You have a child into model trains and an extra $2500....


S

stearsmania

Member
You have no model train experience and your kid wants a layout...where do you start? i'd like some ideas on what you would do with $2500....floor is open :)
 
There are many model railroad plans available for first time builders. If I were after just a 4'x8' or something along those lines I would probably just build one from a book. Woodland Scenics has a couple different kits to build a complete layout minus the track and benchwork. They have a very nice system for building their layouts. And they have some hour long videos with step by step instructions to put one together.

A little more info would be helpful. How old is your child? Are you not willing to build this yourself? If not you may have to find a modeler in your area willing to help you build this.
 
I would recommend that ya visit a couple or few model railroad clubs and hang out for a bit to get an better idea of what models are good and which are junk. Talk to the members about construction techniques and operating tips. Most of the members will have kids to so you can ask them what they like about model railroads. Go to some of the local shows to get a broad view of whats avaiable.
Do all this before spending any money.
 
I'd start off by getting a simple starter set that you can assemble easily. Something like a Bachmann set that would cost you less than $100 if you shop wisely. Assemble it and gauge the child's interest. Then take him to train shows and a local club so he has something to be proud of, talk about, etc.

Based on his level of interest at that point, you may consider having someone build a simple layout for you. At least that way he wouldn't lose interest in the building process. Many people have no interest in constructing a layout and/or model building. They just want to play with trains. If he is one of those, then you have a simple layout and he can play with trains. If he wants more, go to shows and a local club to learn more and build more on the layout.
 
stearsmania said:
You have no model train experience and your kid wants a layout...where do you start? i'd like some ideas on what you would do with $2500.
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I have to agree with the others. Are these very young children who like Thomas the Tank, Hogwarts Express, and Polar Express type trains, or are they older who are more serious about building models.

What sort of space do you have to work with?

Think about this a bit before you just jump in and start spending money. $2500 can go a really long way, or be way short depending on planning and shopping skills.

When I was building layouts for my wife to sell at craft shows my children gravitated toward this simple one:
swichman.JPG
 
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Be VERY CAREFUL! If the kid really gets into model railroading, $2,500 will not go very far! Seriously, the suggestion about buying a moderately priced set, that will run reliably, but enough so the child will stay interested. My grandchild is into other things, but is gradually becoming more and more interested in running the trains on my layout, particularly the ones with sound (of which I have only a few). Biggest problem is there are few real trains in the area and most of those are coal drags (which IMHO are boring). I model the 1950's era when I was the same age, 7-1/2. But I rode on trains regularly until I was finished with high school, and went to college. I have been accumulating a few "modern" pieces in case the interest goes in that direction.
 
stearsmania said:
You have no model train experience and your kid wants a layout...where do you start? i'd like some ideas on what you would do with $2500....floor is open :)
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I am very happy to hear you have an interested child!

How old is your child?

If you don't match his or her skill level they may become frustrated or bored and lose interest.
 
If the child is really interested, one thing you could do is buy him a couple of soft cover book covering model railroading, in general. Get him one of these and you can spark his imagination as well as help improve his reading skills. I just went to Amazon, and did a search on "Model Railroading" in the books section, and only went 6 pages in. There were all kinds of books there, several which would also help you.

It also wouldn't hurt to get him a subscription to Model Railroader magazine. I know that when I was that age, I was so proud to think that someone was sending me a magazine about my favorite things in the world, TRAINS!
 
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Research first. Get several IMPORTANT model RR books:
Track Planning for Realistic Operation - John Armstrong.- read this book over and over.
101 Track Plans
John Allens Gorre & Dapheited - you'll wanna build something after looking through this book.

THEN visit local clubs, attend a few model RR shows, and see if you can get invited into some local MRR hobbiests layouts.
Find a good model RR hobby shop and ask them as many questions as you can.

Identify space available.
Decide on scale.
buy some test structures to build just for fun.
 
