Hello to all of you out there!! I am a newby to the site so I appologize for any redundance you might find with me.
Here is the deal. I got married for the second time this summer. New house, the whole deal. I have always always wanted to do a really nice Christmas village with a nice train in it. Luck have it, my Mom decided to do away with her village due to to many grandkids around that could damage it. So I got it. She has about 25 peices and lights, benches, the whole works.
Now my great grandfather was a Engineer that drove from Twin Falls ( I think it was twin?) ID to Stanley ID. He drove the snow pusher to clear the tracks as well. So with the RR boold in me, I have always loved model trains but was never able to get into them. I only say this as I think my Christmas village would be a nice place to start so i dont want some cheesey train set, I want something nice but yet still can afford to get the kids something for Christmas if you know what I mean.
Not sure what size to get either. My village is the standerd size you see for the most part. I want the train to be the focus of the village, not the train to be an accent to the village. SO I am thinking something that the engine would be 14-18" in length.
So what would be some models you would suggest? Maybe a good start up model? We really fell in love with the movie Polar Express last year. It was one of our first dates that we took our kids with us. So I was kinda thinking about that train. I found a nice looking Lionel set, I think it is “O” guage. Is this train worth looking into?
Thank you so much for your consideration into my family’s Christmas!
Hello Sako7STW, and welcome to the forum. You might consider buying an HO steam loco set. A lot of the toy stores, Hobby Lobbies and places like that are beginning to stock them for Christmas. You may even find a passenger train set like the Polar Express.
I would say the Lionel Polar Express O-gauge would be just right for you for a number of reasons: The buildings you have are probably sized for it (Lemax, Dept.56, etc. type), you liked the movie, the size won’t get “lost” under the Christmas tree (don’t bash me guys, I have a N layout as well as O), the set comes complete with the good looking/ easy to set-up Lionel FasTrack and a decent transformer. My local train store has been selling these sets for $220. BUT…since the movie will be offered on DVD, these sets may be a sellout AGAIN this year…so get one NOW if you want one. Joe
The first thing to do is find out the “scale” of the village. For example, HO scale is 1:87, so that 1 foot of HO train represents 87 feet of real trains. Then, you can find the appropriate “guage” of railroad to match the village. I’ll warn you in advance that there may not be an exact match, but Christmas Villages are highly representational anyway. The important thing is that it looks good under the tree, and you may find that a slightly larger or smaller train scale gives a better effect.
From what I’ve seen, I’d agree that S-guage may be right for a lot of the village items on the market. However, S-guage is not very common, and you will find very little of it in the “toy train” category. I don’t think anyone makes a Polar Express or Hogwarts Express in that size, for example.
This link gives some information about Christmas Village scales and how they relate to trains:
The age of the children is also important. For the little ones, a big O-guage train is much more robust, and generally comes with a whistle and smoke (for steamers) that are still rare in the smaller guages.
Historically, the exact scale of Christmas Villages vs. trains has never been a real consideration. Often the people figures, animals, vehicles therein represented are far out of scale with the structures too.
I would not bother with ascertaining just what model trains might be closest in scale but rather just go with whatever size train appeals most to you. I’d say that the Lionel “Polar Express” would be a very good and appropriate choice to circle a Christmas Village consisting of the larger, Dept. 56-like, buildings.
It would be easier if you checked out On30 - it’s what Bachmann offers. Most Xmas village structures are close to O scale, and that’s why Bachmann initially offered their sets. They have Xmas decorated sets too.
Also Broadway Limited at one time offered their On30 steam engine in Xmas colors, with Xmas sounds!
I agree. While the buildings are close to “O”, the very nice figures, like Lemax makes, are closer to “G”. The figure “groupings” are really neat, and reasonably priced as well. Craft stores like Micheals, are offering these at 25%+ off now. If you are running this on the floor, there are great track selections today that let you do this…Lionel FasTrack for O, and Kato snap-together sections for HO and N. The Lionel set also comes with the figures from the movie. Whatever you decide, get it soon. Joe
I would say to look at either O or G scale, depending on which best suits your wants/available space/funds/etc - From what I’ve seen of three-rail O the models are robust and look pretty good, they also handle sharp curves reasonably well (an O scale 6-axle diesel will handle a sharper curve than a G scale model). G looks good under the tree too but it can be more expensive depending on what you collect. Names to look out for in G scale starter sets include Aristocraft and LGB - both are high-quality, the Aristo sets have a wireless throttle but the LGB ones have on board sound units. Best advice I can give is to look around, read anything and everything, and decide based on that. Enjoy!
I think that Lionel Polar Express set in O would be a great choice for you.
You’re not buying this to “model,” so the O is close enough. This is a nice Lionel set … so much better than their cheaper entry level sets. A friend bought his kids the Lionel Santa Fe Fast Freight Set, and it has the same engine in it (I think … a 2-8-4
Berkshire, right?). The engine is nice and big and metal and tough… smoke, whisle, etc.
