This is the time of year a lot of parents are thinking of childrens gifts for Xmas ( yeah, I know it ain’t politically correct) and there are a few people that are new to the hobby asking questions on what to buy for the kids and even themselves. Questions like what scale, what set, and the list goes on. And the answers?? All have merit, but my quess is that the person asking questions is probabley more confused then they were before asking. What I’m about to say is not intended to down grade, by any means, the scale modeler or the smaller scales smaller the S scale. I model in HO and N myself at our club. We at the club are trying to create a real as possible miniature railroad and operate it as such, which is all well and good. I have seen here on this forum, some really nice, no, magnificant layouts with Lionel and other brands with some magnificant modeling skills. I am attempting here to voice why I and maybe some of you enjoy this side of the hobby so much and indoing so, maybe influence some new people into this side of the hobby. I enjoy modeling in HO but my love is the toy trains for two major reasons. First, I’m 66 years old and ain’t grown up yet and second, the excitement from it. Oh yeah, theres also a third reason, imagination. These trains bring back those happy childhood memories ( some of you younger folks aren’t old enough for that yet). Excitement? Yeah, the excitement of watching those flashing (out of sequence) lights of the crossing signal, the gateman snapping out of his shanty, the “water” bubbling in the tube of the water tower and the white smoke puffing out of a steamer, dumping a whole car load of coal, unloading a milk car, seeing cattle actually loading into a cattle car. Imagination, watching these trains and operating them can put you into any time or place. If your a city person, that rain could be runnig down a city street or through open farm lands. All of this with a simple loop of track. Yeah, I know I need to get off the soap box. In close
ErieD - Tin plate —>[tup]
Scale------>[tup]
Old-------->[tup]
New------>[tup]
Big------->[tup]
Small----->[tup]
I can appreciate them all.
Trains running—>[tup]
Trains collecting dust in a basement or in a hobby shop window->[tdn]
It depends on what exicites them and challenges their skills. 10 and older, young people tend to favor scale modeling. Between 5 and 10, they tend to favor plug and play toy trains.
Great post, Ken. I agree with you. The sounds and lights and ‘heft’ of these trains definitely appeal to the kid in me - and my young kids too.