Customer Reviews

GeoTrax Working Town Train Railway Playset

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love this train set! A friend gave this to our two year old son for Christmas and out of several different train sets, this has turned out to be by far the best. It is the most interesting and easiest to use, and with the very easy-to-use remote control and cool sounds it maintains interest for all ages.

Ours has had 9 months of not-so-gentle use and is still going strong. The batteries have only been replaced twice (the second time was just last week) and it's had plenty of time in the toybox with batteries still in there (we hear the trains beep once in a while as they get jostled, but we have never bothered to remove them) Sorry the other reviewer has had such poor experience with the trains, but we have had no such problems. (We bought another train in January, and it, too has run great - we have yet to replace the batteries on that one) We don't pull it out every day, but it has definitely gotten a good bit of use.

With regard to the tracks and other *stuff* in this particular set - all fantastic. This comes with enough tracks and things to do a variety of configurations. I love that it has a 'mountain' with a bridge so the train can go over and under. That is also great if you get the elevated track to expand it (that's what I would get next if you want to expand after this set) The windmill and factory (or whatever it is) are really fun. The train can make them move, or your child can turn knobs by hand to make parts move. Nice for promoting curiosity, problem solving and a bit of basic physics:) My son (almost three now) especially loves the windmill. He likes to remove the wind catchers and use them... um, creatively... For small children you do need to realize that there are parts of this that will likely be used as hammers and 'shooters' etc. BUT the tracks are easy to put together, and generally stay together very well. It really is good for 2 1/2 and up, as the manufacturer says. Our 11 month old daughter LOVES to watch the trains go around too... she also likes to sit on the track and move things around, which frustrates brother and dad, but it's durable enough to survive a bit of rough treatment and I really don't worry about it hurting her (although there are some small pieces which are potential choking hazards)

I also really appreciate the details on the pieces. Straight tracks have little wrenches that have fallen off the trains (or perhaps left behind by workmen?) A tiny squirrel here, a piece of rope there... ALL the GeoTrax seem to have these small details in the molds, and the more I look the more I find. My son was the first to see a little owl looking out of one of the trees in a set we just got recently. They are the same colors as the rest of the pieces, but my husband and I are thinking about painting some of them. This is an aspect that really adds to the imaginative and dramatic play qualities of these toys.

If you like them, these sets are more than a bit addictive... Mom and Dad keep wanting to do more and more elaborate set ups, so beware how much space could be taken up. So far we have been impressed and happy with all except for the "Workin' Roundhouse", but young kids really don't *need* anything more than this set and maybe an extra train (to make it easier to share with friends, sibs or dad) to be really happy and creative with their play.

I recommend going to the Fisher-Price website to check out the details on what the different sets do and see detailed close-up pictures. Although none of the sets is all that expensive by itelf (given the quality, etc.) you can spend a lot of money if you get everything, so make sure you really know about what you are getting and that it is really what you want.

Love, love, love this railroad! As a grandma, I was looking for something that would be an easy "add-on" collection for my grandchildren while spanning different ages. Age 2 and up, are entertained fully and I can't get enough of it. A tiny bit of challenge to set it up the first time but it gets easier as one becomes more creative. I sit on the floor in the center of it all while the accessorie pieces entertain the little ones as they anticipate their working railroad. Amazed at the great dollar value. I'd gladly pay twice the price for each unit. Thrilled that I can continue to add on to the set at birthdays and holidays. No complaits whatsoever!!! Even the batteries are not consumed as quickly as I expected. Neat sounds, built well,so far--tantrum proof and my favorite toy! Definately a keeper!

My son got his first geotrax set for Christmas of 2004 when he was three, and he still loves them just as much as he did on day one. It is a toy that is very easy for him to manipulate, as he ages, he's creating more complex layouts.

It is also a wonderful toy to have to get his big brothers interacting with him. I overheard my nine year old tell a friend once "It may look like a baby toy, but it's quite fun actually." All the children enjoy playing with it together.

It is also a nice set to expand, very easy Christmas and Birthday gifts for the past two years.

I absolutely love this product, I love that it has not ended up at the bottom of a toy box like so many other things we've bought. It's still played with on a regular basis. It encourages creativity and imaginiation. I highly recommend it for 2-5 year old boys.

I have 2 sons, ages 2 & 4. They are both thouroughly enjoying the train set. They are also both prettyrough with toys and it is handling the abuse. Assembly was a little tricky. Also, once it is assembled, you cannot get it back in the box. Overall, I am very happy with the purchase.

I bought my 4 year old son a number of Geo Trax sets for Christmas last year. Not only does he love it but so does his 6 year old brother and 8 year old sister AND my husband (who every few months will ask me to get more track)! Almost a year later it gets tons of playtime. It is one of the few toys that covers many ages. One suggestion; you might want to buy more than just a starter set or kids could get bored. My friend bought the starter set for her 4 year old son and he never plays with it. He comes to our house and loves it. It is well worth the money and I plan on getting more Geo Trax this Christmas to put under the tree. Truth be told, I bought a few new pieces for Christmas and I just couldn't wait to play with them!

We bought this set to have at Grandma's house, as we have the Thomas wooden set at home. I love the GeoTrax because of the stability of the track when snapped together and the remote control option. My son has a disability and has a hard time putting the pieces of his wooden set together, as well as keeping them together since they do not snap. He has no problems with the GeoTrax despite crawling all over it! The pieces stay together with no problems. I wish his Thomas set could say the same! If it weren't for the amazing characters from Thomas and Friends, I would prefer the GeoTrax, especially for the price! All in all, though, this is a great set that I would (and have already) recommend to others.

