Ikea Wooden Train Set A Good, Cheap Alternative To Thomas
Maybe your like
- Sign Out
- News
- Sports
- Arts
- Life
- Opinion
- Business
- Shopping
- Homes
- Puzzmo
- Healthing
- Driving
- Obituaries
- Classifieds
- ePaper
- Newsletters
- Manage Print Subscription
Long before The Boy was old enough to be interested in toys, I harboured a secret wish that he would be interested in toy trains. I never got into toy trains that much when I was little, but I’ve long had a fascination with trains and hoped that — if The Boy got into them — I could relive a bit of my childhood through him.
Sign In or Create an Account
Email Addressor View more offersArticle contentSo when The Boy hit one year old, I started looking for a simple wooden train set for him. To my shock, however, I discovered that the most popular wooden toy set on the market — Thomas the Tank Engine — is ridiculously expensive. A simple figure-8 track with an engine and extra car was $60 at Knotty Toys down at Granville Island. Some of the larger track sets were upwards of $100 and individual engines were on sale for $20 or more a piece.
Article contentArticle contentArticle contentI was a bit hesitant to spend so much money on something I wasn’t even sure The Boy would like, so I started hunting around for a cheaper option and came across Ikea’s Lillabo train set.
Article content
Sunrise- There was an error, please provide a valid email address.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.
Article contentWhile the Thomas figure-eight set cost $60, Ikea’s (admittedly more basic) figure-eight track was only $20. And Ikea also sells two extensions — a 10-track expansion pack or bridge-and-tunnel set — for just $15 each. I bought the basic set and the 10-track expansion for a combined $45 — still a lot less than the $60 Thomas set.
Article contentIkea advertises its wooden track as being compatible with most brand name train sets, like Thomas or Brio. This is not entirely true.
Article contentThe tracks are the same width (or to use the railway terminology, gauge) as the Thomas train sets, so you can run Thomas trains on them pretty easily. But the bridge on the Ikea figure-eight track — while high enough for its short stubby trains — is too short to allow most Thomas trains to fit underneath.
Article content
The Ikea track joins may also not fit perfectly with your Brio or Thomas track pieces. But, in this regard, Ikea has come up with a pretty neat solution.
While the joins on most other wooden train sets are just cut-out pieces of wood, on the Ikea train pieces they’re actually little circles of plastic. This actually means they have a bit of give. So if the Ikea track doesn’t fit perfectly with your Thomas or Brio track pieces, you can usually make it work with just a little bit of elbow grease.
Article contentSo are you better off buying Ikea’s Lillabo train set than shelling out for the real-deal Thomas brand? Well, it depends.
Article contentThere’s no denying that the Ikea set is a lot plainer than the Thomas variety. The Ikea trains and cars, in particular, are very plain compared to the detailed work on a Thomas or Brio engine. (Though The Boy has found the smaller Ikea trains easier to keep in the tracks than the taller Thomas engines.)
Article contentThe Thomas line also has a lot more cool — though expensive — extra stuff you can buy, like a roundhouse, crane and water tower. I also don’t have any illusions that, as The Boy gets older, he’ll become more brand conscious and may not settle for the plain Ikea engines (he already loves watching Thomas & Friends).
Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet.Trending-
B.C. Hells Angel pleads guilty to illegal gambling charge
News -
There's a growing backlash against the outsized, 'boxy' apartment blocks being built in B.C.
Business - Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
-
Police allege road rager pummelled a woman in Vancouver incident
News -
B.C.'s director of policing called in after release of messages between Surrey police chief and city councillor
News
But I think there’s a middle ground here for parents that can save you some dough. Go ahead and splurge on buying your kid a couple of brand-name Thomas engines — and maybe even a special bridge or building.
But when it comes to the wooden track pieces — which, let’s face it, you’re going to need a lot of if your kid really gets into trains — stick with the much-cheaper Ikea variety.
Article contentWhat about you? What’s your experience with wooden trains? Post a comment and let me know.
Article contentIf you live in Metro Vancouver and your kid loves trains, be sure to check out the awesome miniature railway in Burnaby. Readers of this blog know I love Ikea. I’ve written before about its smock bib, Leksvik crib and whether an Ikea store is the perfect spot for a cheap date night.
Article contentShare this article in your social network-
-
-
-
Share this Story : Ikea wooden train set a good, cheap alternative to Thomas- Copy Link
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Featured Local SavingsNotice for the Postmedia NetworkOKYou've reached the 20 article limit.
Looks like you've reached your saved article limit!
Tag » Are Brio Trains Compatible With Ikea Tracks
-
Toy Train Sets Compatibility Guide: Brio, Thomas, Ikea, Melissa & Doug
-
Brio Train Compatibility Guide-( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) - KidsCareIdeas
-
Ikea Wooden Train Track – Does It Fit Brio Or Bigjigs Railway?
-
IKEA Train Track Compatible With Brio Train Track? - Mumsnet
-
Can IKEA Train Tracks Be Used With Brio? - 1200Artists
-
The Play Trains! Guide To The Best Wooden Train Sets 2021
-
5-Ways To 1 Wooden Train Track Intersection, Compatible With Brio ...
-
LILLABO Series - IKEA
-
Brio Compatible - Etsy
-
Wooden Train End Track Compatible With Brio IKEA Trains - Etsy
-
Ikea Wooden Train Track For Sale - EBay
-
Wooden Train Tracks / Brio, Ikea Wooden Train Tracks Compatible
-
Are Wooden Train Tracks, Trains And Sets Compatible With Each Other?