Here you go......just went and had a rummage in the attic. The dark blue ramps with rack-and-pinion sides are designed to match red pillars like this, not twice the height of the yellow ones, but not far off.

[Super]

Thanks Chris

I wonder if the yellow risers would match with two 3/4" risers on top essentially, instead of double height more like one and a half height. Now that I see these engines, I guess I have always seen the cogged wheels but never knew what they were for. I like how they climb and also how the cog makes a descent very smooth. Wonder if someone at Trackmaster brought these up when they where looking into re-designing for the roller coaster Revolutions.

i have never seen a vintage engine with a colored on/off switch before! pretty sure mine have always been black, but will have to check at some stage.

[Super]

Were these vintage, dark blue track sets only ever released in the UK. Seems all that I have seen are in English.

they were sold here in nz as well, and likely australia. i presume canada as well?

[Super]

Since vintage Tomy sets like these were compatible with the Lego's which is so popular, I wonder if it would be worth it for them to bring it back in some form? Why not have trains and tracks like these running in and around a Lego Village? It sure would take up less room that the Lego Trains and track and with the ability to build upon them with Lego Blocks so neat scenes like train robbery's and such could be created.