A Christmas PlaRail Compatible Set?

Hi Folks,

I know some of you guys like to get Christmas themed layouts up and running for Christmas and although I know its some time till then it will soon be here. So when I stumbled across this set tonight I thought I'd post it here for you, its on eBay UK but probably on .com as well if you look for it. But you get a dinky little engine and a 3 x christmas themed wagons along with an oval of what looks like clone blue track and a station etc...

All in all not bad for £16.99 with free delivery in the UK...

Christmas PlaRail Clone...

[Super]

It does look cute and certainly Xmassy. Wonder if the advertised sound is train noise or Xmassy? Got a chuckle of the name of the station, "Placard" maybe Plarail needs to use that term for those new cardboard characters discussed in your other thread. Curious as to why all the straight rails are 4.25" half straights. Wonder why not all the normal length. May be too high for a Xmas layout with risers but that price may be cool for the UKers for sure.

If only Plarail could make trains that short for characters like Phillip or Timothy...

While it does appear to be the same gauge, the train is slightly too large for Plarail (the engine in particular). I don't think it would play Christmas carols, just the typical "generic/dark side/knock off toy train sound chip" (three whistle roars, twelve chuff loops, six bell loops, roughly twelve track sound loops, repeat). I did expect something better looking from the title.

I think for the price you can hardly go wrong, sure it could have been better but what do you expect for the price of less than a PlaRail train?

I think the wagons alone are pretty cool and should work with anything, maybe a suitably coloured Mickey loco or something?

Anyway, maybe someone can find it useful

[Ucwepn]

I usually run this set around the tree

   

Yes lovely set Ucwepn, but not so easy to get these days at a 'reasonable' price

i quite like that set, but would have to see "in hand" photos before buying.

looks like santa and the tree move somehow.

Well Sun your wish will come true as I bit the bullet and bought one, partly out of curiosity, partly as I have a young nephew who I'm sure would love one for Christmas if it is ok for small hands

As soon as it arrives I will give you the low-down...

Ok, the set arrived and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. The quality of the train/wagons is superb easily up there with real Tomy models, the track also is of a virtually identical level of quality/colour, just missing the Tomy logo. There is a nice station, several trees (plastic not cardboard), couple of trackside signs and even a miniature screw-driver and a couple of spare traction tyres - now why don't Tomy do that and provide spares?!?

Anyway, here's a picture of the box and the inner contents;

The train itself is taller than your average Tomy loco but otherwise around the same length and definitely the same gauge/width. One cool touch are the wheels which are clear as opposed to coloured and for a very good reason too, they are illuminated when it is turned on. It also has a red head light as well as sound effects (yes the usual train sounds you get on these sort of sets). The battery compartment is in the back of the cab and is accessed by undoing a small screw and removing the panel. This reveals a battery box that takes 3 x AA batteries. The pushrods on the wheels also work nicely. Anyway here's some pictures;

Next up we have the three wagons, one with Santa, another parcels and the last a christmas tree. Unfortunately these are static and not animated as speculated, but overall bearing in mind the price paid I don't think this is a disaster as they are pretty well modelled, moulded and painted;

And last but not least, not to mention a first for me, a short video showing the sound and lights, not an oscar winner for sure, but it can probably highlight the effects better than any number of words

Xmas Train