Lionel The Polar Express Model Train Set with Track | Berkshire-Style Ready to Run with Lights, Sound Effects and Remote Multicolor,711803
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| Showcase the magic of Christmas with this The Polar Express 38 pieces battery powered train set. Witness the children’s silhouettes as they sit in the passenger cars and imagine them drinking steaming mugs of hot chocolate and chattering excitedly about Santa. | This extra-large The Polar Express licensed train set comes with a 32 piece track (24 curved plastic track pieces and 8 straight track pieces and a four piece train. The train comprises 1 x locomotive engine with a working light, 1 x engine tender, 1 x train carriage and 1 x observation carriage and also comes with a remote control (requires 3 x AAA batteries, not supplied) and also includes 1 x Santa bell. | It also features 2 movie announcements (‘All Aboard, this is The Polar Express’ and ‘I am the King of the North Pole’. The movie announcements are operated by the remote control, which also controls the forward and reverse movement of the train by means of the large dial. | The remote control also has an on/off switch. A perfect decorative addition to put at the base of the tree for the festive season. The train requires 6 x C batteries (not supplied). The track has three different lay-out option (oval, square and round and once completed the track will measure 1.86 x 1.27 metres if laid out in an oval. Suits ages 4 years +. |
All aboard The Polar Express Ready-to-Play train set! This set comes with an exclusive track system allowing you to create a circle, rectangle or oval track. It is great for kids, hobbyists and holiday decorating. This year, showcase the magic of Christmas with The Polar Express train set and witness the children’s shadows as they sit in the passenger cars drinking steaming mugs of hot chocolate and chattering excitedly about Santa. This train is sure to make your home glow with the spirit of Christmas this season. With this Ready-to-Play set comes an exclusive track system which allows you to create a circular, a rectangle or an oval layout.
| Dimensions: | 22.86 x 15.24 x 7.62 cm; 2.72 Kilograms |
| Model: | 711803 |
| Material: | Plastic |
| Colour: | Multicolor |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | Yes |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Age: | 12 months – 83 years |
| Assembly: | No |
| Colour: | Multicolor |
| Material: | Plastic |
| Quantity: | 1 |
Great purchase
Cars are light and plastic but have great detail. Nice and light as to not consume the batteries. Wish there was an AC adapter I could buy 6c batteries is kinda crappy. But my 8 month old loves it and it dressed up my Christmas tree perfectly. I have no regrets and would recommend any of Lionel’s train sets.
Thank you Lionel
I love this train set, the “all aboard”, the whistle, everything is just what I wanted. So much fun for young and old!
I love this train set, the “all aboard”, the whistle, everything is just what I wanted. So much fun for young and old!
I am retired and have deep rooted interest in model trains. I have couple of sets that I play with. This Polar Express compliments my collection and I enjoy watching it go round with whistles and sounds.
I am retired and have deep rooted interest in model trains. I have couple of sets that I play with. This Polar Express compliments my collection and I enjoy watching it go round with whistles and sounds.
This train set is amazing. My boys are beyond happy with it and have played with it non-stop since we opened it. It was super easy to assemble and well made. Very happy with my purchase. Thanks!
This train set is amazing. My boys are beyond happy with it and have played with it non-stop since we opened it. It was super easy to assemble and well made. Very happy with my purchase. Thanks!
Se lo regalamos a nuestro hijo la navidad pasada y funciona excelentemente bien. Es igual al de la pelcula, con detalles, sonidos.. nos encanta! Este ao lo pusimos en el pino de navidad
Packaging not that good
Over the moon with this polar express looks and goes as the one in the film
Its very noisy and sound isn't adjustable so cannot keep it on all day, which was the original intention.
Its very noisy and sound isn’t adjustable so cannot keep it on all day, which was the original intention.
Extremely easy to set up, perfect to go under your Christmas tree or just to play in general! The set comes with a remote control which allows you to go forward and reverse, at different speeds, as well as different sound effects! This train set is one of the best ones I've seen out there. The only down side (well not really, maybe just me) is that it does not use any AA batteries, instead it uses AAA and C batteries, I had to go out and buy some batteries just for the train. But definitely worth it!!!
Extremely easy to set up, perfect to go under your Christmas tree or just to play in general! The set comes with a remote control which allows you to go forward and reverse, at different speeds, as well as different sound effects! This train set is one of the best ones I’ve seen out there. The only down side (well not really, maybe just me) is that it does not use any AA batteries, instead it uses AAA and C batteries, I had to go out and buy some batteries just for the train. But definitely worth it!!!
Kids/Elders might Love this train Se
This is my third train set after trying a couple of sets from a different vendor, which had a major problem with fixing the tracks. Those train set had a durability problem as the tracks are fragile and breaks whenever we re-fix them.
