thomas g scale range

[1 Thomas]

i think bachmann should also make a g scale thomas range. i want to run a g scale thomas at my neighbors. all bachmann would have to do is make larger molds ofthe ho trains and then put in g scale motors. i think that would be great.

[Anthony P]

BOOYA!!!

Say what?

[Nathan]

The problem is Lionel has the license for the large scale Thomas.

[Guilford Guy]

The problem is Lionel has the license for the large scale Thomas.

Yes, its not as easy to just enlarge he molds. They have to make completely different dies and as Lionel has proven, there is not much of a market for Large Scale Thomas'.

[1 Thomas]

my mom said she might by me one off of ebay for my birthday!   

[PRRThomas11]

Which one is the real one?

[thomasj219]

Unfourtanetly...............IT IS i saw it on a youtube video.

[Michael]

Well  the bottom James is the discontinued G sclae James.  He had 3 faces as well, but they were , :O , and 

They made Thomas Annie and Clarabel along with the troublesome truck with 3 faces.  Now, for Lionel, they have a total of 4 engines.  Thomas, Percy, James and Diesel.  I think Bachmann is good with HO/OO scale.  They bigger ones are too expensive for most and HO allows more room which means more engines and wagons and accesories.

[PRRThomas11]

How come it is showed on Lionel Fastrack? The second picture I have only seen recently.

[Anthony P]

Anyone got a picture of what the O guage James face really looks like.

I know that the web site face DOES NOT i repet DOES NOT look like the real Lionel James Because I have one

[Mr Tickle]

I have to say, that Lionel range could be better... given their size, they could have made them more detailed and more like the TV series models, which they are clearly meant to be based on... they just look a little too... toylike, I mean I know they are toys but... well I know what I mean.

Why do they have 3 rails? 

[Mark Oles]

What's up Thomas guys?  I am in to large scale, and happened across this thread..

In my experience with Lionel large scale, it is mostly junk.  That's why it didn't sell in large scale.  Not because there's no market for it.  I think there is a large market for large scale Thomas the tank engine trains.  The problem is that Lionel treats large scale as a 'niche' market.  When I was 12, I saved my birthday and christmas $$ and bought the then-new Lionel large scale Atlantic 4-4-2.  It was a dog from the day I first set it on the tracks, had a lot of problems and it was subsequently returned after having it repaired twice in six months.  That was in 1990, and it was the last piece of Lionel large scale I ever ran.  Lionel eventually pulled out of the large scale market, with the exception of the Christmas starter sets and the Thomas and James sets made in the late 90s early 00s.  It is too bad that Lionel doesn't put the same effort in to their large scale offerings as they do their O-27 line.

We are expecting our first child in a few days, and I will likely be buying him all sorts of Thomas the Tank stuff in the coming years.  It would be nice to have a Thomas to run on my garden rr, but  given the past experience, I know I will have my work cut out for me if I can even find a working Thomas. 

Mark

[Nathan]

Our club has both the Lionel Thomas and James.  Our first Thomas ran over 4000 hours before the motor went.  It lasted another 2000 before the side gears went.  Our second Thomas was bought used.  We put over 2000 hours that we put on it before the gear on the drive axle went.  We are getting it replaced.  Out third Thomas, also used when we got it, has over 1000 hours that we have put on it.  Our James, once more a used unit, we have put well over 1000 hours on.

The only problem we have had is with the single axle trucks.  We have 'fixed' the rear axle on the last car so it does not turn.  We no longer get de-rails on the last car on tight curves.

Our units run an average of three days a week, about 4 hours a day, in all types of weather.

[Rail-Runner192]

I have both sets and they both still run fine.

[Billbarman]

I have both and I personaly like them better then the O scale range. One of the best parts are the changable faces.