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Thomas Wooden Railway Recalls Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Thomas Wooden Railway recalls occur?
The recalls occurred because RC2's product safety specifications, which clearly specify that paint used on the toys is to comply with all applicable standards and which further define the safety requirements for all materials used in all of our toys, were not met by small contract manufacturers and/or their paint suppliers. RC2 has terminated production of all Thomas products at the contract manufacturers implicated in the recalls. In addition, we have mandated that our other contract manufacturers not make purchases from the affected paint suppliers.

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Are the other Thomas Wooden Railway products safe?
To assure that the toys families already have are safe, more than 1,500 individual Thomas & Friends� Wooden Railway toy styles were retested. By casting this wide net, we discovered that five additional toys were potentially unsafe and they were recalled. If we discover any further issues either with current products or past production, we will react quickly to take action and inform consumers, just as we did in September 2007. We're hopeful that concerned parents recognize that our Thomas toys have been subjected to intense scrutiny and testing and are that much safer for it.

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How do I know if this is a recalled item if my (caboose, train, destination, sign) doesn't have a date stamp?
Please review the product details of our June 13 and September 26 2007 recall notices. If you cannot determine whether or not your item is part of the recalls, please contact our Consumer Services Contact RC2 Consumer Care Center via email at recalls@rc2corp.com or toll-free at (866) 725-4407. Our Customer Care Center is open Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm CST.

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What should I do as a parent?
We urge you to check your children's products carefully to make sure that you have returned any recalled items to us. Prepaid U.S. shipping labels for the recalls, and help in identifying the recalled products are available on this website. You also may call our Consumer Care Center toll-free at (866) 725-4407 for assistance in identifying and returning the recalled products. If you believe your child has any health issues, please immediately consult your pediatrician or qualified health professional.

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How do I return recalled product to you?
Please review the details of our June 13 and September 26 2007 recall notices, and then complete our online return process for United States and Canadian residents.

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I live in Canada. It will cost a fortune to mail back to you. What are my options?
You can ship your product back to our distribution center in Canada. We have provided a pre-addressed shipping label for your convenience.

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I live somewhere besides the United States and Canada. How do I get my return processed?
Please review our listing of international distributors for contact information.

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What are you sending in return?
We are sending exact product replacements where available. If the product has been discontinued, or no exact replacements are available, then RC2 will be replacing your product from inventory at its discretion.

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How long will it take to process my return?
We are working diligently to ensure that consumer returns are handled in a professional and prompt manner.

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We hear a lot about "excess levels of lead" - what does that mean?
In the United States, toys and other articles intended for use by children are required to meet a regulatory standard for lead (16 CFR, Section 1303) established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 1977. The standard requires the concentration of "total lead" in any children's product not exceed 600 parts per million (PPM). In addition, the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) has published a voluntary consensus standard (ASTM Standard F963-07) that establishes a 90-PPM maximum for what's called "soluble lead." While compliance with this standard is not obligatory, most U.S, manufacturers, including RC2, take steps to ensure that their products comply with this standard as well as with the mandatory standard for total lead.

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Does my child need a lead test?
Your best resource to learn more about if your child has been exposed to lead poising is your pediatrician. If you do not have a pediatrician, you can use the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatrician Referral Service, or contact the physician referral service at your local hospital.

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What have you done to ensure the quality of future toy production?
Since July 2007, RC2 has instituted several significant additional safeguards as part of our Multi-Check Toy Safety System to protect our toy quality. Click here to learn more about our Multi-Check Toy Safety System.

And, we're not finished - we continue to look for new ways to further improve toy safety.

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Will there be more recalls?
While we hope that there won't be future recalls, if the need for a recall arises, we will move quickly to take action and notify consumers, just as we have in this instance. We believe the steps we've taken improve our ability to prevent future incidents.

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I have a question that wasn't addressed here. How can I contact the company?
Contact RC2 Consumer Care Center via email at recalls@rc2corp.com or toll-free at (866) 725-4407. Our Customer Care Center is open Monday through Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm CST.

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