This train set is definitely a good one for this price range. Initially while fixing the tracks, I was wondering there are gaps. Later I realized I did not press them firmly. So there are no gaps between the tracks. Once thing I observed his the loose coupling between the compartments. We need to carefully seat the train on the tracks and ensure that the couples are properly in place. There is no permanent attachment. So parents guidance is required for the kids on how to place them. Once properly placed, the train works as expected. Remember you need 6 C Type batteries for the train and 3 AAA batteries for the remote. There are two places for on switch – one on top of Engine other in the Remote. If you switch on the engine first, you will hear a beep sound indicating no signal from remote. Check an youtube video before fixing. There is no way to mute the sound. The number of tracks mentioned in the box is incorrect (they mentioned 24 straight tracks and 8 curved tracks, but it is other way around and it does not affect any functionality)
Overall not only Kids, but also I love this set. I would recommend to purchase this. Let me know if you require a photo description or video manual since I do not see any manual enclosed. I am giving a 4 star since I am not sure about the durability. I will provide another review with a 5 star after several months if this is set meets my durability expectation 🙂
Parfait pour le sapin de Noël
Super pour le sapin de Nol. Les enfants l’on ador!
Un buen regalo para navidad
Una excelente compra, un producto muy bien hecho, de un buen tamao, est ms grande de lo que imaginaba, vale la pena.
This train is really cool looking and works great. Easy to assemble and to use. The only bad thing I have to say is that the sound the speaker for the "realistic train affect" is loud and there is no volume control!
This train is really cool looking and works great. Easy to assemble and to use. The only bad thing I have to say is that the sound the speaker for the “realistic train affect” is loud and there is no volume control!
My kids have been wishing for a Polar Express train to go around the bottom of the tree for several years. I finally decided to splurge and buy it. It was easy to set up and they were so excited! The only issues that I have with the train is that you cannot turn the sound off (it is a loud train!), and you also cannot turn the train on without the remote. It will just sit there and beep loudly until the remote is turned on.
Pretty cool train set! Polar Express was one of my favorite Christmas movie so it's a win win for me.
Pretty cool train set! Polar Express was one of my favorite Christmas movie so it’s a win win for me.
I bought this last christmas for my Brother and he was in love with it. He is really into the christmas spirit and decorating the tree. This train fits perfectly around our tree. He is getting ready to set it up again this year!
I bought this last christmas for my Brother and he was in love with it. He is really into the christmas spirit and decorating the tree. This train fits perfectly around our tree. He is getting ready to set it up again this year!
I bought this last christmas for my Brother and he was in love with it. He is really into the christmas spirit and decorating the tree. This train fits perfectly around our tree. He is getting ready to set it up again this year!
I bought this last christmas for my Brother and he was in love with it. He is really into the christmas spirit and decorating the tree. This train fits perfectly around our tree. He is getting ready to set it up again this year!
You will need tiny screw driver to put batteries in very pleased with it.
It met with all my expectations run it round my Christmas tree with a mini sized snow scene.
Nice and big, the remote makes it even more fun to sit back and pretend I’m a kid. I only wish I could turn the sound off and let it ride the tracks quietly. Great addition either way.
Nice and big, the remote makes it even more fun to sit back and pretend I’m a kid. I only wish I could turn the sound off and let it ride the tracks quietly. Great addition either way.
If you liked the movie, you’ll love this toy train. Wrap it around your Xmas tree, itsy great fu
If you liked the movie, you’ll love this toy train. Wrap it around your Xmas tree, itsy great fu
Train looks amazing, I’d give 5 stars BUT, yes there is a bit, it was delivered with damage to the packaging, looks crushed/dropped package looks like I purchased from a used store when it was stated NEW… this is a Christmas gift
Delivery drivers need to be more respectful with packages and a plastic bag is a very cheap way to protect such an expensive toy
If my son opens this at Christmas and it doesn’t work due, I’ll be back to ensure others are aware
Product came quickly and as described. Easy to set up. We set it up under the Christmas Tree and it was fun to watch. Would recommend.
Product came quickly and as described. Easy to set up. We set it up under the Christmas Tree and it was fun to watch. Would recommend.
Our son LOVES this, we use it at Christmas around our tree. Can make a big circle or a long oval with the track, easy to use remote.
Our son LOVES this, we use it at Christmas around our tree. Can make a big circle or a long oval with the track, easy to use remote.
Adorable! Had it running under our Xmas tree and it made a real showstopper! My carpet had a thick area rug on top where part of the track was to sit which made the track not smooth to sit on so I came up with the idea of using some unused carpet underlayment we had left over in the garage underneath the track and cut it out in a circle up to where the rug started and finished so it would make a level surface all the way around and the mottled pattern of the underlayment made it look like rocks etc like you’d see around a real railway track! This stopped the track from moving around and level. Perfect would highly recommend this. I hope you found this review helpful.
Best Christmas present I’ve ever bought.This train is fabulous with light and sound.comtrol for fast and slow and multiple track layout.My son was delighted
Best Christmas present I’ve ever bought.This train is fabulous with light and sound.comtrol for fast and slow and multiple track layout.My son was delighted
I ordered it as a gift for my little two-and-a-half year old grandson. He liked it very much. The train is beautifully made, and is large and sturdy, has many features and is good value for money. Hope the little boy will enjoy it for a few more years.
I ordered it as a gift for my little two-and-a-half year old grandson. He liked it very much. The train is beautifully made, and is large and sturdy, has many features and is good value for money. Hope the little boy will enjoy it for a few more years.
