Wooden Railway

The Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway is a wooden model railway system created by Learning Curve.

Product History, Design and Make
The company "Learning Curve" was foundet by John W. Lee 1993 in Chicago. In 2003 the company is acquired by "Racing Champions Ertl" that was renamed in the same year to "RC2". Learning Curve introduced some new designs for the track surface of wooden toy railways, such as the "Clicketyclack" rails patented in 1995 and the newer tracks with a relief to supply better traction grip for battery powered trains patented in 2003. They also introduced a road track that uses the same gauge as the railway tracks.

The original models were constructed mainly from painted wood, with metal used in the coupling magnets and axles, and plastic wheels and faces. These models were relatively primitive having simple wooden stubs for the funnel and dome. Details such as windows, whistles and buffer beams were omitted.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the models were upgraded. The wooden funnel and painted smokebox were replaced with a separate plastic smokebox with a more realistic looking funnel. The tender engines received this an additional upgrade of moulded plastic coal.

These improved designs were manufactured until 2004 when they were replaced with a third generation of design, which included new and more detailed faces.

Learning Curve is rapidly expanding its lineup of locomotive and locations.

Popular items
Over the several years that TAFWR has been made several items have remained popular, while others have been withdrawn. Two of the longest running items are the barrel loader, which remains in production, and the single stone bridge which has recently been withdrawn in favour of the Knapford Covered Bridge.

Engines

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Donald
 * Douglas
 * Diesel
 * BoCo
 * Duck
 * Mavis
 * Daisy
 * Bill and Ben (2005 two-pack re-introduction)
 * Oliver (2006 limited reintroduction)
 * Daisy (2007 limited reintroduction)
 * Derek (2007 limited reintroduction)
 * Stepney
 * Lady
 * Diesel 10
 * Splatter and Dodge
 * Arry and Bert
 * Salty
 * Harvey
 * Murdoch
 * Emily
 * Spencer
 * Arthur
 * Fergus
 * Whiff
 * Neville
 * Molly
 * Dennis
 * Rosie
 * Billy
 * Stanley
 * Hank
 * Flora
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Sir Handel (2008 limited reintroduction)
 * Peter Sam (2008 limited reintroduction)
 * Rusty
 * Duncan
 * Mighty Mac
 * Proteus (Coming Soon)
 * Smudger (Coming Soon)
 * Duke
 * 199
 * Culdee
 * Mike
 * The Diesel
 * Neil
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Wilbert
 * Frank
 * Big City Engine

Rolling stock

 * Annie
 * Clarabel
 * Henrietta
 * Hector
 * Chicken cars
 * Toad (2006 limited-time reintroduction)
 * Scruffey (2006 limited-time reintroduction)
 * Old Slowcoach
 * Rocky
 * Dairy cars
 * Musical caboose
 * Brakevan
 * Log car
 * Knapford Express Coach
 * Milk wagon
 * Tar wagon and fuel car
 * Breakdown Train
 * Chinese Dragon
 * Mail coach
 * China clay cars
 * Barrel car
 * Express coaches
 * Spiteful Breakvan
 * Sawmill car
 * Cargo car
 * Ice delivery cars
 * Giggling trucks
 * Rickety
 * Boxcars
 * Handcar
 * Aquarium cars
 * Fred Pelhay
 * Catherine
 * Recycling cars
 * Gold prospector's cars
 * Water works cars
 * Fog cars
 * Annie and Clarabel (2004 two-pack reintroduction)

Multi-Car Packs

 * Calling All Engines gift pack (Lady, Diesel 10, George, Harvey and Diesel)
 * Circus train
 * Thomas 5-Car value pack (Tired Thomas, truck, barrel car, milk wagon and brakevan)
 * Sodor gift pack (Oliver, Toby, Fred, Bertie and Henrietta)
 * Adventures of Percy (Coaldust Percy, Jack Frost Percy and chocolate-covered Percy)
 * Adventures of Thomas (Winter Wonderland Thomas, Paint-splattered Thomas and breakfast Thomas)
 * Adventures of James (Team colours James and Busy James)
 * Happy Birthday, Thomas
 * Sodor collector's pack (Gold Thomas, silver Percy and bronze Diesel)
 * Winter Wonderland
 * Bertram with scrap cars
 * Rusty with construction cars
 * Stepney with museum cars
 * Rheneas with rock crusher and quarry car
 * Ada, Jane and Mabel
 * Sodor railway repair
 * Culdee with apple orchard cars
 * Ivo Hugh with zoo cars

