[#welcome]
[#welcome]
Welcome aboard!
How young is too young? My father gifted me with a Lionel tinplate set for my first Christmas - age 5 months 4 days! I learned to control it before I learned to talk. (I also teethed on a box car.)
What size is appropriate? That depends on the young railroader. My grandson was doing fine with the wooden Thomas trains before his second birthday. Now that he’s three, I’m sure that HO (with appropriate accessories, like a car railer and Kadee couplers) would be within his capabilities. (He and his family live half a continent away, so I can’t check firsthand.)
How long will the interest last? Well, mine has never slackened - and my next birthday will be my 70th.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I started out several year ago with my two sons when one was 4 months old and the other one was about 2 years old. Initially, they watched me run the train around and my oldest would help press the horn/wistle button. Several years later, my temporay layout became a perminate one. Now they are 5 and almost 7 years old. They now help operate the train by using a DCS or TMCC remote. They still are supervised at all times. It is nice to see their enjoyment and involvement increase.
I 4X8 is a good size to start. They can have plenty of fun and enjoyment. I would keep them supervised at all times.
Chris
I think that it is best to go with O guage. I have done some HO and appreciate the realism of scale model railroads, but I like the size and the fun that I have had with O guage. Let your kids be creative. I got my trains when I was 8 and used my hot wheels and toys, and now that I am 14 I am hogging my moms garage by building a layout.
Thanks to all for the input. I decided to take the plunge and got an HO starter set (Bachmann Chattanooga) from the model railroad show in Springfield, MA this past weekend. The boys had a blast at the show. I built a table in the basement on Sunday and we’ll start setting up the trains next weekend while we take our time thinking about a more permanent layout. Should be a fun ride!
[#welcome]to the forums. You were thinking of starting with an HO layout with kids at the ages 2.5 and 5 you should probably do an O scale layout if money isn’t a concern. Also O scale can have cool effects added such as sounds and smoke which younger kids would enjoy. Hope this helps you.
[#ditto]
Hi ski
Well I don’t know about 2.5 and trains but your a year late with the other one[:D]
I got my first train set when I was 4 years old.
All thats changed is the costs and size of the train set I have
8X4 Will be fine but choose a plan that will allow for the layout to grow believe me it will with children they will not like going to “0” operations while the bigger better railway is built
So make sure it can expand without going to “0” operations.
I know its a worry cost wize with children but get the best locomotives you can afford and quality track so you can get reliabilaty in running easily
Hopefully you will not need repairability but that also comes with the better quality locos.
regards John
Hi Ski [#welcome]
Are they too young? NOPE, NOT AT ALL, NO WAY, NO SUCH THING!!! My Nephews and Granddaughter are all 2.5 yrs/old with proper supervision they do just fine and have a BLAST. Personally, I would have suggested o-gauge (LIONELS the BEST!!!) it is much more rugged for the little ones, but ANY TRAIN IS BETTER THAN NO TRAIN!!
Another poster had suggested the best track and locomotive that you can afford, well My advice is that he is right about the track, don’t skimp and do they best track work that you can, take your time, do a GREAT job and do it right, the effort WILL BE WORTH IT. But as far as the locomotive goes, DO NOT spend too much there yet, don’t get junk but don’t get any thing real expensive yet. My suggestion for your next locomotive purchase would be along the lines of an Athearn Blue Box diesel (are these still available?, I haven’t bought one in years) I would recommend something like the F-7 in Santa Fe War Bonnet. These are very rugged engines for HO, and very little to break on them, and the War bonnets are a classic, that is always popular. These engines are also very reliable and smooth running. I have some that are almost 30 years old and still run great. I am a big steam fan myself, but at their ages, steam engines have a lot of delicate parts. Don’t get something that they will feel bad about haveing an accident with. as they get old enough to be more careful, then start getting some better power.
But for now just
Too young? NEVER! Too old? CERTAINLY NOT!
Check out G scale for the little ones, they are big, rugged and get a thousand smiles to the mile! A Bachmann starter set goes for around $150 and will last until the little ones graduate college.
Hi challenger3980
My Father bought me the best locomotives he could afford they where only 0-4-0 and 0-6-0’s to start with.
When I was old enough to ask why the answer I got was that by getting good quality small locomotives he could afford better ones that would run well and when I had a disastrous accident with them it was possible to get the parts and repair them.
I am sure there is a US brand of locomotive that fits the bill without destroying the bank balance one thing I did not like as a child was not being able to play with the train set because there was no locomotive that worked.
This was done inspite of him knowing there was a good chance of them getting destroyed as a child does as he learns.
Quite a few of them still run and those that don’t are getting sent away one at a time to be restored by a friend who knows where to get other wrecks so that the loco’s can be restored as a lot of my stuff in 00 is now 40+ years old
I cannot prove it but suspect this contributed a lot to me staying with the hobby except for that period of life when girls and cars suddenly become a whole lot more interesting
regards John
matthew started from day one!(just kidding) He has grown from thomas to helping with couplers and wheelsets.(ho). we are working on getting uncle kens track(o27) cleaned up.we just have a basic 4X8 layout but the trains are running.Matt is even asking mamma if we can expand further in the house! good luck with your layout.
stay safe
joe
Well, from my chats on the Bachmann forums (please, enough with the brand flames!) I asked about setting up a set for my soon-to-be 4 year old when the naysayers raised their shrill. YES, I know a wooden Thomas fan graduating to HO scale might not be the most ideal and perfect scenario. But I found a slightly inexpensive solution:
I was at Hobby Lobby in the train and model section when I saw some small plastic toy train sets on clearance. $3.99 for an engine and car, $2.99 for each 8" square of expandable track. Here is what they look like:
http://www.basicfun.com/products/default.asp?CATNID=1214
So, these are really cool, there are even switches to change the direction of the trains. I am looking to expand the set too.
