I am looking for strong guidance in how to get my 10-year-old started. Here is what we know already.
HO scale
Room sizing - we are starting with a 4x8 table but have a double car garage space when he is ready (After reading about space, I am assuming he needs more than a table long term).
We already purchased the Walthers Flyer Express starter set and a few additional trains that he knows run in our local area. This has not been unboxed as we just purchased yesterday. We also got something to clean the tracks with.
*He wants scenery but doesn’t really care about it. As in its a complete after thought and just wants to have a great track and run trains.
He wants to be able to control the trains with a remote that can do sounds too. (Is this where DC and DCC come in?)
Long term vision, he wants a “log” dumping station and a “coal” dump. These are things he has thought about and wants because they happen on the real railroad. I call this long term because I think the investment and skill he will need to produce this will take him awhile. Not that it is unrealistic (or is it?).
It’s hard to answer, but some kids have good coordination and are just fine using Atlas track on their own. The Walthers Flyer Express set comes with Power-Loc track. They do make expander sets, but it can get expensive. Other manufactureres make something similar, track with roadbed built in. It may be tricky to get that track with Atlas track, but I’m sure it can be done. EDIT: Walthers has an adaptor.
That said, Power-Loc type track lends itself to temporary setups more than Atlas track does.
A remote with sound may be a bit advanced, but DCC does make that possible. I believe Bachmann makes a Bluetooth controller, but I’ve only seen it once and I have no idea how reliable it is.
YouTube has many very good videos on all sorts of Model Railroading topics.
Your first posts are moderated, which means your posts won’t always appear right away. That will go away with a few more posts.
A lot of your questions depend on how much your son can do and wants to do. While I can’t answer much, I know there are others here who can give good advice.
Again, welcome, and check back again and let us know how it’s going. If you have will allow him, he is welcome to also pose questions on this forum.
I’m happy to hear that you are supporting him and encouraging him in the hobby!
The idea is you get sectional track complete with roadbed but as interest develops in more realistic modelling the ballasted look plastic bits can be removed and the track included in a more grown up flex track layout nailed or glued down.
I’ve not used this product.
Also, take a look at Kato HO sectional track. It’s really good looking and comes in grown up sizes. It too can be incorporated into a flex track layout later on.
Walthers is on a bit of a roll right now with its track products. Here’s the adapter track mentioned above:
That Walthers junior DCC product is the right idea (I assume you bought the latest DCC version but if not maybe go right back and exchange the DC only set for the new DCC set. It’s cool).
Model Railroader (MRR) magazine December 2020 gave a very favourable review to this wireless DCC system. The key is it will run any DCC equipped locomotive and the Walthers locomotives that come with the system are proper DCC (with an ESU decoder which is a good brand) so will run on any DCC system, not just the Walthers system.
DCC with sound is the way to go. Wireless throttles are the future of this hobby. Modern kids know all about computing and DCC is far simpler to lay out and wire up.
I thought this would be about how far model railroading can take him. The answer is, quite far. The complete model railroader is a jack of all trades, and a master of many of those. One learns carpentry, wiring, painting, electrical, electronics, computers and other skills in a practical, hands-on way by using these skills every day.
After spending my formative years with supportive parents like you, I went to MIT, explored the cosmos, and then came back to civilization a bit and worked for decades defending our nation. I’m retired now, but those trains I bought as a teenager are still with me.
Also be aware that there are different sizes (height) of HO rail. Usually you’ll see “Code 100” or Code 83". Code 100 is a little bigger (higher) than 83.
Try to keep his layout somewhat simple at first. If it gets too complicated he could loose interest. The members of the forum are always egger to help a newbie.
I started out in HO scale when I became a teen many many years ago, my dad gave me my first train for my 8th Christmas and it stuck. I’m older than dirt (84) and very egger to help a youngster become a model railroader.
After looking up the specs of your purchase I think you made a good choice.
First, congratulations on getting your son interested in trains, and for giving him the wooden train set that has allowed him to be so creative!
