STEAM TRAIN LOCOMOTIVE SOUND KEYCHAIN

I'd been on a supersecret, mission-level quest for over 10 years to find this little gem again after a rumor that the factory overseas had been destroyed in a flood.

Prior to then, I'd managed to sell well over 10,000 of them, some to major railroads.

And then, suddenly, there were no more. Till now, that is .....

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Click on speakers above and video below to see and hear the sound effects

As serendipity would have it, I almost literally stumbled into them about a year ago. Ever have one of those high-energy days when you wake up with a thousand irrepressible ideas and charge forth with a certified plan to dispatch 10 years worth of objectives in 1 day ?

Well then, on just such a day not too long ago I had a flashback to this train of yore, and thought how great it would be to get hold of them again. I resolved forthwith to ask 50 importers, distributors, whomevers at random if they knew how or where to find them.

"What do you mean exactly, "you have them"I asked ?"

I was at a large local warehouse and the manager quickly pulled one from a lopsided drawer, buried under 'stuff'. "You mean this ?" she chided (there was a mischievous look in her eyes...I really felt like I was participating in some strange yet magical made-to-order movie). "Uh, yeah, that might be it."

I tried to maintain my composure and not seem too overly eager, but it was way late for that ( I'd already given myself away big time, which is why I'll never be very effective at card games).

Playing with my obvious impatience, she made vague references to having access to more, maybe, would find out, yada yada.

Well, to make a short story really overly long, I'm now the proud possessor of an inventory of these things again. It's been a very strange trip indeed, but, then, mission accomplished.

And good as they were way back then, they're even better now....with a red flashing 'headlight' during the sound sequence. What's unchanged then and now is the sound quality.....these things are LOUD for their size. I took a subway to the local train station bar and mesmerized the clientele with this....it was getting passed from person to person with lots of gesturing, oohs, ahhs, laughter, and a wide range of nonsensical comments from the mostly business travellers waiting for real trains.

An aside note: during the 'missing decade', exaggerated design copies came out but were all total flops....mostly because they were much too large and didn't look like 'real' locomotives. The biggest selling point of this wondrous design is it's minute size (2 inches long X 1 inch high).... very pocketable and easy to carry around. And, of course, fun to play with.

These are wondrous little stocking stuffers around Christmas time but also work equally well as general gift giveaways at almost any time of the year.

They're also perfect for the hit Mexican Train Dominoes game which you may have heard about (or already play). Have been told that this version is more detailed and realistic (one buyer's words: 'cuter') than the type that generally goes with the actual board game. If you like, the keychain is easily cut for use with the board game.

While train hobbyists and railroad afficianados like them for sure, so do kids and a wide range of adults....I've never seen anything so universally accepted by such a wide range of people....male, female, elderly, young, it just doesn't matter. There's something primal about trains, wherein everyone relates to the sense of freedom and movement they represent (waxing really philosophical here, I'll shut up now).

They come quite nicely packaged in individual blister packs with a picture of a steam locomotive churning away in the background.

All are very much brand new of course, and ready to roll; standard AG 13 watch type batteries very much included (each train comes with 2). Have fun with these when you get them....and be prepared to be the center of attention (for awhile anyway, you know how that goes) if you give them away as gifts.

(Clicking on picture at left will take you there).