Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway, Deluxe Railroad Crossing Signal - Battery Operated

Having the gate crate crossing is kind of the least favorite things I ever have. This is the first time I ever got this set comes with its own battery and when I press the button, it triggers the bell in the single box and that’s really neat since it comes with its own battery the package is in main condition too.

My two year old twin boys love trains and I don't seem to be able to resist adding to their Thomas the train connection.This piece is a great hit with them and a welcome addition to the track.I bought this building because I thought they would like the flashing red and green lights and the bell sounds. Those can be activated either by opening and closing one of the gates or pushing a button. They like to do both. The interactivity of this piece with the lights and sounds is a big hit with them.To my surprise at their age, the also like using the gates with their trains, although they use them backwards. They keep the gates closed on the track side until a train comes by and then open them for the train to go through and then close the gates behind the train after. I guess they think of it like a door for their train, but they use it to block the trains rather than block cars. Regardless, I'm surprised they even used it, so that's a plus.I like that the piece is relatively easy to fit into an existing track layout. It's built on a standard straight piece and doesn't take up much room. So, it's easy to swap out a straight piece for this building.Anyway, my twin boys love it. What else matters?

UPDATE 8/10/2013I was in a local toy shop and noticed there is a different version of this crossing. The one I received from Amazon was Wellsworth Crossing. The other version is Hatt Street Crossing. They were almost identical, although I thought the sounds of Wellsworth Crossing were more "authentic".---------------------------------------------------Pros: Solid quality. Different sounds for opening and closing.Cons: Price. Gates only move by hand.I think this was a little pricy for the size, but it is a quality piece. I originally thought the gates would open and closed with the button, but they do not. The four gates move independently, by hand.The lights flash and bells ring when you push the button next to the track. Along with the button, the gate connected to the building also activates the lights and sounds, which adds a bit of realism when the sounds are in sync with the gates moving. An added detail which I like is the signal for opening the gates is different from closing them.There is no volume control, but the preset level is tolerable.The plastic "male" connector on the track is NOT removable.The build is solid, and so far has taken the average abuse from a toddler.

This was a wonderful purchase to add to my son's train tracks! He picked this out at a toy store out of all the other add-on pieces, which surprised us, but we ordered it on amazon because the price was better and he absolutely loves it and uses it every day. Each of the 4 white gates moves to open and close, and the gate closest to the little building sets off the lights and noises when opened or closed. There is also a red button that he can push to set off the lights and noises. The only suggestion I have for the company is to make the stickers on the gates a little better quality or stick better. One has fallen off already. Other than that, this was a great addition!

My 2 1/2 year old absolutely loves this crossing signal! It makes two different sounds (one as the train goes through and one for when the train needs to stop for crossing traffic) and my son never tires of hearing them. It is solidly built and not likely to break under usual play and the occasional toss into the train bin. I like it because it is not overtly "Thomas" and is compatible with our IKEA tracks.

Great addition to our Thomas wooden railroad. My 3 year old son loves to hit the button and hear the noise and move the gates to open and close. Great for imagination play as he acts out scenes from Thomas episodes. I love that this encourages him to interact with the toy and that it is not automatic. That's why I really like the wooden railway sets.

**UPDATED 08/03/16**So the track has completely split in two now. (See attached pictures). Only the wire holds the piece together. The plastic piece on the bottom is too long and the pressure made the piece split.I was going to attempt an exchange but have read other reviews with others having the same issue. So I decided to repair it instead. I shaved off some of the plastic and the used rubber cement to fuse the pieces back together. Hopefully this fix will last as my son really enjoy this piece. The sounds and lights are great, construction is subpar. I would NOT buy this again.***original review**Less than two months old with LIGHT usage and the track is already splitting. Not really fixable due to the way it is constructed. Annoying! My son loved this piece and it wasn't cheap.

All doors move 360 degrees, but the one connected to the station only moves 90 degrees, which is difficult for my 2 year old to understand. No big deal, he'll get it one day. Just offering my son's experience.