I ordered it as a gift for my little two-and-a-half year old grandson. He liked it very much. The train is beautifully made, and is large and sturdy, has many features and is good value for money. Hope the little boy will enjoy it for a few more years.
I ordered it as a gift for my little two-and-a-half year old grandson. He liked it very much. The train is beautifully made, and is large and sturdy, has many features and is good value for money. Hope the little boy will enjoy it for a few more years.
Almost real Polar Express in your living room.
I like the quality it made. Very detailed, looks great. Not exactly as in the movie, but good enough.
You all know positive aspects of this train, but here some negative points:
– Remote control has no dedicated “neutral” position, i mean there is no “click” sound/feeling when you trying to stop the train. You have to manually catch the zero (neutral) position. Kinda hard to do for kids.
– Passenger carts has no light.
– Connectors are very annoying, and some time it is really hard to set up everything on the rails to start a ride.
– Bell. It is included, but totally not the same as in Movie (shape, etc). Kid easily recognized the fake cheap copy and get upset.
All Aboard!
Nice train set. It’s a very good size and looks great. The sounds are loud and clear. Just wish there were a few more to play. The remote control is UGLY BIG but love the feature. The track is fair size and limited to a large Oval construction.
Unfortunately, if you want more track, it looks like you have to pay a small ransom (so accept this for what you get and be happy with it). Love controlling speed of movement forward and back…Again, the sound of the train in motion is very pleasing…so…GOOD BUY.
Expensive, but I think it’s the only legit Polar Express train set available, and the kids love Polar Express; what can you do?
The track you get with the train makes a small oval shape, and is pretty easy to fit together. Slightly easier than Lego, but harder than Trackmaster stuff.
The bell that comes with the train is really bad, we’ve had cat toys which resembled a bell better than this one, which is a real shame. It just kind of rattles around.
The train itself is pretty well made, stays on the track, and can go forwards and backwards; as well as playing sound clips from the film, a nice chug chug sound, and steaming sound when it’s stationary.
Overall, giving it four stars. It’s really expensive and the bell is awful, but the kids really love i
Expensive, but I think it’s the only legit Polar Express train set available, and the kids love Polar Express; what can you do?
The track you get with the train makes a small oval shape, and is pretty easy to fit together. Slightly easier than Lego, but harder than Trackmaster stuff.
The bell that comes with the train is really bad, we’ve had cat toys which resembled a bell better than this one, which is a real shame. It just kind of rattles around.
The train itself is pretty well made, stays on the track, and can go forwards and backwards; as well as playing sound clips from the film, a nice chug chug sound, and steaming sound when it’s stationary.
Overall, giving it four stars. It’s really expensive and the bell is awful, but the kids really love i
My 2-year old grandson absolutely loves this train set. It seems well-thought out for younger children - larger sized train than a typical HO-scale, more forgiving when little hands want to touch the train. The controller was easy to learn for him, and as you would expect he goes from full forward to full backward instantly, and the train handles the changes just fine. The track was easy to assemble, and it stayed together well. He has run this train for hours so far and it still has the original batteries, so it appears to last a long time on one set of batteries. I will say that in a small apartment or in a situation where the caregiver wants to watch TV, the train is relatively loud. But if you have a basement or separate area to run it, it is great.
My 2-year old grandson absolutely loves this train set. It seems well-thought out for younger children – larger sized train than a typical HO-scale, more forgiving when little hands want to touch the train. The controller was easy to learn for him, and as you would expect he goes from full forward to full backward instantly, and the train handles the changes just fine. The track was easy to assemble, and it stayed together well. He has run this train for hours so far and it still has the original batteries, so it appears to last a long time on one set of batteries. I will say that in a small apartment or in a situation where the caregiver wants to watch TV, the train is relatively loud. But if you have a basement or separate area to run it, it is great.
Love this trai
We love this – and our dog loves to follow it around!
We bought one locally (different brand) it was cheap and broken. This was the one we chose to replace it and we love it – we put it around our Christmas tree 🙂
Much larger than expected.
Wonderful toy, extremely delighted. Whole train is about 48 inches long and 5inch high with locomotives about 15 inch long. Easy to setup and the box is easy to open and store the train. Loud speaker with 2 led lights and with about six types of noises. Track is about 180 inches in circumference. Need 6 C type and 3aaa cells. Do not try aa to c converts as ,they would not fit. Inside elliptical track dimensions are 48 by 68 inches. So large Christmas tree can fit inside with plenty of room for presents. Also 6 button remote control is not infrared type, so works pretty well. My Kids agave 4 and 9 are extremely happy to have this.
Got it for my nephew for christmas and he basically dropped everything to play with it. It was a bit larger than expected, but he loved it and kept hitting all the sound buttons while running it at high speed.
Got it for my nephew for christmas and he basically dropped everything to play with it. It was a bit larger than expected, but he loved it and kept hitting all the sound buttons while running it at high speed.
Got it for my nephew for christmas and he basically dropped everything to play with it. It was a bit larger than expected, but he loved it and kept hitting all the sound buttons while running it at high speed.
Got it for my nephew for christmas and he basically dropped everything to play with it. It was a bit larger than expected, but he loved it and kept hitting all the sound buttons while running it at high speed.
