We also have a really big, cool bridge of theirs (that they unfortunately don’t make anymore, or I’d link you right over to it). One word of caution, though, is that one of my ascending track pieces had the top of the track sheered off at one end. Bigjigs Rail and Brio track pieces fit perfectly, and one brand is virtually indistinguishable from the other. I got a 34 piece set for my son as a gift or should I just start with another brand and collect from there? Made in the USA from New England maple hardwood and finished with non-toxic paints and finishes, these heirloom-quality sets are a joy to have around.

I haven’t tried the orange extenders out; they may keep the risers steadier, but they won’t solve the problem of the riser tops just letting the tracks slide around. Did you have a chance to test out the compatibility of IKEA’s tracks available now with other brands?Alternatively, one of Bigjigs Rail’s biggest best-sellers is the Fairy Figure of Eight Train Set , which comes with a pink train and carriages, wooden fairy figures, trees, cottages and more! Imaginarium: Similar to Melissa and Doug, Imaginarium's tracks and trains also work well with Brio train tracks. The station itself is HUGE and has a number of nifty interactive features, the most unique of which is a projector than projects the images of different cities when you insert different train tickets into a slot. While adults like train tables for the sets that might be included, or the management of a child’s toys in a small space, train tables quickly tire the children who use them.

To this day, if I had to pick my favorite part about wooden train sets, I’d have to choose wooden train tracks. And sorry for the late reply — I’m trying to catch up with my blog after taking some time off for family reasons.The metallic domes on the trains are also created in a standardised way to allow connection of different carriages and wagons from other sets. Supervise young children during playtime to ensure that no small parts come into contact with the mouth, as well as choose age-appropriate train sets with manufacturer guidelines for safe play. I was wondering if there is a way to tell the difference between tracks that don’t have their packaging? And this post is just one of many in our Ultimate Wooden Train Guide, where you can find advice and recommendations for everything from the best train table to put your new train set on to the best battery-operated wooden train to zoom around it. Often featuring chunky pieces that make manipulation easy for little hands, their train sets may contain slight variations in connectors but remain compatible with other wooden train sets.