Christmas Present


S

smshly616

New Member
Hello everyone!

So let me start off by saying I have no idea what I am doing. :) My husband talks about having a train around the Christmas tree. So this year I would like to get him something that I can build on every year. Like this year buy a track and engine and then every year buy him another car. I have looked around at multiple websites and most of the stuff I see are Christmas sets. Is there anything like this out there? Like a special edition car that comes out yearly?

Thanks for any help!

Ashley
 
Normally an around the tree size loop is Lionel brand. The fellow that Sherrel mentioned, Louis, is our resident expert on their stuff. I will alert him to this thread and he will respond in detail.
 
This is how it starts, buy him a simple train, then you create an addicted model railroader like the rest of us! Before you know it he will be spending his time around here amongst the rest of us (we will be a bad influence). All kidding aside, what a great gift. He will truly enjoy it!
 
smshly616 said:
So let me start off by saying I have no idea what I am doing. :) My husband talks about having a train around the Christmas tree. So this year I would like to get him something that I can build on every year. Like this year buy a track and engine and then every year buy him another car. I have looked around at multiple websites and most of the stuff I see are Christmas sets. Is there anything like this out there? Like a special edition car that comes out yearly?
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For around the tree trains there is really only two choices. You have the Lionel three rail type trains that everyone is familiar with from their youth. These are called O-Gauge. Lionel makes several different lines of them at different price points. Then there are the larger G-Gauge that are almost twice the size. In G-gauge there are three brands to consider LGB, Piko, and Bachmann. Bachmann makes two series so one has to be a bit more careful comparing prices.

I actually recommend starting with a set because one gets everything needed to have a running train. The next year one can upgrade the power supply, or track, and then start adding. Good sets will cost more but last forever. I've got one set that has run at Christmas time since 1983. So one must decide how much money is going to be put into this. My guess is (unless one gets lucky on ebay) a fairly good set will start in the $300 area.

I know Lionel makes a few special Christmas cars each year. Are you looking specifically for a Christmas Themed train?

We just did a thread on this for another fellow last week. Take a read through this :
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/buy-a-set-or-build-a-set.30895

And then one from three? years ago:
http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/have-you-seen-this.29529/

Here are some of my G-gauge trains around the tree(S). That is a Bachmann in front with an LGB on the next track back, and a Kalamazoo on the 4th track with the log train. Kalamazoo is no longer made. For scale, the tree in the dead center is 7.5' the one in red tinsel behind the blue one is a 9'. The tiny trees next closest to the trains are about 18". I think the green grass area is 12' x 20'.
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First of all; You are a great Wife!

The Iron Horsemen nailed it as he always does!

I'll add the Lionel makes learning easy. With their website and YouTube channel. Not to mention Internet and phone support!

Annual cars...

Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) has great Christmas cars. but you have to join the club to purchase them. I think it's worth it. 2018 is sold out.
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Lionel also makes an Annual Christmas Car
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Amazon has a good price on this one. https://www.amazon.com/Lionel-68474...BK/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583451663264357&psc=1

There are literally dozens of other Christmas cars available for Lionel O. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lionel+christmas+car&FORM=HDRSC2

Train World has a good inventory of Christmas cars and many other dealers do as well. Including my local train shop MB Klein/Model Train Stuff

eBay has more Christmas stuff than I can count. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...mas+.TRS0&_nkw=lionel+christmas&_sacat=180250

If you want a set you can build on and an annual Christmas Car, Lionel O is your best choice.

Have a Merry Christmas and have fun with your trains!
 
Thank you everyone!!! And I am not easily scared away! I own a Wrangler and am a member of a few forums.....not a place to hang out if you are easily offended. :) I really appreciate the help!

I like the G-gauge size for around the tree but the collector yearly cars (which provides gifts for years to come! WIN) seem to come in O-gauge. So I am good with that too. I like Lionel because it's a known and trusted brand that evokes that nostalgia. Also - most of the sets I find seem to not be able to be added on to.....is that right? It looks like this one you can though - am I missing something?

http://www.lionel.com/products/special-offer-santas-helper-christmas-lionchieftm-train-set-6-82545

If I were to build my own set, what would I need. An engine, the track and ???
 
Lionel also make a Polar Express set that is Bluetooth capable. I've eyed it up a few times.
Amazon has them fairly inexpensive but watch out for the el-cheapo versions with plastic track.
 