I will try to address some of your questions:
The most common way to get sound is to use a DCC control system. The sound systems are built right into the locomotives and they are capable of doing way more than just tooting the horn. The train set you bought is not DCC and therefore not capable of making sounds without converting it to DCC which is expensive.
In my opinion, the best starter set with DCC and sound is the Bachmann Industries Thunder Chief Train Set, Walthers part #160-826. It is currently on sale for $327.98, regular $459.00 at Walthers or through any Walthers dealer which most hobby shops are. (All prices are $USD). The Thunder Chief is very similar to the Flyer Express in that it gives you a locomotive, two freight cars and a caboose with an oval of track. The difference is that it also gives you a basic DCC controller with multiple functions, and the locomotive has sound built in. It is a very economical way to get into DCC.
Now comes the caveat! Unfortunately, expanding the Bachmann train set is going to cost a lot of money! For example, their nickel-silver rail turnouts (switches) range from $63.00 for a remote wire controlled motor, to $95.00 for DCC controlled units (no separate wire).
An alternative to buying a complete train set is to start with a Kato Unitrack track kit and buy your own controller, locomotive(s) and cars. Kato sells Unitrack which is similar to the Bachmann E-Z Track in that it comes with built in roadbed and locks together. The Kato track is about 2/3rds the price of the Bachmann, and newer stock
I had a layout around that age that had bridges, a tunnel, and an industrial spur connected to a lumber mill. I think you could get everything you want. Google “atlas up and over.” I can’t believe they still sell the piers. It was the late 80’s early 90’s. My dad and I then stretched the layout to fit 4’ X 7’ or 4 X 8. I can’t remember but the layout seemed massive to me. We had a small commercial street, multiple houses, the ADM grain elevator (still sold today) and that lumber and logging area. The tunnel was on the far end of the layout in a sort of montain area and the trains emerged from the tunnel onto a bridge. Pretty dramatic for a small layout. The bridge piers for the elevated portions aren’t exactly realistic since there would be actual earth beneath the ramped track, but who cares. It looked cool as a kid and I could put roads wherever beneath elevated portions. And I did re-arrange the town quite a bit. That track plan was designed to be flexible and affordable.
[#welcome] Gidday Mom, excuse me for reminiscing but that takes me back 26 years when my young bloke was four, and he and his mate would set up massive elaborate wooden railways on the floor at the local kindergarten. Happy days![:)]
I haven’t used the Walther’s Power Loc track, which is of nickel silver rail, but, as Mel has mentioned there is an adaptor kit which allows other types to be used.
I think that you are going to have to buy an expander kit (s), but learning how to budget at the age of ten is no bad thing, besides while your son may not need it, it’s also an incentive for him to get his chores done![(-D]
Provided you have the room, the advantage of the ‘sectional track is that he can set it up on the floor any way he likes though if you’re going to set up a table, that at least sets limits. I would suggest that an 8 x 4 is ideal for a young fellows’ reach.
At this stage, to my mind, DCC control systems is an unnecessar
A 4x8 is perfect for starting out. I built my first layouts on 4x8 sheets for about 10 years. Would I have liked more? Sure, but it wasn’t necessary at that young age (I started at about 8 years old).
Great! A little variety is always fun.
One thought here that will make some traditionalists cringe. Bachmann (and probably others) make what is called “Grass Mat” in a 100"x50" size. Perfect to cover that 4x8 with. It provides a quick and easy green base that looks better than paint. Tracks can be laid directly over it. He can jump into more advanced scenery building when he is ready.
Long term, DCC is the way to go for this. Short term, I would look into a locomotive that comes with DCC & Sound from the factory. Assuming you don’t buy an old or used one, it will run on his current set-up and have automatic sounds. Then, if/when the day comes he is ready for DCC, he will have a locomotive ready to go on that system too.
If you want sound then the way to go is the Walthers WiFlyer Express, assuming your boy already has an iPad or similar device which seems likely.
It’s an economical DCC starter system.
If you have purchased the DC only version and do not wish to or cannot exchange it for the DCC version then stick with DC and just run one train at a time for now.