The polar Express
Very big. A bit annoying to fit on the rail but works well. The sentences are not very clear. I was expecting steam to come out of chimney…
Train fans and polar express fan dream.
My two boys love this, easy to set up, sounds very good and easy to control for toddler and infant school childre
The polar Express
Very big. A bit annoying to fit on the rail but works well. The sentences are not very clear. I was expecting steam to come out of chimney…
Parfait pour autour du sapi
Taille parfaite pour faire le tour du sapin. Fonctionnalits intressantes (son on/off). Il y a eu quelques draillements mais rien de majeur. Bon rapport qualit prix.
The actual train is larger than I thought it would be, but it is a delight none the less. Kiddo loves it, and I think it's worth the price tag.
The actual train is larger than I thought it would be, but it is a delight none the less. Kiddo loves it, and I think it’s worth the price tag.
The actual train is larger than I thought it would be, but it is a delight none the less. Kiddo loves it, and I think it's worth the price tag.
The actual train is larger than I thought it would be, but it is a delight none the less. Kiddo loves it, and I think it’s worth the price tag.
Great! Sturdy and looked great, kids loved it. Will bring joy for many holidays
Great! Sturdy and looked great, kids loved it. Will bring joy for many holidays
Beautiful.
My 2.5 year old boy is a huge train lover! He couldn’t believe his luck when he opened his Christmas present.
It is very very big and it is a bit tricky to put correctly on the tracks.
Brilliant!
Best buy! A toy for adults as well as kids!
‘Chuffed’
OMG chuffed to bits with this. Have village at bottom of our tree and this is a fantastic addition. Great quality and easy to set up.
Amazing train!! Looked everywhere locally and had to purchase the week of Christmas for my son. Arrived quickly and was just what we wanted.
Amazing train!! Looked everywhere locally and had to purchase the week of Christmas for my son. Arrived quickly and was just what we wanted.
Love this train set. Bought this as a "decoration" to put under our Christmas tree. Works really well and was a big hit at Christmas this year. This is a very well engineered and designed product and I am surprised at the high quality for such a reasonable price. Tracks go together relatively easily, although it is not something a child could manage on their own. Likewise for putting the batteries in the locomotive. Where we located the track it ran over the edge of a carpet and over an extension cord but the train navigated these bumps without ever coming off the track. I only wish we had the option to turn off the sound. Sometimes we would like to run it silent, but otherwise thrilled with the product.
Love this train set. Bought this as a “decoration” to put under our Christmas tree. Works really well and was a big hit at Christmas this year. This is a very well engineered and designed product and I am surprised at the high quality for such a reasonable price. Tracks go together relatively easily, although it is not something a child could manage on their own. Likewise for putting the batteries in the locomotive. Where we located the track it ran over the edge of a carpet and over an extension cord but the train navigated these bumps without ever coming off the track. I only wish we had the option to turn off the sound. Sometimes we would like to run it silent, but otherwise thrilled with the product.
We watched the movie just before Christmas. My son is 3.5 and loves trains. We have to be careful because he likes to play with it like toys (throwing etc). But perfect for under the tree and it will get easier for him to use as he grows.
We watched the movie just before Christmas. My son is 3.5 and loves trains. We have to be careful because he likes to play with it like toys (throwing etc). But perfect for under the tree and it will get easier for him to use as he grows.
The Polar Express train is amazing! The grandkids were all wowed by it!!!
The Polar Express train is amazing! The grandkids were all wowed by it!!!
Love it around our tree
Really cool train
Forward and reverse bell and audible Polar express lines
Un buen regalo.
Un buen ferrocarril para inducir a los pequeos en el ferromodelismo.
Really good quality great train to put around the Christmas tree. Got this on sale when it was 60 bucks!!! Amazing deal!
Really good quality great train to put around the Christmas tree. Got this on sale when it was 60 bucks!!! Amazing deal!
I have always wanted a train set for under my Christmas tree and decided to treat my self to this set. It is well made and easy to put together. The are a variety of speeds, forward/reverse and sound effects. It fitted perfectly around my tree and I was so pleased with it as were my two children.
My husband has always been desperate for a train to run around the bottom of the Christmas tree so this was an early Christmas present. Quality product that blows all other similar Christmas trains out of the water! Tom Hanks voice clearly heard shouting just like the film. One very happy boy husband
4 year old Grandson loves i
Easy to assemble. Ready to go right out of the box, just add batteries. Expandable features like extra track and switches are available. There are other compatible Ready-to-Play sets for next gifting time. A good size for little hands. Sturdy enough for little people to handle, set up and coupe and uncouple. We will be back for more compatible and similar products.
This product is loved and played with at every opportunity.
I have always wanted a train set for under my Christmas tree and decided to treat my self to this set. It is well made and easy to put together. The are a variety of speeds, forward/reverse and sound effects. It fitted perfectly around my tree and I was so pleased with it as were my two children.
My husband has always been desperate for a train to run around the bottom of the Christmas tree so this was an early Christmas present. Quality product that blows all other similar Christmas trains out of the water! Tom Hanks voice clearly heard shouting just like the film. One very happy boy husband
The real deal !
