Why do you like these trains?

As a newcomer I would be interested, in a few words, as to what attracts you to these Japanese trains.

For myself, it is the simple effective design and robustness together with the low price as compared with n and oo scale electric train sets.

something different to run at public displays, other than "just" thomas all the time. i took a big loader store display last time that was more interesting to many visitors than the layout i had put together, simply because the children had never seen one, and many of the parents remembered either having one, or their friend had one, or they wanted but never got one.

Exactly, it's the robustness, my children are 4,3 and 8months there is no way they would be able to cope with a real scale engines. I love model railways but if it's something I'm going to share they need to be robust.

That and as a 28 year old, I remember playing with these engines when I was younger, my brother had a Thomas & a Percy set with the dark blue tracks. Which I can remember enjoying playing with

With the current engines we have, I would like to deface all the 'Thomas' engines and fit smoke box doors, unfortunately for me the kids love the characters so I'm not allowed, so I don't get to do as many modifications as I did before.

Another thing I like about these people rains/track is the potential to do more for example led lighting and such, maybe not as much as a scale set, but the there is possibility there and I enjoy 'making' things,

Reading the title, I thought it meant "why do you like these trains", as in Plarail in general (or any other toy train system), not Japanese trains.

I would ask this as LOVE...
And I will admit it is ME of 48 who still loves them.
My son, now 7, barely likes them most days, but WE both enjoyed them together when he was a little guy
When he was just crawling he only had a few, but he could tell them apart and could say their names...Thomas, Percy, Bertie
They were very durable, and as a learning tool, with so many characters and colors, faces and designs, I chose them as a fun way to learn...names, colors, facial recognition, vocabulary, imagination, general play, and on and on...
He loved Thomas!!
Then one day I decided to "Collect them All"...long story, but over the journey of the past 6 years, it is I who is left in love with them...
It IS the faces that they ALL have, and the structure of the series that I appreciate.. They all smile. They are all "known" as the characters that they are, by all of their character flaws being clearly presented, understood, and accepted as themselves.
ie: James is smug most often than not, uncoincidentally James is one my least favorite character...lol
SO FUNNY...I REALLY wish all trains had faces.

[Super]

I agree with all that these are toys that are meant to be played with and can take much abuse over long periods of time. Just ask some that still have their childhood trains well into their adulthood. The HO and other scaled trains are more to look at as once set up they are just watched. Also children can create and disassemble a layout easily and learn and use their imagination as they go. And its true what Muddy says as the children outgrow these between 7 and 10 but come back between 16 and 20 then again after they have become adults with children of their own then finally after becoming a Grandparent. You just can't BEAT these train.

Reading the title, I thought it meant "why do you like these trains", as in Plarail in general (or any other toy train system), not Japanese trains.

i'm confused - blue plastic tracks is all japanese manufactured isn't it, I don't know, just assumed it

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i can remember our boy getting his fine hair caught in a running engine as he lifted his hand to touch his head for some reason, we had to cut the train off but once the wheels got all tangled it stopped running so it wasn't anything horrible.

For £100 British Pound Notes you could probably buy one decent scale loco or maybe two of the cheapest shunters. For that same money it looks like you could very probably buy 4 to 5 Tomy/Plarail engines.

Must admit for me its the Japanese railway models I prefer. Thomas isn't in it for me, although when my granddaughter is older it may be a change on that one!
I like the advanced models, quick to put up, six running at once and then put away before SWBO returns from work. lovely.

Well, for me, I just do it to be a kid. Who doesn't like being a kid with a bazillion trains and a huge train layout?

[Super]

put away before SWBO returns from work. lovely.

Ummm....Special, Woman, Beautifully....um..Organised?????