This is a photo of most of the BRIO Network lineup. My collection of accessories and vehicles is reasonably complete thanks in part to the Network Educational Set, a non-catalog starter set that BRIO probably used to help clear old inventory. This set shipped with the equivalent of:
- Two 33294 Track Packs
- 33286 EMO’s Transporter
- 33289 Turner’s Tunnel
- 33290 DEX’s Search Pod
- 33292 Bernie’s Flashing Diode
- 33293 Attacker and Viruses
Over the years, I was able to find and add:
- 33285 EMO’s Mail Hub
- 33287 Mailbox and EMO
- 33297 and 33298 Networkers’ Mail Pack 1 and 2
- 33779 Virus Transporter Unit
- 33780 Rapid Response Unit (this is a battery engine)
The Network product database has a full listing of all the Network products. Many of these have overlapping contents (particularly figures and vehicles) so to get a complete “set” of accessories you don’t technically need everything—unless a boxed set of everything is what you want, of course.
From the photo, you can see a couple of significant issues with the Network lineup in general. The biggest one is the painted track: it looks nice and fits the theme, but there just isn’t enough of it because each track pack only came with 6xE, 2xN, and one each of A, A1, A2, A3, U, V, L, and M. Even two track packs aren’t enough to incorporate all the accessories into a continuous track loop, and the limited track options limits flexibility. The second issue is that it’s just big. The mail hub in particular is a very large, elevated piece with two cross tracks. Incorporating this and it’s ramp tracks into a layout takes more space, and more space means even more track. I had to supplement a number of “regular” track to make the layout above.
From some of the other accessories shown in the 2007 catalog insert, it’s obvious that Network was meant to be a whole playscape and not just vehicles on tracks. Some of these accessories such as 33777 and 33787 may not have been released, while others were incorporated into starter sets like the 33057 network play table (shown in the 2008 insert).
Network was a definite oddity. It was BRIO’s attempt to build a unique, character-based toy line. The figures had names, each with their own personalities, and the accessories included games, general toys, and even videos, but it never really took off. The technology was limited, and the products were expensive for what were essentially blinking lights and low-bit-rate sounds.
Like The Sky Train lineup, Network eventually found popularity as collector items that it never had as children’s toys.