Top xmas present, really good quality nice size. My 9 year old played with it all over the xmas holidays 10/10
Superior Produc
My Grandson only wanted 1 thing for Christmas!!! THE POLAR EXPRESS> When he got it he was ecstatic. The train was perfect, he has played with it constantly, with no problems at all. THANK YOU Lionel and Amazon.
It’s kind of a clunky, hollow, plastic train but it works great. The sound effects are cute and it’s really easy for my four year old to use. He loves it!
It’s kind of a clunky, hollow, plastic train but it works great. The sound effects are cute and it’s really easy for my four year old to use. He loves it!
It’s kind of a clunky, hollow, plastic train but it works great. The sound effects are cute and it’s really easy for my four year old to use. He loves it!
It’s kind of a clunky, hollow, plastic train but it works great. The sound effects are cute and it’s really easy for my four year old to use. He loves it!
Superb train se
Fantastic train set – takes 6 c type batteries AND three aaa batteries in the controller. My 3 year old absolutely loves i
My kids loved the movie so I had to get this and they loved it. Came with the bell too.
My kids loved the movie so I had to get this and they loved it. Came with the bell too.
Idéal pour tous
Bon produit , le train est d’une bonne grosseur il est facile d’utilisation avec sa tlcommande qu’il permet d’ajuster la vitesse en avanant et mme en reculant. Idal pour des enfants et pour adultes. Je recommande ce produit.
Super cool train. I got it on Black Friday for $67.99 which was great value for the price. Train is quite large and was easy to put together. Configurations shown (3) for the track were easily set up and it goes around the Christmas tree with track to spare. The smaller gauge one was really too expensive for kids that aren’t into trains as a hobby but this hit the mark. Not sure on durability as it is literally been only used for 2 days. It is heavy one the batteries which is definitely a con.
This set is great! It was a Christmas gift for my 6year old and he’s been playing with it nonstop for the entire 3 days since he got it. It’s large and seems very sturdy. My only complaint is that there is no volume control on the sounds and it is quite loud.
This set is great! It was a Christmas gift for my 6year old and he’s been playing with it nonstop for the entire 3 days since he got it. It’s large and seems very sturdy. My only complaint is that there is no volume control on the sounds and it is quite loud.
Easy to set up, awesome build quality and works great! Also much cheaper than anything else we've found.
Easy to set up, awesome build quality and works great! Also much cheaper than anything else we’ve found.
Good quality, stays on track well but sometimes the cars come apart. Don't forget to buy 6C batteries. Our boys love the sounds, lights and remote functions. Great deal!
Good quality, stays on track well but sometimes the cars come apart. Don’t forget to buy 6C batteries. Our boys love the sounds, lights and remote functions. Great deal!
Bon rapport qualité/prix
Ma petite de 11 mois adore le regarder tourner autour du sapin de nol. Trs bon prix et de qualit.
The product was delivered in a timely fashion. The train and controllor as well as the tracks are well-built. My 4yr old grandson handled the controller very easily. The bell, voice and whistle are authentic. I am so happy we bought this to put under our tree!
The product was delivered in a timely fashion. The train and controllor as well as the tracks are well-built. My 4yr old grandson handled the controller very easily. The bell, voice and whistle are authentic. I am so happy we bought this to put under our tree!
Un tren para la navidad
Fue un pedido por parte de mi ta para su rbol de Navidad y me da dicho que fue excelente. Muchas gracias
Great size train fits around the bottom of the tree with room for presents. Batteries seem to let a long time as well.
Great size train fits around the bottom of the tree with room for presents. Batteries seem to let a long time as well.
Cadeau
j’ai acheter pour cadeau de noel la livr la date prvu, merci je suis satisfaite.
I have just set this up ahead of Christmas to make sure all working ok and it looks amazing. Good quality and sturdy. Small light at the front and makes good train noises.
I can’t wait for my Polar Express fans to see it on Christmas day.
For the price a couple of figurines would have been nice but guess they want you to buy those separately.
You’ll need 6 size C batteries and 3 size AAA.
I have just set this up ahead of Christmas to make sure all working ok and it looks amazing. Good quality and sturdy. Small light at the front and makes good train noises.
I can’t wait for my Polar Express fans to see it on Christmas day.
For the price a couple of figurines would have been nice but guess they want you to buy those separately.
You’ll need 6 size C batteries and 3 size AAA.
Love the Polar Express. Its under the tree for the kids and grown-up to enjoy, it works great. Easy to set up and ready to go. I am looking forward to the grand-kids to enjoy.
Love the Polar Express. Its under the tree for the kids and grown-up to enjoy, it works great. Easy to set up and ready to go. I am looking forward to the grand-kids to enjoy.
Train was larger than anticipated which was very nice. Lots of track as well. Family very happy to have this addition to our Christmas tree set up this year.
Train was larger than anticipated which was very nice. Lots of track as well. Family very happy to have this addition to our Christmas tree set up this year.
Update 12/2/2021: five stars for longevity
This is our fourth Christmas with this train. When we first purchased the train we had two kids. Now we have four. It has been through years of use (dare I say abuse) from three of those children and it still runs like new!!! It’s incredible and I’ve now officially raised it to five stars for being one of the few toys around here that has served this house for this long without a single issue, dent, crack, or scratch.
