The boys over on the OGRR board noted that Hornby is making a "OO" vesion of the train. The locomotive looks pretty good (well, as good as a 4-4-0 w/o a tender can look). Wonder if it can be modified for HO scale?

Hornby TS3 train

Why do both the Lego and Hornby trains not have tenders?? The train in the movie has a tender?!?!? I really like the looks of the Hornby unit but w/o a tender......I'll wait and see the set when it becomes available.

Wild guess - cost.

Consider the intended customers too. Would the little Buzz Lightyear and Woody fans *really* not buy a Toy Story themed locomotive because it did not have a tender? As us coaster enthusiasts always say, we're not 99.99% of the intended customer base so expecting the manufacturers to cater to our group is *way* out of their bell curve...unfortunately.

I just noticed that the Hornby 4-4-0 also appears to be missing the connecting rods.

The lack of tender was mildly annoying, but I'll get parts and build my own

Of course, it shouldn't be difficult to scratchbuild such a tender, but I gather the Mantua/Tyco Sierra #3 ten wheeler is close to OO scale.

The lack of the tender and rods on an otherwise nice train set suggest a "rush job" to me.

I checked availability of the Hornby set this morning; it's not even expected for delivery before September.

I wonder if Hornby may be planning a Disneyland RR train set, with the new engine?

That Hornby set looks really neat; perhaps the best candidate for a C.K. Holliday model starting point ever made. So what if it doesn't have a tender, the best part about that means there's no motor in the tender like an IHC or Bachmann, it's in the engine!

Good thinking!!! That is true....might be a blessing after all! I do like the look of it.

Considering the Disney/Pixar partnership, it's quite possible that they got some inspiration from that engine! With Woody's themes, it's about time they had a train!

I have one of those Action Links sets, the train in it looks nice but more like a prop. I also have the Lego train, and I love it! Maybe it doesn't look exactly like the movie one, but for a Lego engine, it's a nice American type in its own right! And it is a clean break from previous Lego trains, it's just like the real thing's impact, an entirely unique and new engine, much different from the British ones before it!

The lack of a tender is a pain, but I just made one using the motor and base of the small "My Own Train" engine as a starting point! I tell ya what, Playmobil's got nothin' on this set!

Look forward to the Hornby set! Hope it's not too expensive!