Trains.com

please support new collector and lover of trains

4498 views
9 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
please support new collector and lover of trains
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 20, 2003 6:26 PM
im trying to surprise my best friend with a fantastic inexpensive starter train gift. his goal one day is to have a train room in his home. i would like to purchase something really nice and special for him.

also, do you know of any great places or events with trains in the Atlanta, gA area.
thanks
queen quintara
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
please support new collector and lover of trains
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 20, 2003 6:26 PM
im trying to surprise my best friend with a fantastic inexpensive starter train gift. his goal one day is to have a train room in his home. i would like to purchase something really nice and special for him.

also, do you know of any great places or events with trains in the Atlanta, gA area.
thanks
queen quintara
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 440 posts
Posted by Algonquin on Sunday, July 20, 2003 8:38 PM
Hi,

If you are looking for an "O" gauge set, Lionel, MTH and K-Line all make complete ready to run sets in a variety of price ranges. Each company has a website where you can view their latest catalog. I am not as familiar with "G" gauge but LGB and Lionel make stater sets.

Regards,

Tim Pignatari

A penny saved is a penny earned. But every once in a while it is good to treat yourself to a gum ball.

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 440 posts
Posted by Algonquin on Sunday, July 20, 2003 8:38 PM
Hi,

If you are looking for an "O" gauge set, Lionel, MTH and K-Line all make complete ready to run sets in a variety of price ranges. Each company has a website where you can view their latest catalog. I am not as familiar with "G" gauge but LGB and Lionel make stater sets.

Regards,

Tim Pignatari

A penny saved is a penny earned. But every once in a while it is good to treat yourself to a gum ball.

  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Nashville TN
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Wdlgln005 on Monday, July 21, 2003 10:47 PM
Hello and welcome to the Forum

If you get on here & search around a bit you may find an idea here useful. You may need a better clue to what locations/eras appeal to your friend. Also, you need to know what kind of space is available for the new pike. May I suggest looking at Nscale. The products today are much better than in the past and you can create a good sized empire in a small space or devote more space to scenery & make the model look like a real train going through your favorite part of the country! I would recommend getting the best loco & equipment you can afford. Some cheap models are not worth any price but a small circle of track can be the start of a large empire. The pages of MR are also a good place to start.
Have fun model railroading!
Glenn Woodle
  • Member since
    April 2002
  • From: Nashville TN
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Wdlgln005 on Monday, July 21, 2003 10:47 PM
Hello and welcome to the Forum

If you get on here & search around a bit you may find an idea here useful. You may need a better clue to what locations/eras appeal to your friend. Also, you need to know what kind of space is available for the new pike. May I suggest looking at Nscale. The products today are much better than in the past and you can create a good sized empire in a small space or devote more space to scenery & make the model look like a real train going through your favorite part of the country! I would recommend getting the best loco & equipment you can afford. Some cheap models are not worth any price but a small circle of track can be the start of a large empire. The pages of MR are also a good place to start.
Have fun model railroading!
Glenn Woodle
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 12:52 AM
Ive seen nice N gauge starter kits lor $50-$100. Hey Ive looked at them seriously too. They looked realy nice :)
Good Luck
Everyone should have a friend like you!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 12:52 AM
Ive seen nice N gauge starter kits lor $50-$100. Hey Ive looked at them seriously too. They looked realy nice :)
Good Luck
Everyone should have a friend like you!
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: US
  • 93 posts
Posted by clinchfieldfan on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 12:44 PM
There are multiple manufacturers with multiple scales. One of the main concerns is the amount of space available to run the trains, o scale (which I run), needs a moderate amount of room. Another concern is the age of the "railroader", some scales are pretty fragile. I have gotten too old and shaky for anything smaller than O scale! The operation of O scale trains are straight forward and the wiring is simple compared to other scales.
If you have a train store nearby I highly recommend talking to them, I have always had great success getting information from them.
The main concern is to have fun! Good Luck!
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: US
  • 93 posts
Posted by clinchfieldfan on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 12:44 PM
There are multiple manufacturers with multiple scales. One of the main concerns is the amount of space available to run the trains, o scale (which I run), needs a moderate amount of room. Another concern is the age of the "railroader", some scales are pretty fragile. I have gotten too old and shaky for anything smaller than O scale! The operation of O scale trains are straight forward and the wiring is simple compared to other scales.
If you have a train store nearby I highly recommend talking to them, I have always had great success getting information from them.
The main concern is to have fun! Good Luck!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 11:13 PM
BUY THE LATED "CTT" MAGAZINE & LOOK FOR A ADD, FOR CHARLES RO, OR TRAINWORLD, THEY BOTH HAVE TRAIN SETS FOR SALE IN "O-GUAGE" & AT A GOOD PRICE.......
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 11:13 PM
BUY THE LATED "CTT" MAGAZINE & LOOK FOR A ADD, FOR CHARLES RO, OR TRAINWORLD, THEY BOTH HAVE TRAIN SETS FOR SALE IN "O-GUAGE" & AT A GOOD PRICE.......
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 6:46 AM
I would recomend looking around walthers.com They are fairly inexpensive.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, August 3, 2003 6:46 AM
I would recomend looking around walthers.com They are fairly inexpensive.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 11, 2003 9:29 PM
The only suggestions I can give is to find a starter set that is affordable, reliable, has plenty of play-value, and of course expandable. You might want to check your local Yellow Pages and look under Hobby Shops. When you go to visit them, find out what would be ideal by looking at what is being sold. There is also a website for the Great American Train Shows or GATS. Find out when it will be in the Atlanta area. Enjoy yourself and may you succeed.

