By Annys Shin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 28, 2007

When the maker of Thomas & Friends wood railway toys recalled 1.5 million toys in June because they may have contained unsafe levels of lead, the company sent customers a replacement and a gift to make up for all the trouble. Now some of the gifts have been recalled, too.

One of the gifts, a gray railway car with a white roof called the Toad vehicle, and four other Thomas & Friends toys were recalled Wednesday by RC2 of Oak Brook, Ill. The toys in both recalls were made by a Chinese subcontractor, Hansheng Wood Products.

RC2 has been retesting toys made by Hansheng since June. It discovered excess levels of lead on additional toys in August. By then, however, it had already sent 146,000 gifts. RC2 estimates that about 2,000 were recalled Wednesday.

"We are deeply apologetic for and embarrassed by this turn of events, and remain determined to make it up to you and restore your confidence," the company said in letter to customers this week.

RC2 is once again offering customers who return recalled toys a replacement toy -- and another gift.

Robert Oshinsky of Rockville, who received a Toad, said the new recall has shaken his confidence in RC2 but not permanently.

"I'm less willing to buy Thomas & Friends," he said, "but will probably give in if the kids beg enough."