need help buying a good starter train set

[hubcity3]

hello to all i new to train looking to buy a new starter train set for me and my 4 yo grandson anyone have any suggestion?i like new train and older puff puff trains.

[Kris Everett]

you have come to the right place however it depends what you are looking for a really basic set or one with a whole bunch of neat features Like Dcc?

[OldTimer]

I would like to reinforce what the ABC's article says about buying age-appropriate trains.  Please do not make the mistake of thinking that scale model trains are toys:  they are not, and cannot stand up to being "played" with.  I'd get a four year-old a wooden set like those made by Brio. 

http://www.trainsgalore.com/BRIO-Trains-C5.aspx

They are virtually indestructable, being made of solid wood, and have tremendous play value. 

Now if Grandpa wants a train, that a horse of a different color.  Take a look at the Williams line...O-gauge tinplate trains that a six year-old can handle with a little supervision in the beginning.  Good luck and have fun.  Model Railroading never took with my son, but my grandson is crazy about trains.  Go figure.
OldTimer

[jward]

i don't know if i really agree with the age/scale thing. my first train was a rapido fa1 in n scale, at age 5 or 6. i did really well with n scale at home and HO at my grandfather's place. my son was 4 when i got him his first bachmann locomotive, and even though he's dropped it a few times it still runs as good as the day i bought it for him. he's now 10.....

i think the key when kids are young is to closely supervise them while running trains. i basically set up two fleets, aj's (my son's) trains and daddy's trains. aj's trains were mostly older train set type cars (think tyco or ahm) that if he damaged themit was no big loss. i've put them back together for him countless times and as he got older he took better care of them. now he is allowed to run "daddy's trains" as well.

my advice would be to buy two trains to start, a cheap one for the boy, and a better one for yourself. you can use the promise of running your train someday as an incentive tfor him to take care of his train.....

[Doneldon]

hub-

With a four-year-old child I'd seriously consider getting something which is made to be handled and pushed around the track, at least at times, unless you plan to be present every single minute the train is played with. That's unreasonable, of course, so think like a four-year-old. That means Thomas the Tank Engine.  You can get them from Brio (VERY expensive) or from other manufacturers whose wooden trains are very, very similar. There's also the Tomy (Tomica) brand which is not compatible with the wooden sets but has other advantages. Among these are a significantly lower price, battery motors so the locos move by themselves when wanted, drive systems which disconnect when the battery motor is not in use so the trains can be pushed, easy clean up if they get food or nasty substances spilled on them (it will happen), good accessories including switches and bridges, and the ability to step the same "characters" up to HO or larger scales if the child shows an interest. Additionally, there are many books, recordings and DVDs of Thomas stories which teach a little moral and are geared to younger children. The Thomas character is one of the engines and he and his friends were created by an English parson. It's all very sweet, even too sweet at times, but your grandson will love the characters and is likely familiar with the stories already.

I made Thomas set-ups for my two youngest grandsons and they were both thrilled. The first set had several locos, operating features and even a road section with a bus which ran around an oval up and over a mountain through which the train passed in a tunnel. The second one, several years later, was more elaborate with a grade crossing and double-deck tracks. I used a box customized with plaster gauze to make a mountain and tunnel, had a little town with a school named the same as the school where his mother taught, and made a farm with crops like the one he lived on. All of that in 3'x7'! 

These trains are quite durable, close enough to HO and S to use buildings and figures from either (but use one or the other, not both), and quite affordable.  One grandson moved on to other interests but the second one is still interested in trains so I'm making him an HO 4'x8' layout now, using more sophisticated electronics, scenery and equipment.
                                                                                                                                                            -- D

[Joe323]

One problem I see in buying model trains for a 4 year old in addition to their fragility is the frustration factor.  Even big trains(Think Lionel for example) are going to push the boys limits. I  think the push train is the way to go for now.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

If it is for both of you go for the Large G Scale Train sets.  They take more abuse than the smaller scales and look great around a christmas tree as well!

[Terry Toenges]

I'd say buy him a cheap HO set. Teach him what to do and what not to do. If he breaks a few parts here and there, chalk it up to a learning experience.

[poliss]

It all depends on how advanced your grandson is. Some four year olds can control trains better than their parents. At least that's what a parent said on another forum.

[ACY]

In general, unsupervised children and electric trains do not go together, at 10-12 years of age, most kids can safely operate an electric train with no or minimal supervision. Before that you would need to constantly keep an eye on him because kids do not always have good judgment and tend to be prone to creating dangerous situations when no one is there, even for a few seconds to watch him.

[rrmchone]

Hello,  I believe you may want a ho scale starter set if you like bigger trains i suggest getting o gauge   or lionel  or if you want really bigger than that g-scale is a really big train       

[railsider]

If you can figure out how to do it, "ask" the kid. What I mean is, test a Brio wooden set, and if that delights the child, go for it. He will grow into something more complex later.

If, on the other hand, the child gets bored right away playing with a wooden toy set in the store, then step up to the next level.

One of the sneaky things that we old geezers don't want anyone to know about  is that by setting the example of good operating practice, careful handling and intelligent overall responsibility, we are teaching the youngster to be careful, sensible and sane about trains -- and by extension, the rest of life. That's what playing is all about: kids learn how things (including real life) work. As we all do now and then, they make mistakes in judgment, and with the help of us elders, learn from them.

Railsider

[jsmvmd]

Dear Hub,

Not sure if you are a train nut with previous experience or not.

Would you consider going to a train expo/show in your area?  That way you can see stuff up and running.  Model Railroader magazine (I think) has a list of shows by state.  If you would let us know the region and state where you are, the experts on this panel can better inform you about local train shows.  The Great Train Expo is a lot of fun, and you might meet our own Mr. Bach-man !

Having raised 4 children, I would agree with the Brio or similar wooden push sets.  Lots of fun, and good for little hands.

As you get more experience, you can make up your mind.  Would suggest you find a local train club or two and get a feel for the gauges.  Too, if you get to Strasburg, they have a nice G scale setup they let the kids run.

Local Hobby Shops are a great source of information, too.

Best Wishes,  Jack, Altoona, PA