A Good First Bridge for a Young Engineer
Written: Mar 12 '03 (Updated Mar 26 '03)
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Pros: Hill/Bridge/Tunnel all in one. Adds play value to your set.
Cons: Comes apart easily, small children cannot put back together. Picky layouts.
The Bottom Line: Buy it for your train enthusiast, but be prepared to spend some time helping him learn how to use it properly.
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| dagny21's Full Review: Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends: Arched Stone B... |
Mama, I want a bridge!
My little train enthusiast is just over 2 years old, and a little young for many of the Thomas & Friends wooden railway system accessories. So, when he began asking for a bridge, I knew I had to choose it carefully to minimize his frustration. I don't think my son is ready for elevation(ascending tracks, track risers, etc.), so our choices were fairly limited. Of the few Thomas & Friends bridges I thought my son would be able to handle, the "Arched Stone Bridge" was the least expensive and simplest, so that's what we went with.
The Bridge
Over a foot long when assembled, this bridge comes in 3 pieces and is really just a hill with a tunnel through it. We have the newly designed version, with the new traction track and gray painted stone decoration. Otherwise, it is the same bridge as the one in the photo above. The three pieces are: 2 wedge-shaped side pieces that attach to your existing tracks with round knobs. Each of these two pieces have a round peg at the highest point which corresponds with a hole on either side of the 3rd piece, which sits on top to connect the two. Train cars can pass over the hill/bridge, or through the tunnel. This bridge is compatible with the old clicketty-clack track, and with the newly designed track. We have a little of both, and have seen no difference in play.
The Price
This bridge retails for around $18 to $20, depending on where you buy it. If you find a store with the clickety-clack track version still in stock, it will probably be discounted as most stores will be trying to get rid of it. I was bound and determined to buy the new version however, so I hunted around for a good deal. As with many of my Thomas purchases, I found it on EBay. At any one time, there are usually about 20 of these same Thomas bridges being sold on EBay, both in the old track, and the new. I've seen them sell to not-so-smart buyers for almost the full retail price. With an average of $5 spent on shipping, that's ridiculous. I waited around, watched the auctions, bid at the last second and got our bridge for $12, including shipping. A savings of 40% off the price at my local train store.
The Fun Stuff
Because this bridge is really a hill, when trains are pulled up over the top, they naturally accelorate on their way back down. My son thinks this is a blast to watch. We're also learning a bit about weight distribution from this bridge. When a long train is pulled up and over the bridge, there are points where if the train is let go, it will slide back down the hill, stay where it's at, or continue down the other side. We really like to put our single stone tunnel close to the bottom of the hill, so trains will go down the hill and through the tunnel all in one shot. We also like to use the bridge to make a figure eight layout where trains can pass over the bridge or through the tunnel. We've also discovered that two lanes of track can fit under this bridge, for even more interesting layouts.
The Not-So-Fun Stuff
As much as this track opens up new possibilities for our layouts, it also restricts them. Because the trains accelorate on their way down this bridge, they cannot go around tight turns when they reach the bottom. We have found it necessary to provide several inches of straight track on either end of the bridge, followed by a wide turn. Basically this means that you need a lot of room on your layout to fit this bridge in. If you don't allow for this, you'll have a lot of derailments to frustrate your child.
Additionally, this bridge comes apart really easily. It you pass a train under it and accidentally knock it with your finger on the way through, CRASH! It also falls apart if the layout isn't just right. It's hard to explain this clearly, but if too much pressure is put on either of the ascending/descending pieces of the bridge, the top get's popped off. It is NOT easy for a toddler to put back together, so it requires a parent's help. I think, by the time my son is 3, he'll be able to do it, but right now there's just no hope.
Learning
The longer we have this bridge, the more we like it. My husband and I are learning how to make the best layouts for it, and my son is learning how to NOT knock the top off of it. When our son is older and making his own layouts, he'll learn even more from this bridge.
Recommended
I absolutely recommend this bridge, but parents must be prepared to participate in their child's play with this toy, otherwise it'll be more frustration than it's worth. If you're too busy to help, there are similar bridges made by other companies that are made a little differently and don't come apart as easily. All of them that I've seen, though, are less realistic looking than the Thomas one, and the tunnels are only just wide enough to fit one lane of track.
FIND RELATED REVIEWS BELOW
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $7.50 ship
Type of Toy: Trains
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
dagny21
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 in Kids & Family |
 - Top 500 |
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Member: Christine D
Location: Alaska
Reviews written: 388
Trusted by: 66 members
About Me:
Happily married mother of one boy.
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