At one and two years old it really doesn't matter what you get for the boys at this time. You ARE getting it for the boys, aren't you?
The best advice I can give for buying a train set is buy the best you can afford, it's hard to go wrong that way.
With no hobby shops in your area I can see how it's going to be tough, but finding a pre-war set like you're looking for would be problematic at a hobby shop anyway. Your best bet would probably be a train show. Check under the "Resources" tab at the top of this site for up-coming shows close to you.
I wouldn't jump at the first set I saw either. Attend several shows to "get your eye in" as to what's out there and what the prices are like. Pick up some train collector price guides from the booksellers at the shows to get an general idea of what the prices might be as well.
And take this advice from one who's been collecting antiques for years: paste a piece of paper in the inside of your wallet with the word PATIENCE on it! If it makes you slow down and think it'll be worth it!
I think for the age of your boys, I would start out with the wooden (Brio et al) trains. Then when they learn not to throw them or bang them into each other too hard, you could move them up to that HO electric set. Once they learn how to operate the HO set without damaging it, you can introduce them to that prewar set you're seeking.
If you haven't done so already, I would join the TCA, especially if you are interested in prewar trains. One benefit is that they have a website for buying and selling toy trains. Even if you don't purchase any items off of it, you will be able to use the site to get an idea of what items sell for.
As for the price of a prewar set, it would depend on the particular set of course. I would guess your desire to have boxes for the set would drive up the price as much as anything though. Seventy plus years is a long time for a piece of cardboard to survive.
Hope this helps,
J White
Just a few things concerning collectables I forgot to mention last night...
Remember, with anything collectable, and pre-war trains certainly fall into that category, prices are going to range from reasonable to ridiculous depending on who the seller is. Some sellers want to "flip" the merchandise rapidly for a quick profit, others are going to act like they've got the Holy Grail and try to squeeze every last nickel they can out of it. This is where PATIENCE comes in!
I'm not into pre-war myself, but at every train show I go to there seems to be a pretty good assortment of it, surprisingly so, at least to me. That would indicate to me the survival rate of pre-war trains is pretty good so the prices of the run of the mill stuff, that is used and not "mint-in-the-box" should be pretty reasonable.
Again, get your eye in, figure out how much you're willing to spend, and go from there. Good luck!
You ask so
I think HO is too small for boys that age. They want things that can be handled.
A 3 rail starter set would be a much better choice for them.
I would not be buying prewar trains for small children to play with.
Yes they will run on modern track. Any transformer that has 18/20 volts will run them. I would go at least 90 to 100 watts.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Also keep in mind that if it hasnt already been done, the drive wheels on pretty much any prewar engine will need replaced due to zinc pest. I would pick up one of the more recent reproductions with the classic style drive. Many were made 2 ways, modern can motor and sound, or traditional style motor. I would be less afraid to run a reproduction with young children and if the passion for trains developes, then hand them down a genuine Lionel Prewar set. This is how it was done for me, but you are following the one misstep my father took. Buying them a cheap HO set. This bombed with me as it was cheap and didnt run most of the time. That Christmas, I was 5, was the first year I got to see my fathers 1949 Lionel set while at my Grandparents house. My birthday closely follows Christmas, and my Tyco HO stuff vanished(for repair my father said) and was replaced by my own MPC era Lionel starter set and some extras. It wasnt till I was 11 and in full train passion that I got to take my fathers set home from my Grandparents house and call it my own. By then my grandfather had taught me how to care for it, lubricate it and fully take it apart and put it back together again. If the trains break a lot and derail often, they will be more of a hinderance and less of a father/child bonding agent. My grandfather and I connected very well thru the old Lionel. It was just a simple 1655 starter set with a few Marx accesories. Purchased second hand for my father when the neighbor kids showed no interested in it. Good luck and Happy Holidays. Mikie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
Emdmike just brought up zinc-pest, that is, deterioration of the zinc based die-cast components on pre-war and post-war trains.
Zinc-pest, or zinc disease, was caused by the improper smelting of the zinc that went into the die-cast metal components, that is, wheels, frames, and boiler shells. If all the impurities weren't removed the die-cast would break down over time, some more quickly than others, and when it began nothing could stop it. The Dorfan line of toy trains was particularly susceptible to this. I believe it happened to some of the Ives trains as well.
That being said, if you run into any pre-war trains at this late date I wouldn't be too concerned by zinc-pest. If it hasn't happened by now, that is 70 to 90 years after manufacture it's not likely to. I wouldn't worry about it.
sir james I I think HO is too small for boys that age. They want things that can be handled. A 3 rail starter set would be a much better choice for them.
Agreed. HO is way to small for children that age whether they are supervised or not. I would personally not give an electric train to any child under 5. Wooden Brio type trains are best for that adge group.
Once the kids are a little older I would recommend a Polar express set with Lion Chief +
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