GeoTrax GeoAir - Coming in June & August?

It looks like we will have to wait only a few more days for the much anticipated release of the new line of GeoTrax...well, at least for the Airport that is. If you are paying any attention to these items on Amazon.com you will notice they have now added a release date for June 25th for the airport and the other sets are set for August.

* GeoAir Airport
* GeoAir RC Plane
* GeoAir Expansion Set

Consult Amazon for the latest dates as I assume these are subject to change.

Fisher-Price has also added more images to their site for the new GeoTrax Airport. Take a look at the following pictures:

* Child playing with the GeoAir Airport set
* Jumbo attached to the sky rail
* New airplane remote controller
* Captain Jim riding the elevator up to the control tower
* Sky track connect method illustrated
* Another one of Jumbo and Captain Jim

New "Flying Lesson" GeoTrax Video starring Loopy Loco and Darren

I just got back from a Memorial Day camping trip with my family and noticed the Fisher-Price 2008 catalog in our mailbox. I thought I would take a peek and see if there was any mention of GeoAir inside. Unfortunately, the latest items appearing for the GeoTrax set were the following:

* Gritty & Farmer Earl
* Swifty & Kevin (Chopper)
* Hauler & Big Rob

Later, I decided to get on the Official GeoTrax website and see if they have started mentioning anything about GeoAir yet. I did find that they have released a new Video on the website called Flying Lesson with some of the new GeoTrax characters.



Loopy Loco is a yellow and red stunt plane that likes doing loops--his captain is Darren. Captain Jim and Jumbo appear to be the jumbo jet commercial airplane and pilot set that come with the new airport.



The video is a lot of fun I am sure your kids will really enjoy watching it. Tune in to see if Darren will learn from Captain Jim the importance of being a team player in GeoTown.

Don't Forget, you can pre-order some of the new GeoAir sets online (and take advantage of FREE Shipping):

* GeoAir High Flying Airport
* GeoAir RC Plane and Pilot Figure
* GeoAir Expansion Set Assortment

GeoTrax GeoAir Airport Instruction Sheet Now Available

I just noticed the GeoTrax GeoAir Instruction Sheet is available online if you would like to take a look.

You can pre-order some of the new GeoAir sets online (and take advantage of FREE Shipping):

* GeoAir High Flying Airport
* GeoAir RC Plane and Pilot Figure
* GeoAir Expansion Set Assortment



This will give you a good idea of all the parts that go into building the new airport and how the GeoTrax 'Air Track' fits together.

Looks like, similar to the remote control trains, the RC airplane will require six "AAA" batteries (three "AAA" batteries for the plane and three for the remote). Starting and stopping you GeoTrax RC airplane is done via a start and stop button on the remote (which you have probably already noticed is shape like a control wheel or yoke for a real aircraft).

A couple other subtle things I noticed:

1. A new logo which now reads GeoTrax Transportation System (vs. the old GeoTrax Rail & Road System)
2. There appears to be a movable elevator that carries the included GeoTrax figure to the top of the traffic control tower
3. It seems there is only one way to configure the air track and there is no mention of adding any additional track to the set to create a longer flight path :(

Anyway, should be lots of fun.

GeoAir - New GeoTrax Airport & RC Airplanes

Wow, looks like the next big thing from the GeoTrax folks at Fisher-Price will be GeoAir. Recently it seems there has been renewed interest in the GeoTrax Coastal Winds Airport (that seems to be the case when sets are discountinued and hard to find) as many newcomers to GeoTrax have wanted to get their hands on this set.



Now, it looks like an alternative will be available soon...the actual release date is not public but new sets usually appear in stores around May.

You can pre-order some of the new sets online (and take advantage of FREE Shipping):

* GeoAir High Flying Airport
* GeoAir RC Plane and Pilot Figure
* GeoAir Expansion Set Assortment

More pictures of GeoAir are available online taken at a recent toy fair--check out the new RC Planes, a new suspension bridge and the barn burner set.

GeoTrax Track Layout Ideas - Quick Tip #3

Parallel Switches & Jumbo Curves

It has been a while since I posted a new track layout idea. I was excited to see Fisher-Price release the parallel switch track piece with the Grand Central Station set. Here is a layout idea you might want to try. It uses parallel switches and jumbo curves to create a passing siding for your trains.



Here is another shot of the layout with the pieces separated.



If you are interested in making this layout, you need the following track pieces:

* Jumbo Curve
* Parallel Switch

Or you can find them bundled in these starter sets:

* GeoTrax Motorized Starter Set (w/ 2 Jumbo Curves)
* Grand Central Station (w/ 2 Parallel Switches)

Want the GeoTrax Switchin' Signs Covered Bridge & 14 Track Prieces for $22?

Take advantage of the great deal going on this week at Toys R Us. Don't be confused by the sales lingo, basically if you buy a Fisher-Price item for $19.99 or more, you can get a second Fisher-Price item FREE priced up to $19.98.



Which basically means to maximize the deal you should buy an item for exactly $19.99 (Like the mixed track pack in the picture above)and then get a second item FREE which will probably be $15.99 or maybe $16.99 (like the Switchin' Signs Covered Bridge)...I think the next price point goes above the 19.98 threshold ($19.99).

Or if the items I suggest don't interest you there are alternatives, and you may have even more choices if you hurry into your local TRU store as the online inventory appears a little low:

$19.99 Items include the following:
Track Pack Exclusive at TRU
Chop 'N Haul Sawmill
Rope 'N Ride Ranch
Nature Sounds Flexible Tunnel Bridge
Forward and Reverse Remotes with People
Lift 'N Load Quarry

$15.99 Items include the following:
Various Track Packs
High Chimes Clock Tower
Switchin' Signs Covered Bridge
Siren Sounds Rescue Tower

More Insider Tips on this sale:

Tip #1 - This sale scales online, I just tried this and it appears you can buy two $19.99 items and 2 $15.99 items and you will get both $15.99 items for free.

Tip #2 - This sale might be structured differently in your local stores. I went to my local store and notice the sale as buy one Fisher-Price item priced $19.99 or more and get a second item free priced up to $19.99. So if I read that right that means this would be a simple buy one $19.99 item and get a second $19.99 item free. They also limit the sale to 1 free item per purchase...but hey, you could always come back and make a second purchase if you want to scale it.

Good Luck. Hopefully this will make some one's Easter GeoTerrific.

GeoTrax RC Set with Hauler & Big Rob - The Most Dependable Team

Time to get caught up on a few new items that were released around the end of the year. This RC set is a Truck named Hauler and Big Rob his driver.
=========================
Hauler & Big Rob- On Sale for $16.99
=========================


When I first saw this set I noticed that the remote actually controls the middle car and not the front car. I was excited because I thought, "Wow, that would be cool to hook two remote powered cars/engines together." It would be like what you see in the real world...multiple engines linked together to pull a longer, heavier load.

This would be especially handy in the case of climbing hills when you have a longer train, which is so popular in the world of GeoTrax imagination. However, on closer examination I realized that the middle and front car appear to be permanently attached.



So Fisher-Price, if you are listening, just a little idea for you. It would be cool to have a remote powered car (with a loop on the front and a hitch on the back) that could link to another remote powered engine...for twice the pulling power.

Here is a link to the instruction sheet.

Here is a picture of the entire set on Fisher-Price's website - Hauler & Big Rob RC set

Buy the the Hauler & Big Rob set:
* eBay.
* Amazon.com