Day Out with Thomas returns to Essex, CT

Pablo392

http://essexsteamtrain.com/special-events/day-out-with-thomas/

Went there about 3 years ago, it was interesting and for $20 you get to see life size thomas up close. Other than that there isn't much else to do but if you are near by I think it's a reasonable cost.

Super

Thanks Pablo

Those are always great fun for the kids and for the Adults if they have other things going on. That looks like a pretty neat train place especially Essex Station and they have events going on all year round and that North Pole Express is very cool.

Off The Rails

I would love to do something like this with my kids but it's a bit out of the way to go for just that purpose.

I'm still a little gun shy after my last experience taking them on a train. We just knew our son would love it and instead, he had a meltdown freak out!

Pablo392

Off The Rails wrote
I would love to do something like this with my kids but it's a bit out of the way to go for just that purpose.

I'm still a little gun shy after my last experience taking them on a train. We just knew our son would love it and instead, he had a meltdown freak out!

My son was like that at first, it really goes with age. Kids have irrational fear of random things, and they seem to rotate. Also, the environment matters, at events like that there are so many kids wanting to get on the train, he seemed to go along with them. If there were kids crying & panicking, I think he would act like that. He would love watching the trains passing by the tracks, but he would freak out and ask mommy to cover his ears when we were down in subway, but a few days later he would ask again to ride the train. So we decided to take him to Thomas, he didn't know where to hide when Thomas approached blowing his loud whistle. :blush:

His biggest freakout was when he met life-sized Sir Topham Hatt 🙂 Then he realized it was just a guy in costume and not really guy out of a cartoon.

Off The Rails

@Pablo392-
Oh yeah, it definitely makes a difference in terms of age and exposure to new things. My kids are constantly asking to go downtown to watch the Amtrak come in, then it scares the hell out of them when it shows up!
We're still planning a return to the nearby railroad society for another ride on the train that freaked him out. It's been long enough now that I think he'll handle it better. OTOH, it'll be interesting to see how my daughter reacts this time around.

Ksthomas209

Try 3M headphones from Home Depot. I have a pair for each kid. We originally got them for Monster Trucks. They have come in handy for trains, the trolley, car races and even Disneyland. They have stopped full on meltdowns in the middle of shopping too!

Off The Rails

Ksthomas209 wrote
Try 3M headphones from Home Depot. I have a pair for each kid. We originally got them for Monster Trucks. They have come in handy for trains, the trolley, car races and even Disneyland. They have stopped full on meltdowns in the middle of shopping too!

That's a cool idea! Thanks!

Reivax

There are two Day Out With Thomas locations close to me this year. Contemplating trying it out this year, but it sure doesn't seem like a whole lot to do after the Train ride and a dressed up Topham Hatt.

I went on a train ride with my boys last summer up north. They were good and fascinated. It was a real slow scenic ride. I've been meaning to take them on our local Go trains that travel through the Greater Toronto area at very fast speeds. Wonder what they'll think about that.

Super

We are lucky here as The Day Out With Thomas is held at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfild Village in Dearborn Michigan with tons of stuff to do.

Pablo392

Reivax wrote
There are two Day Out With Thomas locations close to me this year. Contemplating trying it out this year, but it sure doesn't seem like a whole lot to do after the Train ride and a dressed up Topham Hatt.

I went on a train ride with my boys last summer up north. They were good and fascinated. It was a real slow scenic ride. I've been meaning to take them on our local Go trains that travel through the Greater Toronto area at very fast speeds. Wonder what they'll think about that.

There really isn't (or wasn't when we went) much else to do, but this year they seem to add more stuff, there is at least one more engine, Percy, But I think it's just going to be a model not an actual engine. They also have several play areas with trains, mock trains, control rooms, etc. There are also carnival type rides outside, but my son didn't get on those. Lines were OK but I caught this little nugget while walking around:

Zoom in to the plate:

🙂 True classic! :cool:

Oh and where else can you get exposed to soot?

When I hear soot, I immediately think of:

Super

That is a beautiful Steam engine and that coach...wow.

Hmmm...1968...wonder how much those bolts are stretched out and brittle seeing as they are taken apart and put back together so much.

Pablo392

Super wrote
That is a beautiful Steam engine and that coach...wow.

Hmmm...1968...wonder how much those bolts are stretched out and brittle seeing as they are taken apart and put back together so much.

It was one of the most beautiful engines I've seen in a while.

And this exhibit engine

Freebie Tip: If anyone is close to Essex, I think they can catch these engines on the side of the road without having to pay for Thomas on non-Thomas day.

Also if you (or your kids) really don't want to ride the coach you can easily catch Thomas and do a photo op by standing near RT 153 right off RT 9.

ActionChugger

I just asked my son if he wants to go again, and yes we are! April/May here at Baltimore Maryland USA 😃

I think it will be our 3rd time, missed one.

Super

Off The Rails

Man, that Mikado (#40) is an awesome engine! To heck with Thomas, THAT'S the one I wanna ride! 😃

*Note that the author of this post has a ~~deranged~~ uh.... MINOR obsession with 2-8-2 Mikado class locomotives. He desperately needs ~~treatment~~ to buy more Plarail D51s. 😉

Pablo392

Off The Rails wrote
Man, that Mikado (#40) is an awesome engine! To heck with Thomas, THAT'S the one I wanna ride! 😃

*Note that the author of this post has a ~~deranged~~ uh.... MINOR obsession with 2-8-2 Mikado class locomotives. He desperately needs ~~treatment~~ to buy more Plarail D51s. 😉

Well, I didn't want to spoil it for people who is under the assumption that Thomas is a real train, and that they are riding a coach pulled by Thomas; but I have to reveal the super secret that the Mikado in reference is the one pulling (and pushing) the coaches, and thomas is coupled to the end of the line. 🙂 So when Thomas is pulling into the station, it's actually the #40 pushing it in reverse. 😃

Off The Rails,
How about this, is this same class engine? This was on the other side of the tracks.

OK, we don't have any 6 year-olds reading this thread, so I don't have to feel guilty about this.

From the other side, when Thomas was pulling back into station:

Off The Rails

@Pablo392- Engine 97 looks like the similar 2-8-0 Consolidation class. IIRC, they currently have two Mikodos and one Consolidation in regular service. One of the "Mikes" is actually from China and was built in the mid to late 1980s! That's not a misprint; this one factory kept building US style steam locomotives until ~ 1999! #40 however is an original US built ALCO engine.

BTW, can I admit that I'm a bit disappointed to learn that Thomas is a dummy engine? LOL

I think the version at Edaville/Thomas Land is a runner but I might be confusing them with another group.