What kind of train?

[Sbkelly]

I'm looking to get my 8 yr old son a new train set. He's outgrown his Thomas trains and tracks and wooden tracks. He still plays with them but looking for something new he can grow with. He loves watching the model train set ups and I think he may be ready for a small version of the electric trains. I'm willing to pay for a good set, just don't want to go broke. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

[Flare]

Firstly, Bachmann recommends ages 14 and up for the majority of their electric trains.

The electric Thomas line is the exception, being advised for ages 8 and up.  (These have the same controllers as 'normal' trains, but cannot couple to non-Thomas products)


If you believe your son is ready for a non-Thomas train, I believe HO is the 'sweet spot' in terms of price and scale:  It is very popular, so there's a huge selection of products out there; and HO is not so large or small that you need to pay extra for strong tiny motors nor the extra materials of a bigger train.


Another thing to consider is the size of the layout he can use.  A simple circle of track in HO scale requires nearly 3.5 feet of space minimum depending on which locomotive is running on them.


Speaking of track, I also advise using nickle-silver alloy rails  (Bachmann's usually have gray roadbed, steel track has black roadbed) since these don't corrode as quickly as steel rails.  Not all sets come with it though, and they will need to have oxidation removed regardless of what they're made from.  So a bottle of cleaning solution will be handy.


Furthermore, I would also advise against getting a set with Digital Command Control (DCC).  It allows you to control multiple locomotives at different speeds and directions at the same time, and you can control their sounds if they're equipped with speakers, but it's also expensive.  If he's only going to be running one train at a time, an analog speed controller will do just fine.


As for a set recommendation, I would need to know whether he prefers steam, diesel, or electric locomotives, as well as whether he likes freight or passenger trains best.

If you aren't sure, I would go with this HO set because it has the most cars:  https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_269_270&products_id=1800

However, that set has large curves, so you need a 4 foot wide space for a circle.