If you can swing a few more dollars, get some kind of uncoupling track to work the couplers, and to work a remote operating car (log dump, coal dump, etc). even more fun.
If your doing the “kids at Christmas train” thing, I really think this is the way to go.
This is only my 2 cents. I’m really into the Lionel Christmas thing. I have a 4 track mainline around the livingroom and tree, with 4 big engines I collected over the years, starting with a big Hudson that my grandparents gave my brother back in 1949.
Get on the floor and have fun with the trains and kids, man. My boys are in high school already…time flies by … it really does. Dang, can I come over your house on Christmas and play with everything, too?
I am by far “no expert” in large scale, but I can share that a friend sets an extensive Christmas Village w/ Trains in his retail shop every holiday season. His is an On3 scale and the scenes look absolutely great.
With Bachmann’s beautifully detailed, good running, and ever expanding line of On3 (don’t know what else is out there regarding Lionel) I think it would be a great “Christmas Tree Diorama”…So to speak!
Still more confusion re Bachmann’s efforts - they are in On30 and not On3. On30 has track that is 30 inches apart. On3 track is 3 feet - 36 inches apart. Two totally different gauges, but in the same O scale. Trains from one will not operate on the other.
Thank you all for the great reply’s. This morning I was visiting with my wife and told her what I had found out. I told her I liked the looks of the Lionel Polar Exprress and why I wanted that train. It really touched her that I wanted it because of the memory attached to it. She was in tears. So I think I am going to order me up one of them.
Where is a good place to go to get different peices and stuff? I found this set that I could put with it. Hope I am not breaking any rules with this.
Not sure if I want all of that though. Probably the 2 extra cars to make it the 5 passenger car train like that in the movie. Also want to do a decoupler and maybe the candy cane car I have seen that dumps the candy cane sticks. Is there some track kits out there? I want more than a simple oval. In fact I want to do a figure 8 thats not an exact 8 but I want them to cross over in an over under fashion (tunnel). Is this possible?
Kinda got thinking, I seen someone mention the Hogwarts Express. Might have to look into that as well. I have a spare room that would be fun to do a train setup that ran 2 trains, the Hogwarts and the Polar. The Hog would be fitting as well. My son is currently reading the Potter series and I am a HUGE fan of them as well. Could be ALOT of fun! FYI My stepson is 8 and my Daughter will turn 6 on Dec 3rd. Should be a fun age and project with the kids!
You can buy a FasTrack “figure 8 add-on track pack” for about $40. to add to what comes with the Polar Express set. I would advise not jumping-in to the pricey “package deal” shown. I think the 2 extra PE cars are going to make a very long train on a small Christmas layout, plus, they MSRP for $55. each. The uncoupler does not have much value without a switch and siding. I’m not trying to “rain on your parade”, but go slow, and live with the “basics” for a little while. If the “train bug bites” you MAY decide to go with HO or N for a year-round layout.
LOL My wife liked that last reply! I think your right on the big package deal. The more I look at the village part, they are not to the detail my village is, kinda cheap looking to me. I think the figure 8 kit along with the standerd kit would be a good place to start.
I know one thing, this thing is going to be some work. I am thinking do a 6" riser platform to put the village, train, and tree on. Shape it to the tracks, build a few hills and such for the village, ect. The riser is necassary to be able to run the wiring and everything for the village.
Does the the tracks have to stay flat or can they dip and climb, at a slow rate of course?
Bob:
I stand corrected regarding the On3 - On30 mess up! As stated, I’m not into the larger scale…I would guess that most likely my friend is doing the On30, as I’m sure it’s Bachmann???
Sako7STW:
Regarding the climbing and dipping of the track; a 2% or less rise and fall of track shouldn’t be any problem (at least it isn’t with my HO pike) and your project will certainly look very nice with the different level of roadbed.
And…joe0315 has hit the nail on it’s head…Go slow! Get your feet wet, check out what you really want to do and how involved you want to get…Then dive in HEAD FIRST!
Puffin’ & Chuggin’, JB
Chief Engineer, Colvin Creek Railway
The Uncoupler tract is also the operating tract. It operates the animated rolling stock, like the milk can unloader.
joe0315 does make good points. but, a switch and a spur really makes that oval much more fun … you and the boys are really doing something.
Staying within a budget is important , of course. But, having one switch, and spur, and an operating car, really makes it more fun.
I live not too far from that Train Station store you show in that ad. They are really nice and honest people. Thy’ve given me inexpensive Lionel repair parts for free, just to be nice.You may be able to save a little money elsewhere, but they are sure nice people to deal with.
It is a shame that this Lionel O stuff is so expensive. I have been guilty of spending too much on it, maybe. But come every Christmas, I become Gomez Addams crazy with this stuff. I can’t wait for grandchildren!