So here’s my problem. At work they have started the annual Toys for Tots program. I have contributed in past years and plan to do so again this year. I thought I’d contribute an HO starter set. Have gone shopping and came back with a case of sticker-shock. Obviously it’s been years since I purchased an actual train set. Good quality hobby-shop sets are going in the $100-plus range. That’s about 25 – 30% more than I had hoped to spend. However at the local Farm & Fleet I can get a Life-Like starter set for only $35.00. Assembling a train set from individually purchased components is not a viable option here, because the Toys for Tots program insists that the gift be in it’s original packaging.
Hence my dilemma; give a kid a good train set, but bust the budget. Or stay within my budget, but risk giving them something that will break down after very little use.
Athearn is selling sets that start in the $60 range. These feature nickel silver track and rtr quality equipment, usually 4 axle diesels and 3 to 5 cars. They’re much better quality than a cheap Life-Like set I wouldn’t give to my father’s dog much less somebody’s child.
Break the budget. Tyco, Life Unlike, and other cheap sets are one of the reasons that thousands of kids got train sets & never went into the hobby!! Frustration at them not running right is more than most kids can handle - especially when most of them can play computer games without the frustration!! Maybe the reason us old guys stayed with the hobby was because Lionel & American Flyer made good quality sets!!
“Toys for Tots” is a bit of a misnomer. The annual program, sponsored by the U.S. Marine Reserves, collects toys for under-privledged kids of all ages. So toys for older kids are appropriate.
That’s what I was hoping to find. However the Athearn set in my LHS is exactly double that price. I’m thinking I may have to go to the Internet for this one. Fortunately I do have 4 weeks before the program closes.
Don’t wait too long though. This time of year is the one time train sets sell in significant numbers and you don’t want to find yourself suddenly out of luck after all the homework you’ve done.
I for one, really appreciate what you want to do–Toys for Tots is a wonderful organization. But these days, with prices higher and money tighter, it might be a little over your presently stated alloted budget to find a decent quality trainset that wouldn’t last much longer than the Holidays.
I think Jeff’s suggestion of finding a good Athearn starter set is a good one, but you’ll probably have to add some funds to get what you’d like. Do you have any MR friends who might be interested in going in on the gift with you? If so, then you could go in together and contribute a good-quality set.
Some years ago, you could ‘put together’ a good quality set by using components instead of getting a pre-packaged one, but I don’t think that’s really feasable in this day and age, especially since Toys for Tots insists it be in ‘original’ packaging. But if possibly one or two of you chipped in, you might be able to afford the quality that I know you really want to give.
Much as I like the idea of getting a kid into the hobby, I think the wooden train for the younger set would be a better option, if you are set on making the donation train-related. It won’t break your budget, and honestly I think it would have greater play value, even if it’s targeted to a younger age than you intended originally. The wooden sets are tougher, and, probably a huge point, do not require electricity. It’s hard to think about, but consider who these donations are going to - the recipient may not have access to electricity.
I agree for a different reason, for $60.00 to $100.00 you could but a smile on one child faces. Or buy 10 items at $10.00 each and but smiles on 10 kids faces. It going to be a ruff Christmass this year for many family’s.
If a piece of track “goes missing,” or a younger sibling twists the couplers off the engine, most of us will replace it or repair it. That’s not going to be an option for a lot of the recipients of these toys. Instead, the train set will likely become a manually-operated push-toy in a short time, sad to say. As we all know, keeping a model railroad quality train running involves a lot of maintenance, which is not likely to get done in a single-parent home with no budget for “luxuries” like a Bright Boy or a small set of screwdrivers.
Target stores have a limited number of Lionel products. These may still be above your personal “target” price, but they are not outrageous. O and G gauge Lionel stuff will be much more kid-tolerant than HO equipment, and would make a far better “toy” contribution.
If you want to plan ahead, go to Target on December 26th. 2 years ago, when they first started putting Lionel sets in Target stores, the post-Christmas sale had these sets well below a hundred dollars. They sold them out within a day or two at that price. Buy one and put it in the closet for next year.
Last year I was in the LHS the day after Christmas. There was a dad returning the good-quality train set he’d given his son - half of the couplers had already broken. I heard him tell the store owner that his son is not abusive to his toys - I believe that’s true. There is a learning curve in all levels of model railroading and one of the first lessons (often learned the hard way) is how to handle the rolling stock. If the recipient of a train set is not in a position to make minor repairs, the joy of his/her gift will rapidly diminish. I can also imagine the frustration of starting the hobby without having resources to go further.
I think a Thomas or Brio set will most likely result in longer term joy.
To which “holiday” are you referring? The U.S. Government lists 10 holidays per year, each “holiday” is referred to by specific name, this way we know to which “holiday” you are writing about, this will prevent any mixup on dates and occasions, is there a law that prevents using the actual name of the holiday and what would be the reason, can I not say “Thanksgiving” or “Lincolns Birthday” must I just call it a “holiday” ??? There are also along with the 10 listed holidays, around another 10 or so “holidays” celebrated in the U.S. We must be more specific.
Just in case you were wondering, I was able to locate an LHS in the area who had the Athearn HO starter sets in stock, for only $90.
But taking into account the serveral recommendations that I should purchase something more child- friendly, I opted instead for one of those Lionel-brand wooden play sets. The Santa Fe Passenger Express. And I also purchased another coach with it, because for some reason the set comes with two diesels but only one coach. And I did stay within my $70 limit.