Relatively inexpensive and introduces the small scale. My son loves it. He’s giving the new engines names and is having fun with “changing the points”. This might be a suggestion as long as the inventory lasts. You can Google for more sites that carry this product. I don’t work for Basic Fun, I am just a satisfied consumer.
There you go Mac Daddy! Fun, that is the bottom line. Nothing else is important. If your son is loving the train, then what does it matter anything else? Someday he may grow to want better, but for now, who cares? Let him play and enjoy!
I’ve read the flames on B’mann, sure, it’s true to a point in HO scale, but quite the opposite in G. B’mann makes some of the finest trains available in G scale, durable and good looking, not too expensive either. I don’t like flamers, if you have a problem with something, then be clear and specific as to what that problem was, don’t just hammer an entire company because you got one bad apple.
Hi John,
I am not familiar with what is/was available in Australia (I would LOVE to visit down under someday!! ) but the Athearn blue box stuff is a very good quality at a reasonable price level, they run very well (though they were a bit amperage hungry compared to more current stuff) and they had EXCELLENT parts availability. I have some athearn stuff that must go back between 25-30 years for locomotives, and even older on cars. I haven’t bought any in years, because 1) what I have still run great, and 2) As I have been able to afford some nice Steam equipment (UNION PACIFIC all the way) I haven’t been collecting diesels. But as I was growing up, working the fields, mowing lawns , babysitting and Birthday money, Athearn diesels were a great way to build
Hi challanger3980
In Aus
We can get quite a range of model trains from those from the US, UK and Europe even Japanese
In pretty much all the common scales and a few of the narrow gauge variations as well the funny thing is that Australian trains seem a bit light on the ground
We don’t have the same level of supply you guys seem to have going on the model press, very popular models can be very difficult to get unless you order them from the manufacturer that is assuming the manufacturer will sell direct
That about sums it up.
Most of my childhood trains where bought in my country of origin which was the UK however the Tri-Ang Hornby Trans Continental range of Trains arrived when we moved to Australia which was one of the places they where made and thus not readily available in the UK
I still have them and am not getting rid of them they are destined to run again (some of the trains should not run on the same layout but who cares)[:D] when the shed has been properly converted to a railway room now wheres those old track plans books and model building books they might come in handy after the room building.
regards John
Hi John,
I’m not quite sure what you meant by “light on the ground” Do you mean that the hobby shops are not well stocked with items on the shelf? I am pretty fortunate my LHS (Whistle Stop Trains) here in Portland, OR is less than 4 miles away (maybe that really isn’t such a good thing, for my budget) They are a train specific shop and very well stocked. Also I am a professional truck driver (3 state regional private carrier) so I get to check out the shops in many other places. Also I am hoping to get my normal run to Spokane, WA. delayed by a day next week, there is a local club there that meets Thursday nights ( Bugaboo, I’m usually there Wednesday nights) so I am hoping to get to see it. I am a member of a very large club here in Portland. Are there many clubs in AUS? I do understand about trains that MAYBE shouldn’t run together, but hey sometimes it is GOOD TO BE THE KING. I Too spend a LOT of time going through the plan books, and have found a couple that with my own customizations I really like. Now I just need to make the room.
Doug.
I know of a rather complete wooden trainset based on the Thomas Line in what I would call “Close enough to HO” with magnets for couplers and a fairly flexible track componets at one of the stores in my area. Such a set would be no problem for a wee one, especially since some of the motive power is battery powered.
The thought of a giggling 4 year old hefting a 450 dollar engine equippted with QSI gives me pause.
I believe that Legos have trains and while they may be way too fast to stay on any sort of track should also be worth considering.
Regarding room, those of you with a little bit of land should think about having a outbuilding built. Nothing fancy but supportive of room temperature in both winter and summer will be worth it.
Hi challanger 3980
Light on the ground:- is not readily available
It is quite possible to build a foreign railway straight out of the hobby shops which are all in the major population centers but there are not many manufactures of Australian trains
I live out in the country so its phone order when I want anything
I am hoping to get to the city for the June long weekend when the big model railway exhibition is on so I can catch up the hobby shop I deal with and the members of the club I belong to Its their exhibition and several other club and private layouts will be there and the usual clinics
I hope the garden live steam layout will be there this year so I can leave the loco I have only waited thirty years to be able to afford.
This needs a boiler inspection so it can be certified for the garden track at the club room and public operation If I forget mo matter there is always the indoor layouts of various scales
regards John
I started when I was around 5 when I inhereted my great grandfather’s trains. I had Thomas the Tank Engine trains before this, but these were my first real ones.
I was instantly bitten by “Rail Enthusiests Desiese”. Now i’m 13, and more obsessed than ever! I pretty much think about trains 24-7! My first layout was a 4 by 8, with powered switches and a good power pack. I was scared of running the trains at first, so I just pushed them around by hand until I was 6 or so, then I ran them round and round all day!
I switched to DCC around 7 or 8 on a new layout, much bigger, at a higher leval, with homasote subroadbed… I had more stuff; better locos, Kadee coupelers, and an Atlas DCC system. That layout kept being rebuilt, until when I was 10, I was ready for a real layout.
2 years ago, I tore down the old, and started again. This layout is built at chest hight, it’s about 12 by 22 it has a foam base, it will have scenery, it has a sky backdrop down the middle, extending above eye leval, and I now use the Digitrax Zephyr, with walkaround throttles (soon, I hope). Operations started last summer.
I have just completed ballasting the yard, and I am starting the buildings.
I think this may be usefull to help you with starting your kids out.
P.S. Say goodbye to having your basement for storage! [:D]