"Whoo-whoo!"BRIO's Record and Play Railway Station is a beautifully crafted interactive toy.

A solid beechwood railway platform is tailor-made for lots of imaginative role-play: there's a window for the ticket master, a doorway to the waiting area, and a painted flagstone walkway leading down a hall.

Buttons on the rooftop turn station lights on and off--or sound forth a very realistic train arrival; an analog-style play clock can be set to any time; a detachable chunk of track bears a simple, sturdy, rotating destination sign offering a choice of London, Berlin, Tokyo, or New York.

But the main attraction is the built-in rooftop speaker. With the push of a button, children can record and play back a full 10 seconds of their own terrific sound effects or announcements ("All aboard! Passengers leaving for Tokyo, please board at Gate 1 immediately!")--and change them as often as they please.

The Brio Record & Play Station requires three AA batteries (not included); for those concerned about the safety of younger railway workers, the battery compartment has a secure, recessed screw closure.

Brio Record & Play Station features:

Packed with working features including record and play your own station announcements plus engine sounds, working lights, ticket desk, rotating destination sign, opening and closing door, station master and overhead clock. Magnetic track can be detached from station base for maximum play possibilities. Requires 3x AA batteries (not included).