TMcember: I Love Toy Trains 4

[@Alapaloozalover2000]

I was also introduced to the mighty N&W J class steamer No. 611 through this video and I’ve loved her ever since! I just wish I could see her someday.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

My earliest memory of ILTT is going to the library looking for Thomas DVDs with my uncle. I stumbled across an orange 4,5,6 DVD with the trains on the cover. I brought it home, and that night I watched it. What I remember is the Railroad Crossing segment, faint glimpses of Strasburg Railroad crossing signals, a locomotive bell, Strasburg 90, all from the "What Do You Hear" song, That and the signals lights segment, and that shot of the Brio diesel streamliner passing the signal with the SP 4449 behind it. This was my first introduction to ILTT.

[@thecaledoniansleeper2648]

Part 4 is a great video! Definitely one of the best ILTT videos out there!

[@Jeremiah_Rivers76]

Hearing 611’s whistle in ILTT 4 is music to my ears, and the incompetent gateman is, as you mentioned, hilarious. I love it and Part 5’s “Zany Buster.” For all the damage he caused, hearing “Boom Boom” told you all you needed to know about him. His need for speed only ends one way. But how did he drive the reinforced shed onto the tracks?

[@JuddKramer]

Part 4 is easily my favorite. It really feels like the production crew were finally firing on all cylinders and found their groove.

[@thecaledoniansleeper2648]

@@JuddKramer You said it! 1997 is the year that TM Books & Video had changed forever. They’re really stepping up their game with their train videos, and they even started to upgrade Parts 1-3 every couple of years or so. The 97 versions were the most definitive. In fact, I consider 1997-2008 to be the golden era of TM Books & Video imo. Because many of the videos that they’d produced during that time were amazing. Especially their kids videos like ILTT, All About Cowboys or John Deere.

[@hudsontrainguy1217]

In my opinion, 1997 was the best year for Tom McComas and TMBV at the time

[@thecaledoniansleeper2648]

I totally agree!

[@isaiahtheclassichistorian]

I agree with that

[@thesudriana016]

I have a lot of nostalgia memories of Part 4, 5 and 6. I remember first getting the first DVD copy of it (which contained some original scenes) until it was given away for some odd reason. Since then, I got a new copy of it, but sadly with the newer replacement scenes that I find it odd. In Part 4, there was a scene of Frisco 1630 during What Do You Hear MV and in the later versions it was replaced with a toy train scene. Also this was the only time (not counting the Choo-Choo Barn scenes in P1) that the entire episode has scenes taken from the Strasburg Railroad (which I've also seen on many childhood train tapes/DVDs of mine). I wish they filmed more of these scenes for their later installments. As for the history of the episode, there was even more fascinating new stuff I didn't know about such as James Coffey and Joe Stachler's involvement for the first time and the year gap between that and Part 3. Some songs that are my favorites include Smooth Operator, What Do You Hear?, Signal Lights and Dinosaur's Revenge.

[@thecaledoniansleeper2648]

The dinosaurs stole the show for me 🦖 🦕

[@ricromero1439]

Young Jeff must’ve hugged the other babysitter when he would be later introduced in I Love Toy Trains 5, eh?

[@danielboone3770]

I have to agree part 4 is also the best!

[@BlueCometEntertainment347]

6:45 Thank you for including me!

[@thecaledoniansleeper2648]

You’re welcome!

[@BlueCometEntertainment347]

@@thecaledoniansleeper2648 Now there's one thing I have to point out about this. Did you know that there are 2 rare versions of I Love Toy Trains #4? There's one early draft version where with different scenes and the FBI Warning from the special edition of Lionel the Movie 1, a different copyright and there is no four on the tittle card. The way to tell the difference is that there's no barcode on the back cover. I've had no success at finding it online. I hope somebody uploads it on Internet Archive. There's also a rare 2005 VHS with different packaging. More trailers are added at the beginning and the end, and the credits are strangely the 1997 credits with a new TM info and a newer copyright notice at the end replacing the "Coming soon: I Love Toy Trains 5 and I Love Big Trains" bumper. The opening and closings were uploaded by Andrew's Station who's the only known person to have that copy