The BRIO® Product Database: Trains of the World

BRIO began marketing the Trains of the World series in 1995, though some of the trains that would be included in the series began production as early as 1991, and others would see production well after the series was officially retired in 1999. A total of 15 trains were produced, and the ones that constituted it changed over time, making it a challenge to identify as well as collect the entire set. The trains listed here either appeared in official Trains of the World brochures or were listed as such in catalogs, and all but three were distributed (even if only briefly) in the distinctive “painted landscape” packaging.

The London North Eastern Railway engine was quickly dropped from the line but would continue to be sold as The Big Blue Engine for several more years. The London Midland Scottish Railway and Great Western Railway engines were dropped from the line early on, as well. The Intercity and Shinkansen trains both received redesigns, and in both cases the new engines would be brought into the series. The German High Speed, Santa Fe, and Canadian Pacific trains were only sold in certain markets. The X2000 was neither widely known nor widely available.