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Which Wooden Train Set is the Best?

Melissa and Doug, Thomas the Train, Tj Maxx

Investing in a wooden train set for your children can seem like a difficult task. After visiting many stores, I have found the two most sought after brands of wooden train sets on the market today are Thomas the Train and Melissa and Doug. Here is a comparison of both brands to help guide you as you make your purchases.

Which brand is more affordable? Melissa and Doug is the winner when it comes to pricing. Especially if you want to buy a starter kit. On websites like amazon, you can get starter sets, including the table, for a very low price. Thomas the Train is definitely more expensive, but you can find good deals at stores like TJ Maxx. If your patient, and wait, you can get both lines for great prices but Melissa and Doug has the lower price, overall.

Which brand is easier to find? Both brands are easy to find if you know where to look. You can find them both on many websites online (ebay, amazon, train websites), specialty toy stores and, if your lucky, TJ Maxx for almost 40% off every once in a while! In my search I have found the Thomas line to be available at more stores I shop at on the daily basis. Target and Walmart both carry the line, while they do not carry Melissa and Doug. So Thomas wins this battle – that brand is easy to find at stores you would stop at for your regular errands.

Which train table is better? The sizes are very similar. The Melissa and Doug table is 15’L, 16″H and 32.5″W. The Thomas train table is 48″L and 32″W. The Melissa and Doug Table has a green felt top, sturdy legs. It is plain white and has two storage drawers. The Thomas table is decorated in character theme, with 3-d faces on the side and a detailed nature backround on the surface. Complete with foliage and streams. Both are flat surfaces. When it comes to tables, Melissa and Doug take the cake! While the Thomas table may look more appealing the Melissa and Doug table is much more sturdy and can be used for other things after your child outgrow’s trains. The drawers are great for storing extra parts and in my opinion, there is just no comparison. Also, next time you are at Barnes and Nobles check out how wobbly the table is. Melissa and Doug, definitely.

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Which line has better stations or sets? Both lines have their own variations of “stops”, “sets” or “stations”. The both have great bridges, work stations and obstacles. The Melissa and Doug stations are more standard, but still fun. The Thomas set has standard stations, but they also carry storyline stations which go along with episodes of the show. If your child is a Thomas fan and knows all the episodes by heart, he will certainly prefer the storyline themed stations that go along with the show. Even if your child is not a fan, he will enjoy them. Thomas reigns supreme when it comes to stations and stops for one main reason … they have more that light up and make noise!

Which line has better trains? This definitely depends on your child. Melissa and Doug trains are standard. Thomas has faces on them. Older children may not want a smiley face on their train, while younger children like the familiarity of seeing a smiley face. It also depends on how your child plays trains. Thomas’s trains have moods. They also have trains that are cold, dirty, sad and angry. So if your child plays in a way where his trains talk to eachother he will probably prefer the Thomas line, as their trains have personality. If he plays with the train just going around the track saying “choo choo” and loading up on coal, he will probably prefer Melissa and Doug.

Here is one final thing to consider. A Thomas fan is a Thomas fan and will probably only want Thomas stuff, while a child who likes trains may not necessarily like Thomas the character. Many specialty toy store owners I have talked to have said lots of children outgrow Thomas, before they outgrow trains. So, that is something to keep in mind while investing in your wooden train set. One store owner bought her son a Thomas train table and once he outgrew it, he asked for the Melissa and Doug one. He said “I don’t like the faces on my trains anymore.” It just depends on your child, and what they would get more joy out of. As we all know, every child is different.

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If you have read this entire article and are still confused, I have some good news for you. You don’t have to choose!!! Luckily, Melissa and Doug tracks are able to connect with Thomas tracks so you don’t have to select and stick with one brand. If you want to save some money by buying the Melissa and Doug starter pack, but want to use Thomas character trains on the track you can! You can also attach Thomas storyline stops to the Melissa and Doug tracks, and use trains from both brands. So relax, and enjoy your wooden train set, now matter which brand you choose or how you mix it up!