My son is dying for a Big Boy engine. But there is no way I can justify spending $600+ for a seven year old. Any sugestions?
Don’t we all want wish for a $600.00+ locomotive, I have no suggestions for a seven year old.
[:O][wow]For a seven-year-old, your son sure has good taste![:D]
It depends on how seriously interested you think he is.
Does he already have a layout?
Does he know any of the basic skills of model railroading?
Do you have the time [+ interest] to nurture his involvement with MRR?
If you answered ‘yes’ to the above, the BigBoy may well be a good investment. If he is that interested in trains at this young age, count your blessings - it’s so much better than a lot of the other diversions that attract kids’ attention nowadays.
Buy it and set it aside [leave the box unopened], first have him do a few things to prove that he deserves it. Then you could always sell the thing if you aren’t convinced after a certain period.
Good luck!
Who says you need the $600.00 one? Trix makes the HO $600.00 Big Boy, which is the best of the best but is not worth $600.00.
The newer Rivarossi HO Big Boys aren’t really that much different from the Trix’s, and they cost a third of the price. Search “HO Big Boy” on ebay and you should find something that meets your budget.
Hope this helps.
Are you in a position to part with $600, and to still assist him through his education in the years to come? If you have a decent earning potential and good cash flow right now, then go ahead if you know that there is a deep and ABIDING interest in model trains in the lad.
Personally, I think that he is a bit young. Kids switch interests and allegiances quickly as they encounter all that life throws at them. If he enjoys trains, he can enjoy what you and he share in the way of aqcuisitions, but a $600 loco, which I am not able to purchase for myself, let along a child, seems…if I may say it… a little indulgent for such a young person.
Better to acknowledge his desire, and encourage him to grow in the hobby by getting experience over the next couple of years. I would tell him that if he is still hard at it by the time he is 10, you will help him to earn enough so that HE can buy his own engine of choice. That, I feel, will be a positive, nurturing, and motivating step in ensuring that that much money will EVER be a reasonable expenditure.
Doesn’t Revell make a non-operational model for something like $20?
This would be more suitable for a youngster than a $600 one.
When I was his age I wanted one too. I eventually ended up buying one after I was out of high school and working in the hobby shop where I originally saw it. It sold for $199.00 back then and I had a 10% discount on top of that. We’re talking an AHM/Rivarossi version BTW. Time was mid-late seventies.
Everything else I had at the time was pretty much Pennsy. Needless to say, you don’t find much UP motive runing on Pennsy lines.
Another question to ask yourself is “will it look good running around my 22"R (fuhgheddaboud running it on 18’s) curves?” This sucker has some monsterous overhang both fore and aft. You bet it’s nice seeing all those drivers spinning . . .but when it slams into that curve it’s a whole 'nuther thing.
You might do better getting something sound equipped from BLI or the others. I don’t know what you already have and i don’t know the size of your pike either.
With my kids I’ve found that what wows them can change from one day to the next. Since I’m a big kid I know what I’m talking about. 
The idea of buying it and putting it away sounds good too. I wouldn’t just hand the thing over and say “here son enjoy the loco”. Make it an heirloom. Call it “our” locomotive - take a picture of the two of you together with it and keep it in a safe place. Just a suggestion.
-slim
I got an old rivrossi at a train show for $165.00 & it runs better than my brand new bought bachmann 4-8-4.
Hey slim I bet mine is from the 70’s because it came in a AHM box.
I was going to suggest what cacole did. The $20 Revell model. It would help teach him some modeling skills and if he was resposible enough to tackle that, you might feel a little easier about buying him a $200 or $300 loco at a future birthday. I know I wouldn’t
have been responsable enough at that age. Would a 4884 even run well on his layout?
loathar
Unless you are an adult in the mega bucks bracket you should know the answer. Most adults
can’t afford that extravagance. Throttle down and look at the FEF-3 Rivarossi for a $130.00 and
bank the rest.