HMH
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 11, 2003 9:29 PM
The only suggestions I can give is to find a starter set that is affordable, reliable, has plenty of play-value, and of course expandable. You might want to check your local Yellow Pages and look under Hobby Shops. When you go to visit them, find out what would be ideal by looking at what is being sold. There is also a website for the Great American Train Shows or GATS. Find out when it will be in the Atlanta area. Enjoy yourself and may you succeed.

HMH
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Watkinsville, GA
  • 2,214 posts
Posted by Roger Bielen on Sunday, October 12, 2003 7:31 AM
First to answer your question about events in the Atlanta area. There is a show scheduled for early Nov. in Gwinett (sp) cty. at, I think its called, the North Ga. Trade center. You can get the exact info. in the back section of the last issue CTT .

There are a number of train stores dealing in O-gauge in the Atlanta area, check the yellow pages, or again the back of CTT. I suggest making your first purchase through a local dealer so that if there are problems, or questions, you have someone to talk to rather than e-mails and making UPS richer.

Living out near Athens I deal with Memory Station (Lionel) in Watkinsville. There is also Legacy Station (mostly MTH) in Laweranceville.



Roger B.
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Watkinsville, GA
  • 2,214 posts
Posted by Roger Bielen on Sunday, October 12, 2003 7:31 AM
First to answer your question about events in the Atlanta area. There is a show scheduled for early Nov. in Gwinett (sp) cty. at, I think its called, the North Ga. Trade center. You can get the exact info. in the back section of the last issue CTT .

There are a number of train stores dealing in O-gauge in the Atlanta area, check the yellow pages, or again the back of CTT. I suggest making your first purchase through a local dealer so that if there are problems, or questions, you have someone to talk to rather than e-mails and making UPS richer.

Living out near Athens I deal with Memory Station (Lionel) in Watkinsville. There is also Legacy Station (mostly MTH) in Laweranceville.



Roger B.
  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: along the B&O in INDIANA
  • 211 posts
Posted by yellowducky on Sunday, October 12, 2003 10:03 AM
Check out a nearby model train club. Most members are more than willing to share what not to do or buy. They also have a lot of free insights that are very helpful and can save alot of time and $. Don't worry about the train club not being the scale or guage you think you might want to buy, there's always somebody that models or has modeled some other size.
FDM TRAIN up a child in the way he should go...Proverbs22:6 Garrett, home of The Garrett Railroaders, and other crazy people. The 5 basic food groups are: candy, poptarts, chocolate, pie, and filled donuts !
  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: along the B&O in INDIANA
  • 211 posts
Posted by yellowducky on Sunday, October 12, 2003 10:03 AM
Check out a nearby model train club. Most members are more than willing to share what not to do or buy. They also have a lot of free insights that are very helpful and can save alot of time and $. Don't worry about the train club not being the scale or guage you think you might want to buy, there's always somebody that models or has modeled some other size.
FDM TRAIN up a child in the way he should go...Proverbs22:6 Garrett, home of The Garrett Railroaders, and other crazy people. The 5 basic food groups are: candy, poptarts, chocolate, pie, and filled donuts !

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month