Tom Thumb Railroad Lithographed Freight Train
Tom Thumb trains were made in the early 1930s. These are just junk. Cheaply made to sell for a few dollars during the depression few survived long.
One innovation of the Tom Thumb trains was the transformer inside a station. I’ll add a picture of the transformer after I dig it out.
The set shown above has a 881 electric loco. This runs forward only and doesn’t have an operating headlight. Looks like they might have made a version with an electric headlight because there are tabs for one on the roof.
A tangerine orange colored 1903 tom Thumb railroad tank car follows the locomotive. I don’t know if the dome is correct on the tanker. Looks like it’s the insert from a can of brake fluid. It even says cut out in reversed type.
Next up is a 1901 Green and black gondola. Nothing interesting to mention here. The couplers on the set shown above have been painted black. They should be unpainted metal.
Following the gondola is a Fast Freight 1902 box car. Wood sided with brown roof. This is probably the same basic car as the passenger cars, as it looks more like a baggage car.
Bringing up the rear is the 1904 Tom Thumb Railroad Caboose. These cars ride low on the track by having the wheel recessed into the frame.
The loco is 7.5 inches long. The cars are 6.5 inches long. Measurements don’t include couplers.
You can see Tom Thumb Toys on eBay here.
