Hello all, today I purchased my first train set. My son just turned 6 last week and I thought it was time we enjoyed something together which I never had as a boy, a new train set. I have been reading up on trains and sets and have been trying to find out which starter set would give me the best bang for the buck. I finally settled on this one.
Union Pacific Fast Freight with TrainSounds A powerful 2-8-4 Berkshire highballs down the high iron leading a colorful string of freight cars. This impressive consist includes an operating coal dump car. The Union Pacific Fast Freight is complete with a large FasTrack layout and the powerful CW-80 Transformer.
I really liked this one because of the Berkshire engine, the uncoupling track and the trainsounds. My son is very excited to say the least. We have been watching Lionel train videos on Google and he loves the puffing smoke and the sound of the whistle. I got this set new for a really great price and am looking forward to many years of fun running this set with my son. I will be adding more track in the future and am sure I will have questions along the way. It is good to have found this forum as it is very informative.
Hi Rolo. Welcome to the best O gauge forum on Earth.
You picked a honey of a train for your first set. The Berkshire is a very nice locomotive and a strong puller. As time goes on, you can add more cars and track.
My kids are 6 and 4 and love running trains with me. Long after we are gone, our kids will remember fondly running trains with us.
Enjoy your trains with your son!
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
Rolo,
Welcome to the forum! If you would like to introduce yourself, be sure to stop over at the Coffee Pot. That is a place where many of us check in regularly and chat. This forum is a great place to get train related help as well as having a very understanding group just to talk to. I am on many forums on the net, but this one is definitely the best I've seen, because of the members. You will find that your fellow members are truly a great group of people. Please ask any questions you may have. Once again, welcome to the forum!
HI ROLO,
to the forum. You got a great starter set and you and your son are probably hooked on trains now. When the train bug bites theres no cure. Have fun and enjoy the trains. It would be great to see how the both of you progress through the years. Remember a little at a time theres lots out there, Enjoy.
laz57
I bought my first train set barely 2 months ago. I have spent about $1200 since then. I had no idea what I was getting into (though the guy at the hobby shop warned my wife jokingly). Great fun.
Must be extra fun to have a kid to build your setup with. Sounds like a dandy of a starter set.
I'm new here too and this is a nice place to read and learn. I've been collecting Lionel for only 3 Years now. Thanks to the Polar Express!!
My son is 3 and I cant wait to buy him his first train! I never had any when I was younger so I'm making up for it now.
I'm hooked!
I cant stop!!!
Rolo Tomasee???? Is this a veiled "L.A. Confidential" reference? If so, I like the cut of your jib.
Welcome to the forum. We are blessed to have a great group of people that are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge.
Good luck with the new set and keep the trains running!
Regards,
John O
I'm very new here too, and I just bought my first train set and got it a week ago tomorrow; Lionel Polar Express. My son is 5 and we are having a lot of fun with it, I hope you and your son enjoy your new set as much as we do. Lots of good advice here, you will find lots of inspiration for your new set. Have fun, I know we will.
Rolo, first Welcome. As mentioned above, this is a great place to visit. Many folks here have a lot of knowledge. Some are electrical engineers and can share a lot of information on most things with regard to wiring etc. Many have built everything from simple floor layouts to large, Hi-rail layouts with scenery of museum quality. So this is certainly the place to come for answers to your questions.
You have jumped in the same way many of us have, through your kids. Started as "Honey, I want to get Ricky a train set for Christmas, to a few years later, "Ok, Ok son, you can play with MY trains a little later".
One thing that you will find here, more than other sites is that we try to respect everyone, no name calling, no put downs. Don't worry if you have a question that seems "dumb", chances are it is not, but it may be one that has been asked before so check the list at the top and then do a search. You may get most of your questions answered that way.
Again, welcome to a wonderful place and may you and your son have many enjoyable years in the hobby.
Dennis
TCA#09-63805
Welcome to the forum,
Great starter set!
Kurt
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
My son's first set (14 months ago) was the Thomas set. Since the, I don't want to count the amount I have spent (nor do I want my wife to!!!)
Seriously, It's a blast and this is a great place for info and knowledge. Again welcome to the wonderful world of electric trains!!!
Thanks for all kind welcomes. I purchased our train set through an online merchant (Hobby Station) so my son and I will be keeping our eyes out for the big brown truck this week. I shopped for a local merchant to buy from but he was a bit higher priced than what I bought it for. The local shop owner was an older gentleman and I did not want to ask him if he could match the price for fear of him feeling insulted by my request. I will support his shop through some additional purchases later on.
When I was a boy my father bought me a slot car set and I enjoyed it for a while but was easily frustrated by the cars always flying off of the track. I never thought of model trains until I saw a display when I was older. I was watching the television early one morning and there was a show on the first Lionel train made for a Christmas display, this peaked my interest in model trains again and I began searching about Lionel and other trains online. My son came down while I was watching a train video on google and he said "I want a train like that" so that was my nudge to buy one. I am sure the other trains are nice but I am buying Lionel based on nostalgia and the Lionel name.
John, Rolo Tomasee does come from L.A. Confidential, he was the guy who always gets away with it. I liked the movie and the name but it really does not apply to me because I don't always get away with it. When I told my wife I was buying a train set for our son she said, yeah right, you are buying it for you. I can't get away with anything.
I really like this! Welcome all you guys who have gotten a first train set!
I got my first set when I was barely a week old. It's a great hobby! I re-entered the hobby 16 ears ago with the purchase of several S-2 Diesel K-Line sets and one steam Lionel set. I know a lot of us guys get hot and bothered over some issues.... I'm sure you new folks have noticed this at times. But I think deep down WE ALL share a real love for the hobby. And even with all the technological advances, there is still something about a train set that takes most of us back in time.
I hope we read lots more threads like this! I'm sure Lionel's CEO Jerry Calabrese would like that too. Lionel has been putting some effort into starter sets and it's nice to know the effort is paying off. We all know Polor Express sold very well, but it's nice to hear from some newcomers who actually bought the set!! Or any other set!
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Hello Rolo:
To paraphrase another line from "L.A. Confidential:"
Model Trains...whatever you desire.
Just don't mess with Bud White's trains.
Welcome! And congratulations on your purchase!!!
underworld
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
The polar express is a GREAT train set! There are also three add-on cars, a toy fair boxcar, and a polar express handcar. The engine is heavy and runs nice...no problems here, although I did break the little gold whistle off twice. I was able to replace it the first time, but just a few weeks ago a couple of stores told me they can't get them.I'll have to try harder!
I think the NEW general set with the lincoln logs and the add-on set look like a great canidate for my son!
Rolo - Congratulatoins. I hope this will allow you and your son to build on you already existing relationship. It's great to be able to reflect back 50 years on some of the things I remember doing with my Dad.....money can't replace those precious memories. Futhermore, some sons don't have memories of Dad taking the time to play games, little only a hobby with them!??
Welcome to Trains.com Forum, to the hobby. You will enjoy the expertise help that's here, just waiting to assist your line and make it even more enjoyable.
I've only been in the hobby some three months with my son and two grandsons.
Take you time on expansions. Be patient.
Working towards the goals you create as y'all sit around the track is more fun than running the train(s) (I think).
Best Regards,
Hogjaw - Arkansas
Uh Jim,
Hate to ask you.......but, uh would you,.....uh, clarify which picture is the real you?
A lot of fog and haze has been coming from the bottomlands here lately.
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