I agree with these guys. Go to a few clubs and check out what they have. Whatever your kid thinks is the coolest thing on the layout, start there. You can easily spend a few hours at barnes and nobles looking at railroad books, and modeling railroad books. The local hobby shot should have plenty of literature about this too. If you just want to see trains go around, the major track suppliers all have "EZ" systems that go together quickly and allow for the enjoyment.

When I started, my dad set up a 4'x4' board HO scale, one circle track. I built the town inside and got bored. So he bought me a 8'x4' piece of plywood and put some legs on it. I picked a layout from a book and did it all myself, from laying the track to tearing it down 10+ years later. That first layout started when I was about 8 years old. The second layout started when I was about 10, and I took it down when I went to college. Now I'm almost 30 and building a new layout for expected son (due in May, maybe I'll be done when he's 5!).
 
I have one more recommendation not mentioned yet... Get involved with your own thread!

Sent from my SPH-D710BST using Tapatalk
 
I read all your posts and threads and see that your son is 19 months old and you would like to build a large layout that he can participate in as he grows older.

Think honestly with yourself and flesh out if this is for you and your hope is that he will buy into it.

I see he is interested in trains and so this is a good start. If you want him to have ownership in the project, follow Iron Horsemans suggestion (Loius may agree) and get an ez track setup he can put together under your supervision and let him run trains around it.

He will probably be breaking stuff because my grandchildren did. They were 4 and 7 and had fun with my HO set that early but don't have the motor skills to be gentle with some of the stuff. Don't loose your temper and be prepared for this and make the repairs with him helping.

As he matures, use that money you have set aside and make purchases with him so it truly becomes his. Eventually, give him the budget and let him go with his own imagination.

I am glad you picked Model Railroading to encourage your child in and hope you the best.


lasm
 
When my grandsons were toddlers my daughter found a toy train set made up of wooden track with groves cut into it for the train to ride in. The cars were attached to the locomotive and each other by magnets, they loved it! they eventually learned how to rearrange the track to change the configuration of their railroad. They learned a lot from that set and played with it for over a year.

Next they got a battery operated G scale set and now they play with O scale trains. Who knows what they will end up with, but so far they still love to play with their trains. The more independent they can be the more they enjoy it.

You don't buy a major league baseball glove and bat to play t-ball and I think the same applies to trains, it is a progression.

Give them something they can be successful playing with and they may just stay interested.

If I were you I would go to the toy store and find a train for your child's age and books about trains for that age too.
 
sorry for the non participation...work got kind of crazy the past two weeks as well as my wife and i are purchasing a home...my son is almost 4 now, i havent posted on here in a while..we have several ho engines, rolling stock, with some ez track that we run them on...he doesn't play with anything other than trains...thats it...we have the motorized thomas trains with the plastic track that we set up all over the house, but he loves to pull the electric ones out and just sit and stare at them..

we are currently purchasing a home that has a 12x16 room in the basement where i want to build a layout...he is into the trains, i'm into the building...i want to do this myself...so now that i am back and participating in my thread, any other suggestions??? i appreciate your time and thoughts!!!
 
Glad to have you back!

I remember what it was like to be a young dad, you are lucky to find time to sleep. Don't concern yourself with how long you go in between posts, you have a full plate already. This forum is not going any where and most of us will be here when you get back.

I have 2 grandsons 4 & 5 and they struggle with the HO but if you get on the floor and play with your boy he will enjoy the HO with your help.

If it were me I would go with the Lionel LionChief sets here is a thread I started about them with more details. Thread: Great Starter Sets for Youngsters

My grandsons play with those sets with out much help at all from me and that is good because I can get on the floor but it I stay on the floor getting up is another matter all together!

You could get one of the LionChief sets for him to play with as you build the HO layout. Everything you need to set it up on the floor and get it running in minutes after you get it home is in the box.

Another good suggestion is books, I know he probably does not read yet but my grandsons love to look at train pictures and my youngest grandson's favorite book for more then a year was "Greenberg's Guide to Lionel Fundemensions Trains 1970-1985" he loves the colorful pictures of the trains and his favorites are the Chessie. The ones with the as he says "kitty cats" on them. He just picked it up off my desk one day and that became his favorite book.