I'll add two cents here if I may. In short - Any set can be added onto! I am not up to speed on Lionel as the "sets" I had as a kid were limited as to how many cars the locomotive could pull.
Back in the stone age, the cars did not roll very easy and were heavy as well - A loco, tender, and 6-8 cars plus caboose was a pretty good pull for the locos of that day. Now I see u-tube of 20-30 large cars and the engine starts on an upgrade, so things have changed.
If you wanted to add to the "starter set" that you have shown - all you need is to buy additional track and cars - keeping in mind that the little 0-6-0 shifter will not pull too many more. Everything else that you need is included in the set!

PS add a name in your signature line soes we'ins know who we are talking too?
Hope this helps?
 
smshly616 said:
I like the G-gauge size for around the tree but the collector yearly cars (which provides gifts for years to come! WIN) seem to come in O-gauge. So I am good with that too. I like Lionel because it's a known and trusted brand that evokes that nostalgia. Also - most of the sets I find seem to not be able to be added on to.....is that right? It looks like this one you can though - am I missing something?
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No, I am pretty certain that all but the very cheapest sets (the battery powered ones you don't want anyway) can be added on to. More cars, different locomotives, always more track.

All the Lionel runs on FastTrack for which there are more different sized and shape pieces than you can imagine. All Lionel cars will hook together. All the good G-gauge track is interchangeable between the brands LGB, Aristocraft, USA Trains, Piko. Likewise there is a great selection of track. The exceptions in G-gauge are the Bachmann it stands alone, and the Lionel G-gauge is an outlier. There are two different hooks in G-gauge, most use a basket type coupler that performs flawlessly and most extra cars come with both types so one can swap to the other if desired.

The set you listed would be a great starter. ANY normal Lionel O-Gauge add-on parts would work with that. It could expand to anything you desired.

If I were to build my own set, what would I need. An engine, the track and ???
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Locomotive, track, freight or passenger cars, and a power supply/controller, and wire of course. Matching the power controller to the loco would be the "hardest" part. Lionel has more different control methods than I can keep track of. The LionChief is their focus at this time. G-gauge is still mostly straight Direct Current (DC) powered.
 
Just because I'm in the mood, another picture from last years Christmas Forest. The trains around the tree(s) have become the highlight of our Christmas celebrations. We had about 150 neighbors come to see them last year.

Here is a G-gauge and a 2 year old. He is looking at a Bachmann North Pole & Southern trainset running on AristoCraft stainless steel track. Behind him is an LGB Mogul type locomotive running on brass LGB track. Oh yeah didn't mention this before. The "G" in G-gauge stands for garden. They are made rugged enough to use outside in the garden.
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Here is my 2 car Polar Express from Christmas Forest 2015. Sorry I don't have a child in the picture for perspective. However the cabbage patch elf is the same one that is in the background in the photo above. The Lionel Polar Express train is on the old fashioned "hi-rail" Lionel O-72 track. The number 72 is the diameter of the circle.
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One other thing is with Lionel, I believe they have a program, where you can order a personalized car for things like the birth of a child, or perhaps wedding anniversary, or they did do that sort of thing a few years back. the personalized cars cost more than the regular production cars, but they are one of a kind.

Good luck!
 
All you guys are great! It looks as though all of Ashley's questions have been correctly answered and elaborated on. That is what I call Christmas Spirit!

Iron Horsemen, I love the photos, thank you for posting them!

One thing I can add; The locomotives in Lionel's RTR traditional O sets can easily pull a dozen modern Era* traditional scale cars on the track supplied with the set (O36). That is provided you use enough track to fit the train.

*Pre MPC era, before 1970, known as Post-War Era and Pre-War Lionel cars do not have "Fast Angle Wheels". The original wheels used prior to 1970 add more drag and can limit the number of cars a locomotive can pull.

Just a jab at MPC Era hatters; MPC added many innovations. Fast Angle Wheels are just one of many and Fast Angel Wheels have been adapted across all scales! I'm not saying anyone participating in this thread is a hatter, it's just incase there are any lurking ;)
 
otiscnj said:
One other thing is with Lionel, I believe they have a program, where you can order a personalized car for things like the birth of a child, or perhaps wedding anniversary, or they did do that sort of thing a few years back. the personalized cars cost more than the regular production cars, but they are one of a kind.

Good luck!
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You are correct sir! Many of these cars are assembled in the USA!
 
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