Steam along Thomas

[Ucwepn]

Has anyone had experience with one of these or happen to have a diagram or photos of the inner workings? mine is on the fritz and a member of the Plarail FB page wants to get his going too

wish i could help! ive got one that i bought new and have had a few in second hand lots, but have never opened one!

Here's the MRR manual for the original set. Hope this helps: http://web.archive.org/web/2007020412413...TWFOGG.pdf

Yes, I know the inner workings. From what I can recall, there is a circuit board, speaker, misting plates and lamp. A wick feeds moisture from the tank underneath to the misting plates to create the 'steam' when required. I fixed one a while back but I can't recall what I had to do. I think the solder joins to the circuit board had failed and the battery compartment had battery terminal/wire corrosion problems.

I think I have photos somewhere.

What else would you like to know? What is yours doing?

These are very prone to the wires breaking in the coupling, if it's driving ok from the carriage, but doing nothing else, chances are the wires have broke, I replaced them and ran them around the outside of the coupling, I had to re solder the wires on to the circuit board, and on to the old cables in the coach

[Super]

Good subject as I wanted to get a thread going about the non-Thomas steam makers to learn more. I have had many of the Thomas steam alongs that came in bundles I bought but sold them in bundles I sold. What I do have is one D51-498 and three D51-200 steam makers. We think they are fantastic and love the steam and sounds. One thing I wish they would do is maybe change the funnel light from red to white or yellow so the steam will show up a lot better. Anxious to learn more about the workings. Is the Thomas Steam Along Tomy/Plarail or Trackmaster?

One thing I do know if the wick becomes hard it won't absorb water to make the mist so it may need a good soaking to see if it can recover otherwise a new wick is needed. I know the D51 sets came with an extra wick which brings me to the question...Do they still make these sets and if so, is there a place to buy extra wicks and water reservoirs?

Is the Thomas Steam Along Tomy/Plarail or Trackmaster?

Mainly the former. The metallic version is a Motor Road and Rail version from two sets (one for UK/AUS and another for US), and the non-metallic is a Plarail version sold individually. The metallic version was later sold seperately in the original TrackMaster UK range, but nearly all the engines in that range were the same as their previous versions just in redesigned boxes. All of the Steam Along Thomas' are now long gone, 2005-2008.

[Super]

Thanks for the interesting information Jdogman

Here a photo of the inside of steam Thomas I posted on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=...187&type=3

the steam thomas set i have is for the 60th anniversary i think. got it on clearance years ago, along with the functioning water tower. strangely enough, i wasnt collecting thomas at the time, only used tomy.