Non-railway vehicles

 * Bertie
 * Harold
 * Terence
 * Madge
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Car
 * Crosby cargo truck
 * Sodor Bay cargo ship
 * Sodor Bay tugboat
 * Sodor Power Crew
 * Trevor
 * Butch
 * Lorry 1 with Flatbed
 * Lorry 2
 * Lorry 3
 * Caroline
 * George
 * Thumper
 * Bulgy
 * Elizabeth
 * Road crew
 * Tiger Moth
 * Fire crew
 * Jack
 * Alfie
 * Byron
 * Max and Monty
 * Isobella

Limited edition models

 * Bulstrode
 * Fearless Freddie
 * Sad Henry
 * Tired Thomas
 * Tired Edward
 * Surprised Spencer
 * Surprised Thomas
 * Orange truck
 * Red handcar
 * Lorry 2
 * Lorry 3
 * Surprised Rheneas
 * Green and white narrow gauge coach
 * "Thomas Comes to Breakfast"
 * "James Goes Buzz Buzz"
 * Sixteith anniversary Henry (with blue and green paint)
 * Thomas and Magic Railroad ore car (exclusive to Canada)
 * "A Better View for Gordon"
 * Mud Covered Thomas

Bridges and tunnels

 * Arched stone bridge
 * Single stone tunnel
 * Tidmouth covered bridge
 * Rolf's Castle bridge
 * Double-wide old iron bridge
 * Lifting bridge
 * Sodor Bay bridge
 * Henry's Tunnel
 * Mountain tunnel
 * Curved viaduct
 * Suspension bridge
 * Collapsing suspension pridge
 * Arched viaduct (1999 2-piece reintroduction of the curved viaduct)
 * Drawbridge
 * Knapford covered bridge
 * Sling bridge
 * Quarry tunnel
 * Castle clocktower
 * Waterfall tunnel
 * Toll booth bridge
 * Holiday tunnel
 * Suddery swing bridge
 * Rumblin' bridge

Buildings

 * The roundhouse
 * Special engine shed
 * Elsbridge station
 * Elsbridge platform
 * Windmill
 * Gristmill w/ Water Wheel
 * Lighthouse
 * Knapford platform
 * Sodor log loader
 * The Works
 * Roundhouse
 * Crane
 * Barrel loader
 * Sawmill with dumping depot
 * Cranky
 * Transfer table
 * Haunted Mine
 * Stop-and-go station
 * Sodor engine wash
 * Grain loader
 * Coal station
 * Water tower
 * Switch tower
 * Fire station
 * Sodor dairy farm
 * Conductor's shed
 * Wellsworth station
 * Abbey repair shop
 * Over-the-track signal
 * Airfield tower
 * Honey depot
 * Rescue hospital
 * Service station
 * Musical carousel
 * Chocolate factory
 * Brendam fishing dock
 * Cargo drop
 * Scrapyard
 * Tidmouth timber yard
 * Sodor oil depot
 * Cement works
 * Rolling Gantry crane
 * Toby's Windmill
 * All Aboard Station Featuring Sir Topham Hatt
 * Boulder Adventure Expansion Pack

Sights and Sounds Buildings

 * Cargo transfer station
 * Mountain overpass
 * Sodor Scrub and Shine
 * Smelting yard with Oliver
 * Deluxe Roundhouse
 * Deluxe Cranky
 * Icecream factory with Sir Handel
 * Power station
 * Echo tunnel
 * Recycling center
 * Deluxe fire station
 * Deluxe over-the-track signal
 * Lighthouse bridge with Bulstrode
 * Pig shed
 * Deluxe Knapford station
 * Deluxe crossing

"Lights and Sounds" Engines

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Percy

Battery-Powered Items

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Percy
 * Salty
 * Bertie
 * Lady
 * Thomas with milk wagon and track
 * Percy with fuel car and track
 * James with track
 * The jet engine

Talking Items

 * Talking Thomas
 * Talking Edward
 * Talking James
 * Talking Percy
 * Talking Toby
 * Talking Rosie
 * Talking Stop & Greet Signal
 * Talking Cranky
 * Talking The Great Discovery set