Ever seen one on these? Tyco Turbo Train

[CNR Glen]

I found this at a Garage sale yesterday for 5 bucks:

The rails are HO scale but are steel because the engine and car are magnetic, like a slot car. so they will stay on the track at the extremely high speed. The engine is more or less powered like a slot car with it's front wheels driving and slot-car like wipers for the track.

I cleaned the rack and the engine pick-ups with some fine sandpaper and a trck eraser and it runs like a champ. I didn't use the ramps to make it climb the wall since I don't have a free wall. It also has some rubber like clips to keep the track together on the carpet, since the fast speeds would work the rails apart.
Here's a close-up of the engine and car:

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Yep, saw those when they first came out. Like all the other Tyco trains that came out in that era enjoy it while it lasts. From what I remember of the Tyco Turbo Train the motor wasn't all that great and was subject to burnout.

 

[bradyracing]

Just typed it into Ebay and brought up thirty something entries. Looks like the 1987 version.

 

[Dameon]

I had a Turbo Train set! Mine had a jump though too. I also know one of the last Turbo Train sets they made was a freight train (the others were all stylized like passenger trains).

The working parts were pretty much identical to Tyco's slot cars of the time just with railroad wheels and a thin plastic body shell that held up well to crashes.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I found this at a Garage sale yesterday for 5 bucks:

Yup, I've got a bunch of them. I'm trying to collect one of each sets/units that they produced. Many of the trains that were available to purchase separately were like ABA sets with a "cab" at each end.