[#welcome] MomSonTrains to a hobby that lasts a lifetime one way and another.
Really good advice has been given already. Just a few thoughts from a modeler ‘over the pond’.
Most of us have started with a board (whatever the size). 8x4 needs space around it for access. For some unexplained reason trains derail in the most difficult of places. Therefore the room for the board is about 12x8. Boards around the room give more running track.
Anyway, 8x4 we start with. Have your son make a list of what must be on the board. Not a wish list. Once a track plan is made, lay the track on the board. Test everything is working satisfactorily. Then pin the track down testing as he goes.
Once the track is laid have fun running trains.
Add scenery as he goes along. If anything breaks or does not go as planned do not get despondent. It is a learning curve. (I am 74 and still learning. [yeah])
Son. Keep learning. What is learned goes well for ‘the big layout’.
Have fun. Keep it fun and it will reward you with the learning of many skills you thought you never had.
A little advice for Mom. If ever your son ‘moves on’ to other things do not get upset or angry. (Been there and all that.) It is not worth it. Like i said it is a hobby of a lifetime. He will come back later. Meantime you get the garage back.
My suggestion is to take it slow unless model railroading becomes more your hobby than his over the long term. My son was exposed to model trians before he could talk or walk, one of his first words he used while learning to speak was “couple” instead of saying “connect”. While pre-school age there were X Mas trains running under the tree every year, and by age 5 and beyond i had built an O27 Layout in our basement that he could operate under supervision and could also handle those size cars without much problem. We attended the train shows together and visted train & hobby stores of the time, most all are closed now. As a teenager my son became more interested in sports, electronic games, and girls, and as such his interest in model railroading deminished significantly.Today at age 31 he shows little interset in my HO layout, but i’m hoping that if he one day has a son or daughter he may get back into model trains. Bayway Terminal NJ
My suggestion is to take it slow unless model railroading becomes more your hobby than his over the long term. My son was exposed to model trians before he could talk or walk, one of his first words he used while learning to speak was “couple” instead of saying “connect”. While pre-school age there were X Mas trains running under the tree every year, and by age 5 and beyond i had built an O27 Layout in our basement that he could operate under supervision and could also handle those size cars without much problem. We attended the train shows together and visted train & hobby stores of the time, most all are closed now. As a teenager my son became more interested in sports, electronic games, and girls, and as such his interest in model railroading deminished significantly.Today at age 31 he shows little interest in my HO layout, but i’m hoping that if he one day has a son or daughter he may get back into model trains. Bayway Terminal NJ
Your son will get the most fun, and learning, from doing things as ideas come to his mind. Since both of you are ‘green’, your role is straightforward…safety, common sense, and pragmatic decisions. I’m sure you have that well in hand. His role is to learn. So, as others have suggested, go slow, go lean at first, expand when it seems right. This will add up quickly in your pocket book, and you’d hate to have spent good money on a mistake. His mistakes, not yours.
One very important consideration, and then I’ll leave it to other members: a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? Your son is not a man, and his reach is not going to extend far enough into a large layout surface, even on your standard 4X8. A layout has problems that must be rectified by hand, and one’s reach into the track system is critical for that purpose. Anything larger is an ‘eyes bigger’n belly’ problem.
At this point, I think the Walthers Trainline track that came with the Walthers Flyer Express set you bought should be fine. It’s fairly limited in what’s available, but it’s nickel-silver so shouldn’t be hard to keep clean and working.
Otherwise, I would use some version of similar “click track” made by Atlas, Bachmann or Kato. Much easier to keep electrical contact and keep trains running.
Welcome to the forum. All the foregoing is great counsel. For the general shape, I would start with your Walthers oval and add a siding and two spurs, one spur to the coal dump and one to the log dump. All that would require four or five turnouts (that’s what we call switches to distinguish them from electrical switches), which will enable plenty of “operations” fun and interest but might not be so complex or difficult to build that your son loses interest.
At first glance, this book might seem a bit too technical from cover to cover. However, it is a great beginning to your family’s model railroading library.
Use it as a reference guide to research your questions.