Pete's Expert Summary
My human, in a fit of what I can only assume is a profound misunderstanding of minimalist interior design, has erected a towering, multi-colored shrine to locomotion. It appears to be a complex, multi-level track system for a small, blue, motorized nuisance and his silent, green accomplice, designed to keep the small, loud human occupied. While the sheer verticality offers a promising new napping perch with a commanding view of the living room, and the various dangling cranes present a faint glimmer of swatting potential, the true test will be the "motorized" engine. If it provides a decent chase without being offensively loud or erratic, it might just be a worthy diversion. Otherwise, it's just another piece of oversized plastic cluttering up my domain.
Key Features
- Multi-level Thomas & Friends playset standing over 2.5 feet tall and featuring favorite places and characters from the show
- Tidmouth Sheds with spinning turntable, Brendam Docks with Cassia, Carly crane and Cranky the Crane, and handles to control where engines go
- Compatible with other Thomas & Friends track, except wood. Connect and expand the railway play! (Additional track sold separately and subject to availability.)
- Comes with motorized Thomas engine, die-cast Percy engine, Harold the helicopter, and 4 cargo crates for loading and unloading
- For preschool train lovers ages 3 years and older
A Tale from Pete the Cat
The assembly was a chaotic affair, a storm of plastic clicks and exasperated human sighs. I observed from the safety of the armchair, feigning sleep while one eye tracked the construction of the colossal tribute to garish primary colors. My human called it the "Super Tower." I called it an affront. Once the final piece was snapped into place, a strange silence fell. The human stood back, admiring their work, then left the room. This was my moment. The structure was an alien landscape, and I, its first and most important explorer. I approached with the cautious grace befitting my station, my soft paws making no sound on the hardwood floor. The tower loomed, a plastic mountain range. My first goal was to establish a summit camp. A leap, fluid and effortless, landed me on the second level, next to a spinning platform my human had called "Tidmouth Sheds." From here, I had a strategic overview. Below, I could see a small green engine, Percy, sitting inert. Pathetic. Above, the long necks of several cranes, the "Cranky" and "Carly" figures, hung like mechanical vultures. They were motionless, for now. The air was still, pregnant with the promise of manufactured action. Then, it happened. A low whirring sound emanated from the base of the tower. The little blue engine, Thomas, began to move. It wasn't the frantic, unpredictable scuttling of a mouse; it was a steady, rhythmic, almost hypnotic procession up a winding track. It climbed past my perch, its plastic eyes staring blankly ahead, completely unaware of the sleek gray predator watching its ascent. It was an insult. This mindless automaton dared to patrol my territory without so much as a deferential squeak. I followed its journey from my vantage point, my tail-tip twitching in a slow, dangerous rhythm. As the engine reached the apex and began its automated descent, I made my judgment. This was not a toy. This was a system. A predictable, looping, endlessly repeating system. The challenge wasn't in the chase, but in the disruption. As it rounded a corner near my lookout, I extended a single, white-tipped paw. I didn't swat, I merely... interfered. A gentle but firm tap was all it took. Thomas derailed, tumbling onto the carpet below with a dull clatter, its wheels spinning uselessly against the air. The system was broken. The tower was conquered. A satisfyingly quiet, and therefore worthy, opponent. I settled down on the turntable for a well-deserved nap. The view was, as I predicted, excellent.