Still no real connection issues as other reviewers have noted.
Repetitive and thoughtless unrealistic “chuff” noise is still annoying.
Also to note I’ve seen reviewers complaining of the train coming off the tracks, and I agree!! But not for the reason you might think. I am constantly replacing the train on the tracks because my kids keep taking it off to scoot it around on the floor. It has fallen off the tracks before when the track is not on flat to a flat surface. If I get the tracks down right I have no issues at all, it never pops off the tracks on its own.
I highly recommend this train and for only $50 it has been an amazing experience and remains one of the kids favorite Christmas decorations. When they see the tree come out they immediately start asking about the train.
Scroll down for instructions to add lights to the coaches.
Update 12/14/2020: extreme durability
It’s been a couple years now since we got this and it’s still going strong, and still no serious remote disconnecting issues as mentioned in previous reviews. As I noted In the original review we got this as a more durable place holder for its 6 times more expensive cousin we used to put under the tree. It has served the purpose well. It has been picked up and dropped and thrown about, had its tracks torn apart and thrown around the house, used on and off the tracks, had its piston parts torn out of place multiple times (they can be popped back into place), the remote has been slobbed and also covered with (unknown Sticky food substance), and the engine has been pushed all over the house on many different surfaces like a toy and through all of this it still works exactly as it did when we bought it. Nothing has even broken on it.
Chuff sound is still annoying and unrealistic, still burns through batteries like no tomorrow under high use, but it still chugs around the tree like brand new. As far as remote disconnecting, maybe every once in a rare while? But it doesn’t last long. Maybe a second? Possibly they mostly solved this issue, or perhaps some people got duds? I still recommend this, especially if you can get it at a discounted rate. We paid about $50 after amazon price matched it self for us.
Instructions to add lights to the coaches to make them glow:
What you’ll need:
– aluminum foil
– 2 to 4 led wire string light sets with battery boxes that hold three double a batteries. Id go for ones with a remote or Bluetooth control. More on that down below
– a small or maybe even precision size Phillips screw driver
Steps:
1. Buy battery powered wire string lights. I would go for ones that take three double a batteries as the ones we have with a 6 double a battery box won’t fit. I was able to fit two sets of string lights with two separate three double a battery boxes in the coach without issue. I put one on one side of the poles and one on the other side of the poles. I do recommend two sets, I had one in originally and it was pretty dim. I am currently testing out a set I just got off amazon currently called “MINGER 16.4Ft Fairy Light Battery Operated 2 Pack”. (The amazon listing keeps changing names for some reason so you may have to search with less words to find it if it doesn’t come up at first). They are Bluetooth controlled so I use an app to turn them on or off when I’m ready to use them so I can screw the coach back together and not go through batteries too fast. You don’t have to get those. Any will do, probably should find some with a timer at least. You can always leave the top of the coach unscrewed after you’re done, it will stay on top as it kind of fits into place. But if you have young kiddos like I do then your coach may end up opened and the lights taken out regularly :).
2. Take your first coach and unscrew three screws from the bottom with a precision screw driver. The top will come off without issue. Make sure to keep track of the screws. Some of them stay in and some fall out.
3. Take out red plastic window piece with window stickers on it. Be careful as the stickers can peel off if you aren’t.
4. Lay aluminum foil inside the coach to prevent the light from shining through any where besides the windows as the coach is plastic. Line foil on top of all areas of the coach you wouldn’t want light to shine through.
5. Take your battery powered wire led string lights and set the battery boxes in the coach on top of the foil.
6. Take the wire lights and wrap them tightly around the inner poles of the coach from one end to the other until all the wire is used up.
7. Make sure there isn’t wire in the way and place plastic window piece back in place. Make sure to line the holes up over the poles.
8. Cut a piece of aluminum foil to put over the openings in the plastic window piece. Make sure to poke holes where needed to make room for where the poles meet up top to bottom.
9. Turn on lights and/or put top back on.
10. Repeat for second coach.
That’s it you’re done. Yay. They glow like the o gauge set for a fraction of the cost. If you want to you can secure the screws back on at this point. It’s not necessary unless you have children or pets that may try to get into the coaches and makes it harder to turn on/off the lights if you need to /replace batteries but you gotta do what you gotta do. The top stays on unscrewed on mine at any speed so far.
Keep in mind that if you do this to your train the windows will shine through red not yellow because the yellow windows are just a sticker sitting on a red piece of plastic and since the plastic is red the color that shines through is red. Also to note, the shadows of the people on the stickers are hardly noticeable while the coach is glowing since that’s just a sticker. Keep the string lights as close as possible to the center of the coach to prevent them from shining through the windows too concentrated in certain areas.
Review:
This train is somewhat annoying. We own the better version of this train. The o gauge that goes on the electric tracks. I feel like Lionel quality has gone downhill over the years. We decided to get this so we had something more durable to go around the tree this year. The chuff sound it makes is fairly annoying and repetitive, almost like a broken record. There’s no variation in the chuff like a real steam engine has. My sons $20 wooden train toy sounds more realistic than this does. What’s worse is you cannot change the sound, lower the volume, or turn the chuff off. On our more expensive set you can turn the chuff off (which that one’s chuff is just about as annoying). But I guess they decided to leave that out on the cheapo.
