Toy trains and the Roman Empire

If, like me, you've stepped on a wooden train track at 6am, or spent hours assembling or picking up tracks, you're not just playing with trains, you're staring at a piece of toy history.

Roman roads connected Europe, made to a standard width, starting over 2000 years ago. That width determined the size of carts, wagons, and later, cars and trains. Effects we can still see today because when later historic empires built roads, they mostly built to the same Roman standards.

Brio introduced their wooden track and train system in 1957. All the major toy train brands that came after built to the Brio, including Melissa and Doug, and Thomas the Tank Engine.

So the next time you pick up a wooden train track, think of the Roman Empire, Dads, and remember you're holding a piece of history.