Cranky the Crane - Which One?

[swrc00]

I read a lot of previous threads about Cranky the Crane being a favorite.

I see there is the basic - http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Friends-Wooden-Railway-Cranky/dp/B00000JICT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1278203242&sr=8-1

The Deluxe - http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Friends-Wooden-Railway-Deluxe/dp/B000X166OA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1278203242&sr=8-4

Talking Railway - http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Friends-Wooden-Railway-Talking/dp/B001BPFCMY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1278203242&sr=8-2

DS will be getting a lot of trains for his birthday. I got a great deal on them. They are not the talking ones. I wouldn't mind buying some of the talking trains if the talking pieces are worth it.

TIA

[clc053103]

the talking pieces only work with the talking trains from the Talking Railway series- if you don't already have trains from that series, I would skip it!

As for regular vs deluxe, the only difference I see is that Deluxe has an incorporated piece of track. I personally would go regular as DS likes to move cranky a lot, including off the table!

[katydid1971]

I don't own this but the basic looks like more fun because it has two cranes that move the magnet instead of a battery (that will wear out and you won't have any replacements when it does;))