What ever you decide, have fun with your trains and keep us posted when you have a chance.

I wish you well.
 
If you are wanting to build a layout, which it sounds like you do, I think having a budget thrown into the equation is just a tad unnecessary. Building a layout of the size you are referring to is going to take time. It's really not as simple as "take $2500 to the hobby shop and buy all the things needed for a layout. I would probably have twice that in it by the time I got it done anyway. But with me it would be spent a little here and a little there. Maybe things are different with you.

I am slowly building my micro tool collection back up. My paint selection is slowly growing. I have a selection of styrene and scale lumber to work from. And I buy more every time I go to the LHS (local hobby shop). I just saw a $400 Athearn N Scale UP 4-8-8-4 I will be working some OT on Saturday for so I can buy it before it sells. I have been looking at and buying kits, vehicles, and things that interest me. Some will be used on my layout. Some may end up on eBay. For now I am just enjoying getting back into building things.

I would suggest you take some of the advice given in this thread because you have attracted some of the big guns on here with some very good advice. I really like Carey's idea about a magazine subscription to get a child interested. But your boy is a little young for that. It is still a really great idea and I am glad he mentioned it because I would not have thought of that.
 
stearsmania said:
sorry for the non participation...work got kind of crazy the past two weeks as well as my wife and i are purchasing a home...my son is almost 4 now, i havent posted on here in a while..we have several ho engines, rolling stock, with some ez track that we run them on...he doesn't play with anything other than trains...thats it...we have the motorized thomas trains with the plastic track that we set up all over the house, but he loves to pull the electric ones out and just sit and stare at them..

we are currently purchasing a home that has a 12x16 room in the basement where i want to build a layout...he is into the trains, i'm into the building...i want to do this myself...so now that i am back and participating in my thread, any other suggestions??? i appreciate your time and thoughts!!!
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Is he able to handle and operate your existing HO equipment? Is so, great! If he's not able to do that, I'd recommend taking that money and getting him into Lionel trains. My dad got me started with Lionel as a little kid and that hooked me for life. I could be wrong, but in my opinion, little hands would have an easier time running a Lionel set than anything smaller. There's enough O gauge stuff out there that could keep him interested and into the hobby for years to come. With a 12' by 16' foot size room to work with, there's a LOT you can do in that scale.

Keep us posted with what you decide!
 
I let my 20 month old handle my N scale scratch-built trucks. I have taught him how to handle them with care and under supervision he does a wonderful job of holding them in his hand and admiring them. He loves my trains too. He points to the cabinet of my desk where I keep them when he wants me to get them down so he can drag them around on my desk going "choo choo choo". The other day I taught him how to couple the micro trains couplers. I watched him flawlessly couple 3 cars together a number of times. I know this is pretty good for a kid not even 2 years old yet. So you can teach them to carefully handle the smaller scales. I would have no problem at all letting him play with HO trains. The hand rails may take a beating. But they can always be removed.
 
NScaler said:
I let my 20 month old handle my N scale scratch-built trucks. I have taught him how to handle them with care and under supervision he does a wonderful job of holding them in his hand and admiring them. He loves my trains too. He points to the cabinet of my desk where I keep them when he wants me to get them down so he can drag them around on my desk going "choo choo choo". The other day I taught him how to couple the micro trains couplers. I watched him flawlessly couple 3 cars together a number of times. I know this is pretty good for a kid not even 2 years old yet. So you can teach them to carefully handle the smaller scales. I would have no problem at all letting him play with HO trains. The hand rails may take a beating. But they can always be removed.
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Beautiful! What a great way to get your kid hooked on trains...way to go!

My 2 year-old grandson loves trains as well. I bought him a Thomas layout last Christmas and he spent most of the day playing with it. He loves to come out to the garage with me to watch me run my N scale layout. I'm not quite ready to have him handling the pieces, though your experience with your 2 year-old may have me reconsidering that.
 
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