Newbie with a Christmas train set questions for my son

[waveman]

Hello,

Happy holidays. I'm wondering if someone can help me out.  My sons only 3 and I want to get him his 1st electric train set for Christmas. We will only use it when I'm around.

All I want is something inexpensive and basic. He's to young to appreciate a big set but I know he will get excited watching the train rip around with his dad. If you think it's a very bad idea that's fine please let me know.


Take care,


Dave

[NarrowMinded]

HI,

I have  three and five year old daughters that love trains, I have a Big Hauler set that they play with all the time and you can teach your little one how to put the big one back on the track in a few sessions of running them.

I also bought them some gondolas so the can let their toys go for rides.
they can take more abuse then the smaller scales as well. another thought would be to get them the new Thomas Large Scale set, I haven't seen one in person but they don't appear to have a lot of little parts to break off.

these will also look great around the Christmas tree

NM

[Stephen D. Richards]

Excellent idea!  What better way to spend Christmas Day than with your kids.  My five year old great grandson has a Thomas the Tank set in HO scale that I got him two years ago and he loves them.  This year it is an Emily Set!  Stephen

[waveman]

Thanks guys.

Much appreciated.


Have a nice Christmas



Dave

[ABC]

Some Large Scale Sets to Consider:
Thomas With Annie and Clarabel
Ready-to-run electric train set includes:
   * Thomas the Tank EngineTM  with moving eyes
   * Annie coach
   * Clarabel coach
   * 5'4" x 4'3" oval of track
Price: $385.00
Product Code: 90068

Percy and the Troublesome Trucks
Ready-to-run electric train set includes:
   * Percy the Small Engine
   * Troublesome Truck #1
   * Troublesome Truck #2
   * 5'4" x 4'3" oval of track
Price: $385.00
Product Code: 90069

Summit Pass
Road Name: Glenbrook Valley
Product Information
4-6-0 steam locomotive (with operating headlight, smoke, and speed-synchronized sound), wood tender, reefer, bobber caboose, 5'4" x 4'3" oval of track (14 pieces).
Price: $350.00
Product Code: 90056

Durango & Silverton - Freight
Road Name: Durango & Silverton
Product Information
4-6-0 steam locomotive (with operating headlight, smoke, and speed-synchronized sound), coal tender, box car, bobber caboose, 5'4" x 4' 3" oval of track (14 pieces)
Price: $350.00
Product Code: 90057

Some HO sets to consider:
Pacific Flyer
Road Name: Union Pacific®
This ready-to-run train set includes:
   * 0-6-0 steam locomotive and tender with operating headlight
   * gondola
   * box car
   * off-center caboose
Price: $95.00
Product Code: 00692

Thomas with Annie and Clarabel
The ready-to-run train set includes:
     Thomas the Tank EngineTM with moving eyes
     Annie coach with international style hook-and-loop couplers
     Clarabel coach with international style hook-and-loop couplers
Price: $105.00
Product Code: 00642

Santa Fe Flyer
Road Name: Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Flyer includes:
• EMD FT diesel locomotive with operating headlight
• open quad hopper
• gondola
• off-center caboose
Price: $93.00
Product Code: 00647

Thoroughbred
Road Name: Norfolk Southern
This ready-to-run train set includes:
     F7 diesel locomotive with operating headlight
     open quad hopper
     gondola
     wide-vision caboose
Price: $93.00
Product Code: 00691

Thunderbolt
Road Name: Santa Fe
This ready-to-run train set includes:
     EMD GP40 diesel locomotive with operating headlight
     single-dome tank car
     plug-door box car
     off-center caboose
Price: $95.00
Product Code: 00612

[NarrowMinded]

Please keep in mind, all the sets listed by ABC are great and can usually be found for a lot less then the Suggested retail prices shown.

NM

[Heave]

Dont use HO sets at three years of age. It's O gauge or larger for them. Once they hit about 7 more or less you can get em into HO.

At three they should be using the old wooden toy trainsets with cars, engines and caboose having a magnetic coupling ball on each end and all powered by hand. Having to set up, tear down and rearrange track and trains is going to be good. Trust me.

[Terry Toenges]

I disagree with Heave.
I've had my grandkids playing with HO trains since they were old enough to sit up.
They're going to break some things. It's a part of growing up.
Hand powered trains didn't do a thing for them when they wanted to sit and watch the trains go round and round.

[Heave]

Mhmm. I can see it. They will be sitting about full time playing computer games or watching Satellite when not required to get up and do something.

My position is that there is no electricity involved at three and nothing with the wood trains will hurt the kid if he chews it or something. Kids are supposed to be scooting about the play room on hands and knees actively engaged in play.

Maybe it is the differences in my own child hood where there was no remote in sight and you got up and walked to the TV set to manually change channel and sometimes better tune the picture... these days, I think it's leading to obesity with all this inactivity.

I respect your position and needed to clarify mine. I hope that we agree to disagree.

[NarrowMinded]

Remote controls? My 3 and 5 yr olds are my remote controls...

NM

[Terry Toenges]

Heave - No problem here.
I guess I should have clarified that I was actively supervisoring and involved when they were playing with them at that age.
The grandkids spend almost every weekend at our house to give their parents a break.
I also had my grandson sitting on my lap learning the computer since he was a tot.
He is now 15 and a straight "A" student, member of National Honor Society, top 2% of his class, and plays JV football and baseball. He's also learning how to weld now.
He intends to go to MIT after he graduates.
I guess I must have done something right. His parents credit me with his love of knowledge.

[Jim Banner]

Terry, it sounds as if you have been truly blessed.  You have been able to give your Grandson a gift that many teachers would love to give their students;  A gift that parents would be thrilled for their children to have; a gift more valuable than knowledge itself, and that is the gift of the love of knowledge.

Jim