Also this thing chews up c batteries. Probably should buy a 50 pack to get you through Christmas if you have kids who like to watch the train go round and round. It used 6 in two days.
I added lights to the coaches because that was one thing I miss from our more expensive set was the glowing coaches. It was fairly simple, as you may have already seen the instructions to do so are listed at the top of the review.
Aside from that I think it’s probably worth the price. I actually raised my rating one star because I paid $68 originally and I thought that was too much. Then the price dropped to $50 and so I called amazon and they price matched it for me and refunded the difference because amazon customer service is wonderful. I feel like $50 is a more justified price for the train and so my rating went up. I wouldn’t pay much more than that and if it’s over that at the time you’re reading this review I might wait if you can to see if the price will head down again. Just put it in your cart and save it for later. Amazon will tell you if the price ever changes at the top of your cart in a little note. All in all I really wish Lionel would cut the annoying chuf and get something a little more realistic. Or at least always give you the option to turn it off. We are fairly satisfied with it and my kids love it so it serves its purpose.
Trs raliste, dommage que l’on ne puisse pas couper le son car le bruit du train en continu est assez fatiguant. Utilisez plutot des piles rehargeables car elles se vident assez vite.
This train set was exactly as advertised. Actually a little larger than we expected, which was nice. Well built and rugged, it looks wonderful under our tree. Very easy to assemble and the remote is simple to master. Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to add a little extra fun to their Christmas decorations.
This train set was exactly as advertised. Actually a little larger than we expected, which was nice. Well built and rugged, it looks wonderful under our tree. Very easy to assemble and the remote is simple to master. Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to add a little extra fun to their Christmas decorations.
Awesome train set which we have bought for our 3 year old granddaughter. It’s got plenty of track, makes great noises and really looks the part. Even has Tom Hanks making the announcements. Brilliant and grandad is very happy with it. Roll on Christmas !!
Awesome train set which we have bought for our 3 year old granddaughter. It’s got plenty of track, makes great noises and really looks the part. Even has Tom Hanks making the announcements. Brilliant and grandad is very happy with it. Roll on Christmas !!
It’s bigger than it looked in pics but it’s great, will just have to move a few things around for it to go around my Christmas tree, which was why I brought it, also doesn’t say”all aboard the polar express” like it was advertised, but it does say something about the north pole, it’s definitely worth the money… we did feel like big kids again trying it out!
It’s bigger than it looked in pics but it’s great, will just have to move a few things around for it to go around my Christmas tree, which was why I brought it, also doesn’t say”all aboard the polar express” like it was advertised, but it does say something about the north pole, it’s definitely worth the money… we did feel like big kids again trying it out!
Amazing and great value! Kids love it, should be priced way higher, got it on sale but worth full price! Everything works well. Only issues are it is not compatible with other Lionel sets and the detail work is not on par with any of their full priced sets. Also my kids frequently knock it off the tracks and it’s a pain putting it back on as it does not seat firmly on tracks. Although on sale the whole set costs only 1/5-1/8 of what a single regular priced Lionel passenger car or eninge would be! Buy it you won’t regret it!
Perfect my grandson enjoys it even the adults were impressed
Perfect my grandson enjoys it even the adults were impressed
I saw this on sale last year and waited too late to order, not this year though! I got it on sale for $79 too. This train is perfect for kids, fits around a Christmas tree, works exactly as seen in th video.
I saw this on sale last year and waited too late to order, not this year though! I got it on sale for $79 too. This train is perfect for kids, fits around a Christmas tree, works exactly as seen in th video.
ALL GOOD EXEPT FOR THE VOICE SOME TIMES IN A LANGUAGE THAT WE DONT UNDERSTAND, BUT THE TRAIN IS VERY GOOD
ALL GOOD EXEPT FOR THE VOICE SOME TIMES IN A LANGUAGE THAT WE DONT UNDERSTAND, BUT THE TRAIN IS VERY GOOD
This train set is a wonderful memory of Christmas, along with watching the DVD of Polar Express, really enjoy it, especially at this price. It is a toy, could not afford the $500 or more train sets. It is the memories I want to capture and owning this fills that dream. A DIY project was to put battery powered LED train lights in the 2 passenger cars (just remove the roof and flip the window frame upside-down, use wax paper for the windows to allow light thru). Very pleased and hopefully will last a lifetime.
VERY GREAT ARRIVED 2 DAYS BEFORE GREAT FOR CHILDREN FOR ALL AGE! MY SON LIKE IT!
Great train set for my six year old polar express fa
child love the train their happy to get at Christmas
child love the train their happy to get at Christmas
Overall, I am pleased with the train. We purchased it as a special pre-Christmas present for our boys to put around the tree. They are in love with trains, the Polar Express, etc. Needless to say, they were very excited about the train. On the plus side, the train itself feels very sturdy. Battery life has been very good so far – we’ve been running it a couple weeks so far and i’ve only had to replace the remote batteries (AAA) once. The locomotive runs on C batteries and have not had to replace them yet. The sounds are good and not overly annoying, but wish it did have a couple more phrases it would say, or maybe even music. We have not had the issue of the track coming apart as some people have mentioned. We have ours on a wood floor, so I wonder if that is more of an issue if you will be running it on a rug / carpet.
