Tomy via both their Toy Town and Toybox brands created many variations of the "Climbing Chugging Choo Choo" trains throughout the 1970s. I consider them to be a companion to their Flippity Flyer airplane toys as well as their very popular Grippidee Gravidee sets. All of these toys utilize spur gears to allow for the vehicles to climb and descend vertical and upside-down rack geared track. As a kid I found this technology quite astonishing and unique and to this day there's really no other toys that are as well made that utilize similar tech. Unfortunately over time and with regular use the internal plastic gears in the various gearboxes would split because they were originally press fitted onto the axles or motor spindles. So it's rare to find these toys in fully working used condition. The Climbing Choo-Choo is particularly tricky to work on but can be rewarding as the only split gear is usually the motor gear. Cheers!
Thanks for your insights into Tomy choo choos. Really interesting. We do forget the innovations that went into vintage toys back in the day. Thanks for sharing.
There are also three other "climbing chugging choo choo" style sets from Europe that utilize the exact same design of both train and track but are manufactured in Hong Kong. I would assume that Tomy Toy Company holds the original patent for the overall design that utilizes the external climbing gear, but am not surprised that other manufacturers either stole the design or are co-licenced to use the same design in their toys. It's fun as a collector to discover all the various incarnations of this Showa Retro-era Japanese toy.
Just saw your post re: Nasta's "Amazing Huff N' Puff" and "Lil Huff N' Puff" sets. These two sets along with their "Jack 'N Jill Action Rail Car" are the 3 Hong Kong sets I am referring to. If these Nasta sets came out in the late 1960s then perhaps I got it backwards and Tomy Toys has the co-license? Tomy's Toy Town brand released several versions of their "Climbing Chugging Choo Choo" sets in the 1970s and then even more similar sets under their Toybox brand in the 1980s.
Fascinating stuff Anon. It certainly was a popular design. I've just found another different make on eBay too! I'll update this post at some point. Thanks.
Tomy via both their Toy Town and Toybox brands created many variations of the "Climbing Chugging Choo Choo" trains throughout the 1970s. I consider them to be a companion to their Flippity Flyer airplane toys as well as their very popular Grippidee Gravidee sets. All of these toys utilize spur gears to allow for the vehicles to climb and descend vertical and upside-down rack geared track. As a kid I found this technology quite astonishing and unique and to this day there's really no other toys that are as well made that utilize similar tech. Unfortunately over time and with regular use the internal plastic gears in the various gearboxes would split because they were originally press fitted onto the axles or motor spindles. So it's rare to find these toys in fully working used condition. The Climbing Choo-Choo is particularly tricky to work on but can be rewarding as the only split gear is usually the motor gear. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your insights into Tomy choo choos. Really interesting. We do forget the innovations that went into vintage toys back in the day. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteThere are also three other "climbing chugging choo choo" style sets from Europe that utilize the exact same design of both train and track but are manufactured in Hong Kong. I would assume that Tomy Toy Company holds the original patent for the overall design that utilizes the external climbing gear, but am not surprised that other manufacturers either stole the design or are co-licenced to use the same design in their toys. It's fun as a collector to discover all the various incarnations of this Showa Retro-era Japanese toy.
ReplyDeleteJust saw your post re: Nasta's "Amazing Huff N' Puff" and "Lil Huff N' Puff" sets. These two sets along with their "Jack 'N Jill Action Rail Car" are the 3 Hong Kong sets I am referring to. If these Nasta sets came out in the late 1960s then perhaps I got it backwards and Tomy Toys has the co-license? Tomy's Toy Town brand released several versions of their "Climbing Chugging Choo Choo" sets in the 1970s and then even more similar sets under their Toybox brand in the 1980s.
DeleteAnd there's also Merit's "Hillbilly Climbing Choo-Choo" set which utilizes the exact same design as Tomy's sets.
DeleteFascinating stuff Anon. It certainly was a popular design. I've just found another different make on eBay too! I'll update this post at some point. Thanks.
Delete