R.I.P. Tom McComas · 12:05am Dec 10th, 2024
This is very, very late. I only just found out about it a few days ago. Tom McComas, a producer and director of multiple TM Books and Video series, many of them related to the toy train hobby, died August 8 of this year at the age of 86.
Tom might not be a household name for some. But chances are, if you were a 90's/early 2000's kid who grew up liking trains (real or toy), you knew about Tom through his video series: I Love Toy Trains, which was first released in 1993, and spanned thirteen installments over the span of roughly a decade between 1994 and 2004. It started life as a home made tape for his then two year old son Jeffry (nicknamed Jeff), consisting of some of the footage of various toy train layouts he had filmed for other video series, spliced in with footage of real life steam locomotives taken primarily at the Heston Steam Museum, and mixed with funny bloopers and local music talents. The tape was so popular in the McComas household that Tom's wife, Cheryl, proposed taking it to a Las Vegas trade show. Tom agreed and made some edits to the tape, and it was the hit of the trade show. TM Books and Video, who had already worked with Tom on some of his other projects, agreed to mass produce and distribute the tape. And it became an overnight sensation: Libraries, video stores, toy stores, even real railroads all began clamoring for a copy to sell or rent. And demand became so great that audiences quickly began demanding more. The video tape, meanwhile, wom Tom such acclaim as the prestgious Parents' Choice Award, and even a Tour De Force.
The original run of Love Toy Trains that ran on VHS (and later DVD) was something that I wouldn't say became a worldwide cultural phomenon the way other 90's fads like Power Rangers, Thomas the Tank Engine, animes like Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon all became. But again, if you were a fan of trains, you would've heard about the series. And its popularity served as a basis for Tom and TM Books and Video to produce other series about other things: Such as Caterpillar construction vehicles, John Deere tractors and farm equipment, and even real life trains. It also put singer/songwriter Jim Coffey on the list, as he became the solo musical talent featured in the series from the release of Part 4 in 1997 onward. And Tom's son Jeff eventually started not only appearing on set during the shows, but took over officially as narrator, staying in the role all the way from the release of Part 5 in 1998 until The Final Show in 2004.
Looking back on the I Love Toy Trains series, you can see the care and quality Tom brought to the work. He created something that kids and adults alike could admire: It had fantastic toy train layouts from manufacturers old and new alike (including from the likes of legnedary Disney animator Ward Kimball and former Lionel CEO Richard Kughn, and the now sadly defunct MTH Trains), beautiful shots of real life steam and diesel locomotives (lifted mostly from Berkshire Productions), hilarious bloopers and funny segments (such as the iconic dinosaur express in Part 4), educational moments that didn't talk down to their audience (often showing real world examples), and great songs and background music. I feel like it's not an exaggeration to say Tom McComas should be up there with the likes of Walt Disney, Arther Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, Britt Allcroft, Jim Henson, and Lauren Faust as one of the great visionaries and content creators of children's entertainment: Creating something that could stand the test of time and be enjoyed by people of all ages, understanding that just because you're aiming for kids doesn't mean you're excused from trying.
I remember I love you trains it's got some really catchy music
5820257 Indeed it does.
I used to watch "I love Toy Trains" back when I had satellite tv and I certainly remember him. That was a good show.
Rest in peace Tom McComas. We will not forget you.