After a few days of use, I noticed that the wheels were spinning and it was making a loud popping sound (most likely from the gears). This was mainly when trying to go in reverse. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that four of the wheels have black rubber bands (or traction tires, whatever you want to call them). I noticed some small black rubber shavings here and there around the track. We initially started with a circle configuration. One of the bands was a little crooked, and I was able to slide it back into place relatively easily. We continued to have the problem of wheels slipping in reverse, but was generally fine going forward. I am happy to report that a quick, painless call to Lionel had us a replacement engine in just a few days.
We have not had any more issues so far with the replacement locomotive. We did add some straight pieces to make a ‘square circle’ hoping that not going in a constant circle might reduce any wear on the traction tires. So far, so good. My only concern with it at this point is the test of time. Will this last forever? Probably not. But hopefully we can get a few seasons out of it. Remember to take the batteries out for storage! I would recommend it based on Lionel backing their product without a hassle.
The train-set looks absolutely amazing under the Christmas tree
First Impression: Let me start by saying I severely underestimated the size of this train. This is the first train-set I have ever purchased so I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect.
Quality: The train-set looks absolutely amazing under the Christmas tree. The paint and quality seems to be on par with an official ‘Polar Express’ train-set. Although the tracks are plastic its a nice hard, durable plastic that I see no problem having years to come.
Packaging: This train-set comes in a nice custom cut styrofoam package with plastic bumpers to prevent any accidental shifting while in transit. I plan on keeping it for storage when the holiday season is over.
Overall Impression: I do not regret this purchase in any way. It has a nice remote to play various sounds and adjustable train speed and it brings a crazy big smile to my daughters face. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for a train-set for you or the kids.
What a great gift, my son watched the film as asked me to get him one and I finally found this and had to have it. Although we haven’t opened it yet (its for Christmas) i can already tell its quality and it looks great. IT EVEN HAS THE BELL!!!!
My son is a train crazy 5 year old with autism. Potty training has been a big struggle for us and I wanted to get him something big for mastering it. I knew he would love this train (even though it’s the middle of summer) and I was right! This is an EXCELLENT RC starter train for young kids! The quality and detail are very good for the price. The remote is VERY intuitive and easy to use which is great because my son gets easily frustrated. Unlike many similar G scale trains, the cars are easy to couple and stay coupled and also easy to put on the track and don’t derail on their own! At full speed this train is surprisingly fast. The variety of sounds and voices are nice and clear and pretty high quality for the price. It comes with plenty of track to make a nice big setup. It can go forward or reverse at the speed of your choosing and has whistle, bell and conductor voice buttons. The battery life is also surprisingly good. After he got this, his grandparents bought him another similar Lionel train with the exact same remote. The nice thing is, any remote can be used for any train without pairing problems and they can be used at the same time without interfering with each other which is awesome. This set also comes with a big shiny metal Santa bell which is a nice touch.
My only complaints would be that you have to switch both the train and remote on and off after use and it doesn’t turn off automatically after a long period of inactivity. It’s really easy for my son to forget to turn off the remote after playing with it and if you don’t turn it off, a red light will continue to blink and the batteries will run down quickly. Also, when you turn the train on before turning the remote on it makes a really annoying beeping sound while it’s looking for a remote to pair to. My son actually enjoys that beeping sound and will often do it on purpose. It drives me nuts, haha.
Anyway, this is a great set for a reasonable price and would make a wonderful addition to a Christmas tree or just plain train fun anytime of year! It doesn’t play any annoying music/Christmas songs. In short it has been a HUGE hit at our house and I can highly recommend. I did NOT receive this for free or at a discount. Hope this helps!
I love this train, I purchased it for my family as an early Christmas present as last year and this year we have ridden the Polar Express in Durango CO. Having this train around the tree has been great,
First the package that it came in was very nice the Styrofoam had all the slots for the train parts and its set up to where the train can go back into the package after Christmas and will work for storage.
Set up was very simple and easy it was just a matter of clipping together the train tracks so easy my 4 year old was able to do some.
The Engine and remote both needed batteries and it was simple enough to get the covers off.
the trains sounds are awesome i think they may have actually used Tom Hanks voice.
The only issue we have had is keeping the train on the tracks seams like the slightest bump and it goes off rails or one of the cars comes disconnected but that’s not such a big issue unless it happens all the time.
After reading a lot of mixed reviews I ordered this for under our Christmas tree. It came this week and we set it up yesterday. Don’t think I would spend the original $100-120 on it but the sale prices of $60-70 are totally worth it to use just at Christmas time for a month or two. The tracks are easy to snap together, and the circle fit perfectly around the edge of our tree skirt. Ours is on the skirt on carpet and runs fine. It took a few tries to get the train on the tracks and connected just because I have never run a train like this before. If using the straight pieces it would’ve been easier line up the pieces on there to get started. Our 4 year old and 6 year old girls picked up the remote and started running it right away. I think if people remember this is a toy for younger kids and not a model train for older kids and adults that they won’t be let down.