my son absolutely loves trains. He has all different types of wooden trains, battery operated trains, and a train that circles our Christmas tree.
Im thinking about getting him an electric train for Christmas. I found a layout for sale on Craigslist that’s for a model N. The layout is 3ft x 5ft.
My wife is concerned he is too young. Any thoughts or ideas based off previous experience?
thanks.
I think N scale is too small for a three year old. Our grand-son did great with one of these. N is very small and hard to place on the track and deal with. And now at five he runs a our 26'x12' O scale layout and has two trains at his house. He also had no problem with the remote control.
These can be had for under $80.00
http://www.lionel.com/products/lionel-junction-dinosaur-diesel-lionchief-set-6-81031/
Look for Lionel part #6-81031
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvauau2hE8c
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
we are open to any size of train but we would like to get him some kind of layout with tunnels, etc.
he has clearly mastered circles and other simple designs.
any idea where to find used layouts that can be shipped?
agreed...N too small. Find a cheap O Gauge set.And let him have fun with it.
Dave
It's a TOY, A child's PLAYTHING!!! (Woody from Toy Story)
Tunnels, etc are easy to get and then you can build out from the start. The hardest thing for them is figuring out how to place the cars on the rails and not have a short. Why the set like I showed you is so nice. Only two single axles per car. The Thomas sets are the same. Plywood is cheap and just build your way up. Gives you something to get him for birthdays as well. Keep in mind it is a "toy" and he is 3.5 years old. There will be distruction.
Enjoy.
Do you have a ollies near you. They have the petshop or the dinasor set for $59.99 and to me that would be a perfect starter set for him and it's not so small that he could have a problem trying to get it on the track.
http://www.ollies.us/home.html
http://www.ollies.us/currentflyer/flyer.html?store_code=188
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Add my vote for "N" gauge being too small. I suggest "O" gauge or even larger. I would pass on the pre-built layout. Get some extra track, snap together plastic buildings and a premade tunnel. Get down on the floor with your son and build temporary layouts on the floor. Let him be in charge as much as possible.
Much too small, child will never get on track. Fine muscular skills and patience not developed yet. You will need to assemble track regardless and make certain it stays connected. An inexpensive battery operated plastic train with on/off switch and plastic track is best, but it should also run on hard floor without track. A cheap one is about $20, I think mine came from Walgreens. While the steam engine was not O scale, the gauge of wheels was and ran on my lionel track although most fun was just on floor. I also gave my great grandson a Scout I picked up at a train show. Shortly after he got it, tossed it about 3 feet on to a tile floor. Surprisingly only damage was the headlight bulb popping out. When older gave him a Lionel Thomas set. Experience speaking. Hielsie
Good evening all,
I agree about the N gauge stuff. Normally I would agree on O gauge Lionel with Fastrack as that sticks together reasonably well. I do have some problems with the pet shop or dinosaur sets and the ones similar to those with real railroad markings. First of all, I am not crazy about these remote only sets. Secondly, the two wheel trucks with fixed couplers are just wrong. No expandability and the lack of coupling ability will hurt down the road. Finding an older Lionel set with a conventional power pack would be the best choice, but not the easiest to find for a beginner. One possible option would be (if you could find one) would be an American Flyer set which has both conventional and remote control. I wish I could be more positive. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Go with Lionel (O-scale). At age 2, I started playing with my Uncle's Lionels as push toys on the kitchen floor. A month before my 4th birthday I got my own Lionel set for Christmas.
A layout can be built easily enough on a sheet of plywood, or a couple of hollow core doors - whichever suits the space available and whether you can leave it setup, or if it has to be put away when not in use. Tunnels can be bought ready made, or you can make them with strips of cardboard and plaster-soaked paper towels, or out of foam insulation board covered in plaster, or... well, there are dozens of ways to do it. The important things are: tracks, trains, and fun! The rest will take care of itself.
N scale might be a little too small. I don't know your son so I can't say. Has he ever handled N scale or any toy comparable?
I'll give you my personal expierence and you can maybe take something from it. I had Brio and Matchbox trains before I was 4. I was never destructive withy my toys. I loved when my Dad got his late 50s Lionel O-27 set out.
My parents got me a Hot Wheels Sto N Go set. The trains were about N size on HO size track. Push power. From the late 80s.For Christmas when I was almost 4 I got some HO. Not a set which was a great decision. Atlas track. An Athearn engine, some Athearn and cheaper cars and an MRC powerpack. 2 months later for my 4th birthday I got another Athern engine. Chessie and Santa Fe. I lived in Phoenix at the time and I doubt I'd ever seen an engine painted for Chessie but it was one of the Hot Wheels engine I had. I joined a train club when I was in my early 20s. Then we moved and I got really sick and when we moved back it was to the other side of Phoenix and too far away from the club.The worst I did was run one engine at full speed on a 4'x8' table and the track on a curve wasn't nailed down. It landed on carpet. A neighbor kid in Oregon threw Mom's UP engine across the room. So it really depends on the kids maturity.If he has trouble getting it on the track you can buy a ramp for that that adults use.I was allowed to run the trains without supervision. I was told by my Dad, 2 engineering degrees including an MS in Electrical Engineering, that if I ever got the Red light (Overload) on the transformer to turn the power off and unplug it and tell him when he got home. It never happened.
I took the groups advice and purchased a Thomas the Train set. The set comes with the engine and two additonal cars, EZ track, a power pack and speed control. This is the set I purchased. http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_259_263&products_id=5894
Seperately, I have also purchased some additional cars that are his favorites and also some scenery along with some expansion track. I plan to mount the tracks on a foam insulation board and build a small layout.
Can anyone tell me if there are other pieces of equipment that I will need that I have over looked.
Would also appreciate any advice for building the layout.
I hope the HO scale you got doesn't become a problem because of the size. I will agree it's a lot better than N but as everyone else recommened I would of gone with O gauge which is basically twice the size of HO Not exactly but close. ( HO actually means 1/2 of O ) I'm thinking he should do okay,
Maybe RT we took for granted the poster knew the scales. Good luck with it!
HO scale is still small and delicate conpared to O gauge, but better than N....
I had a pop up from CTT just now that may help you out. it's a free down load from this site
http://ctt.trains.com/rapid/2017/11/how-to-get-started-with-toy-trains
Personally, at that age I would have bought him the Lionel ready to play battery operated remote-controlled big trains. He would have a blast with that. And if I still wanted more, then I would have picked the size I desired for a father and son layout until he gets older.
I got my 2 year old grand nephew a Lionel O gage Thomas the Tank Engine set last year. It was one of the last ones that came with a 'transformer' instead of the hand held control.
He has had no problems operating it. Lionel did a good job on this set. Thomas does not go fast enough to derail, the whistle is not not disagreeable, and the set itself is tough to damage.
I just sent off a figure 8 expansion set to him for Christmas this year.
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