Clickity-Clack Track was the second design of track used for the Thomas Wooden Railway. It has distinctive grooves in its base that allows for a "realistic" sound and design.
Pieces[]
- 2" Straight Track
- 4" Straight Track
- 6" Straight Track
- 8" Straight Track
- 3 1/2" Curved Track
- 6 1/2" Curved Track
- 3 1/2" Single Curved Switch Track
- 6 1/2" Single Curved Switch Track
- Special Engine Shed Switch Track
- 2 Bumpers/2 Signs
- Ascending Track
- Ascending Track Risers
- Cross Track/2 Warning Signs
- Track Adapters
- Track Adapter Pack #1
- Track Adapter Pack #2
- Graded Track Risers
- Switch T-Track
- Switchyard Track
- Highway Crossing
- Double Cross-Over Track
- Round-About Action Turntable
- Eight-Way Switch Track
- Stacking Overhead Railway
- Action Switch Track
- Track to Surface Ramps
- Flexi-Curve Track
- Elevated Track Foundation
- Three-Way Parallel Switch Track
- Bumpy Track
- Wacky Track
- Trees on the Track
History[]
A Canadian company named PlayWood Toys began to produce prototype wooden toys in 1992, with Robert Clausi as chief designer. Securing a booth for the 1993 New York Toy Fair, Clausi and his brother-in-law Scott Moore (who was the officer and director of PlayWood Toys) brought their prototypes to display. There, they met Learning Curve executives Roy Wilson, John Lee, and Harry Abraham. Wilson mentioned to them how Learning Curve was licensed to produce Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends toys, and he suggested a potential manufacturing partnership between Learning Curve and PlayWood Toys.
Wilson and Abraham traveled to PlayWood Toys' shop in Canada to continue discussing the partnership. Clausi alleged that these discussions and designs were to be kept confidential with agreement from Wilson and Abraham. Following this, Wilson showed Clausi and Moore drawings of various Thomas characters. This discussion led to track design. Apparently, while the vehicles sold well, the plain track Learning Curve produced did not. It was almost identical to BRIO's design, which held a very large share in the market. Clausi presented a more realistic and functional design, stating that if it looked and sounded more like real railroad track, it would sell better and stand apart from BRIO. Clausi demonstrated this by drawing lines on a piece of existing track, and had an associate cut grooves into these lines. A few prototypes were produced, one with the grooves being too shallow to make noise, and one with the grooves being too deep for trains to run smoothly over it. Clausi also suggested the name "Clickity-Clack Track," should the contract between PlayWood Toys and Learning Curve become reality. Wilson asked if he could take the track back with him after the meeting was over, and Clausi provided it.
There were further meetings between PlayWood Toys and Learning Curve, which led to no partnership, although Clausi continued to refine their concept of "Clickity-Clack Track" in case an opportunity presented itself again. No attempts were made to sell the design to other manufacturers, as Clausi believed their confidentiality agreement with Learning Curve prevented this. In December of 1994, Moore discovered that Learning Curve had been selling track under the "Clickity-Clack" name. It, like the design Clausi had presented, had grooves cut in the track, and Learning Curve was marketing it as "the first significant innovation in track design since the inception of wooden train systems." Moore showed this to Clausi, and together they filed a cease and desist letter to Learning Curve, which was ignored. They had also learned that Learning Curve filed for a patent in 1994, crediting Roy Wilson as the inventor (this patent was granted in October of 1995).
In 1995, PlayWood Toys filed a lawsuit against Learning Curve for allegedly missappropriating a trade secret. While the jury found in favor of PlayWood Toys, it was declined to hand down a verdict. The case was sent to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and it was decided in August of 2003, after Learning Curve was absorbed by RC2, that Learning Curve was at fault. It owed PlayWood Toys 8% royalties "for a license that would have been negotiated to last for the lifetime of the product."
Trivia[]
- The Yearbooks have had various slogans for the Clickity-Clack Track system:
- 1994: "Clickity-Clack Track: See it... Hear it... Feel it..."
- 1995: ""Clickity-Clack," Hear and Feel the Engines Rumble Down the Track"
- 1996: "Get in the GROOVE with Clickity-Clack Track!"
- 1997: "Clickity-Clack, Clickity-Clack... the Track that Looks and Sounds Like a Real Railroad!"
- 1998-1999: "Get on the Right Track with Clickity-Clack!"
- 2000: "Clickity-Clack Track... Get on the Right Track!"
- 2001: "Get on the Right Track!"
- According to Roy Wilson, the grooves in the track were meant to be embossed, but due to manufacturing difficulties, the grooves had to be cut into the track instead.
- Clickity-Clack Track was also used by Learning Curve's Lionel Great Railway Adventures brand in 1998 before using its own unique track design.
Gallery[]
