Talk:Wooden toy train

Some Manufacturer Homepages for easier reference
--T.woelk (talk) 19:37, 22 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Europe
 * Brio, Micki Leksaker, Eichhorn, Heros, Sevi 1831, Hybo-Symplo, Haba
 * IKEA-Lillabo, Babalu (Karstadt), Bigjigs Toys Ltd, Kids-Wood, Deal Makers B.V., Hartung-Spiele Berlin, ELC Wooden World.
 * America
 * Thomas the Tank & Friends, Maxim, Whittle Shortline, Maple Landmark, Nuchi, Munipals, Melissa & Doug.
 * Mesko Toys, Choo Choo Track & Toy Co.
 * Suretrack, Nilo Toys
 * Asia
 * Plantoys, Wonderworld, Mentari Massen
 * Zhejiang Hexin Toys Co., Suee Toy Co.

Play psychology and educational benefit
Having started the article with more interest in the history, track geometry and design variations, I recently wondered, while playing with my brother and his toddler son, why it is so much fun - for all three of us - to play with the trains.

Somewere I read (yes I will list more Skaneateles sources soon) that Mr. Larabee's wife advised him to make toys toddlers can grip and lift. This might be an interesting basic design issue. The vario system in part claims to be used among other things so connecting the track pieces is easy for untrained hands. I myself remember I loved the "feel" of the unpainted track pieces as a child, though I rather marvelled at the brightly painted trains when looking at them. Discussing with my brother we concluded maybe this is some basic way of remote control - I pull or push here and something I dont directly touch moves in ways I planned. There seems to be a basic joy in anticipating something to happen. Poke a toddler on the belly once and he might react frightened, poke him twice and he gets puzzled. Poke him a third time and he will giggle or at least smile knowing what will happen and awaiting things to happen the way he just memorized. This effect is used to explain why small kids love to drop things over and over again - is there a specific expression for this? The fun of remote control in itself seems not to be fixed to a spezific age, though males seem to enjoy it more than females.

Reading the patent descriptions the inventors often state the educational value of the toy system. Is there some theory published on this? Something like the ideas from Fröbel for designing wooden building blocks (Froebel Gifts)? It is very interesting watching children not familiar with the track system playing with wooden tracks for the first time. The insights to geometry seem to come rather late or seldom though, if not tought, as most children move or are moved to other toys too soon to fully grasp the track geometry. Any Information on this?

Any copyright free pictures of early examples anybody? --T.woelk 12:42, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

Other related pictures
These are pictures I found on commons or other language wikipedias.



Dimensions
Since these pieces interconnect, are there standard dimensions that can be listed on the page? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.244.87.129 (talk) 21:23, 30 December 2015 (UTC)

AfD
See Articles for deletion/Choo Choo Track & Toy Co (2nd nomination) for discussion re deletion of two track makers for these systems, and possible merger to here: Choo Choo Track & Toy Co and Whittle Shortline. Andy Dingley (talk) 14:19, 26 May 2019 (UTC)

Commons files used on this page have been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons files used on this page have been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussions at the nomination pages linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 08:06, 11 August 2019 (UTC)
 * 1999Thomas2016Thomas.jpg (discussion)
 * ThomasWoodwithotherenginesandtrack.jpg (discussion)

They should make more Wooden toy trains like more London, Midland, and Scottish Railway, Great Western Railway, Southern Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, and British Railways types.
I would like them to make more Wooden toy train models being London, Midland, and Scottish Railway, Great Western Railway, Southern Railway, London and North Eastern Railway, and British Railways steam engines, rolling stock, coaches, freight cars, cabooses, and breakdown trains, because these toys are good. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 176.252.242.113 (talk) 20:12, 23 November 2020 (UTC)

Source additions for some sections needed
I was reading through the article and noticed several topics that had little or no sources listed at all, such as the "3D printed revolution" one or the "Vario System" one which has only one source at the beginning and no other ones. The "Track layout and geometry" and "Road systems" have no sources listed at all despite their length, further making this a problem.

I'd just like to make this problem aware as I don't have the time to add sources, and we should probably have one of those boxes at the top that says "needs more citations" or something (as you can see I know nothing about those boxes). P8cman (talk) 23:15, 24 June 2024 (UTC)