The Workin' Town Railway kit is a vast improvement over the original Tracktown Railway kit. The two green hills use the same interlocking mechanism as all of the other track pieces. Now, any track can be attached to the upper portion of the hill. This allows a variety of track configurations to be built. This kit includes a right and a left switch, and with a couple more kits, some great layouts can be built! There are also other unique track configurations that can be built. For example, it is possible to raise and securely support a switch track piece using stanchions available in the Elevation Track Pack kits.

For more tips and tricks, visit E-bay and search for GeoTrax Track Layout Manual.

We have purchased four different trains, and many accesories over the last several years. Every train in the geotrax line that we have purchased has stopped working. I have sent trains back at least four times. The last one was given to him at Christmas and it stopped working before the end of Jan. My son loves this toy, and he hasn't thrown them or beaten up on them or done anything to cause this. The trains usually stop working after being stored( without batteries) from 1 week to 2 months.

My son is really frustrated, because every time he tries to play, something doesnt work. At this point only 1 train works, and the last train, which I sent in to be fixed because they didnt have any to replace- they never sent back. Its been 8 months.

My son received this & another add-on track set for Christmas. Immediately we were enthralled with the set up. My son (3) & daughter (6) both love it. My husband & I love it even more because it is one of those toys the whole family can enjoy together. We spend at least an hour a day building & playing with this set together. We have put all the other toys away & this is the item that fulfills all of the kids' interests.

The best & worst part of this is that it is expandable; there are endless things you can do with it but in the few short months that we have had this, but we have spent a bunch of money on add-ons (mostly tracks & elevation) to make to ultimate track lay-outs. This basic set is great but uninspiring unless you plan to add on.

Geotrax are not just a plain jane train set. They inspire children (& adults) to use their brains to create better & better lay-outs. It is a toy that requires active play & thinking; two things that kids really need! The tracks & trains are sturdy, colorful & attractive. They aren't too childish looking like other sets that are out there. & they have a ton of add on items & are always releasing new ones. We have had only one problem with one of the trains, it slowly died within weeks of purchase but we contacted Geotrax & they replaced it. Their customer service is great. & parents, if you get this for your child, be prepared to get involved & get down on the floor & have fun too!

No joke! I bought this for my son for Hanukkah, and he was enthralled with it from the moment he laid eyes on it. A month later, it's still his favorite toy and comes out every single day. The box states that it's for ages 2 1/2+, but my son isn't even 1 1/2 yet, and it's perfectly appropriate for him (although he does need adult help connecting the tracks). With a little trial and error, he was able to figure out how to line up the cars on the track, connect the cars, and operate the remote control all by himself. My wife and I beam with pride at how well he does those things.

The physical quality of GeoTrax in general is very sturdy. It's pretty much all solid, heavy-duty plastic, and very few parts seem at all fragile (the windmill blades are thin, but they've survived so far). My son is in a throwing-stuff phase, but even the motorized locomotives have laughed off everything he's dished out. The stylized look of the gear is nice, too. The bright colors and chunky objects are great for very small children, but there's enough detail to appeal to older kids and adults as well. A GeoTrax set sprawling across our family room isn't so bad-looking.

Whoever came up with the track-connection system is a genius. The pieces are very easy to snap together and pull apart, although they stay perfectly connected during play, at least when the child isn't in Godzilla mode. (Tip: When connecting, hold the pieces level and slide the ends together. When disconnecting, bend them apart at the coupling.)

Another nice feature is that the battery-operated remote-controlled vehicles automatically switch to neutral gear when they're not moving. This means that they work as free-wheeling push toys or as remote-controlled toys, and there's no need to switch between modes. This is great for my 1-year-old, who might push a train around the track and then suddenly decide that he wants to play with the remote. The only thing you have to do is activate the locomotive by pushing a big red button on top of it to turn it on. (It will automatically turn off after a certain amount of time without moving, which saves the batteries.) A little LED on top of the loco signifies whether it's active or not. My son was able to figure out that if the light's out, then he needs to push the button in order to use the remote.

Here's the kicker, though -- my wife and I (we're in our 30s) are totally addicted to GeoTrax as well! We picked up some extra buildings, track packs, and vehicles, so we have a lot of flexibility in terms of track layouts. The tracks are so easy to connect and disconnect that experimentation is painless and lots of fun. Often times, my son will be running a train on one end of the track while my wife or I rearrange the other end of the track. He likes to rearrange the tracks too, although he still needs a little help snapping the pieces together. We've come up with all sorts of different combinations.

I can't emphasize this enough -- GeoTrax is lots of fun for a 1-year-old AND both of his parents. This makes for great family time. There aren't a lot of activities that truly involve both a toddler and an adult playing together, but this is one of them.

One caveat though: this set is very attractively priced compared to most other high-quality train sets, but there are a TON of available accessories, and if you're the collector type, prepare to become addicted. (I have adult friends with no kids who are intrigued by this toy!) On the plus side, many of the add-on vehicles and buildings are inexpensive (vehicles start under $5, and buildings start around $10, and nothing's much over $20), so you don't have to break the bank when you get in the mood to add something to your set.

[...] I can see us enjoying it for a very long time. Also, it's very clear that the designers put a lot of thought into the details (design of the track connectors, neutral gear and battery-saving features of the locos, general sturdiness, etc.). In terms of play value for the dollar, this is as good as it gets.

APRIL 2008 UPDATE: My son is almost 3 now and still plays with his Geotrax stuff pretty much every day!