HELP! Christmas request!

[Anonymous]

I have two grand daughters who are 3 years old and 2 years old. They live near a rail line in Texas and (perhaps it's in the genes... or maybe the trains books I send them) are now getting excited by seeing the local go by everyday.

My daughter has finally given in to this budding foamerism and has asked me to find a trainset for them to play with for Christmas.

I can't send HO stuff- too many small parts that can be swallowed. I'm leery about sending something powered by a transformer anyway- I want to avoid electrical shocks.

Suggestions, anyone? I need the help ASAP!

Just a grandpa spoiling the kids....

Erik

[FThunder11]

Get one of thoes huge Christmas sets that go aroud your tree. They're about "O" gauge and run on batteries, which you put in the tender. Thats what we hve around our tree. Even though I'm trying to convince my mom to let me put an ho scale train with a town and sidings and all the bells and whisltes.

[twhite]

Check with your local toy store. I think Playskool puts out a beginner train set that 's push-pull and manually operated. Seen some ads on TV about it, it looks like fun, especially for the age group you're mentioning. If they were a little older, you might consider the Leggo build-a-train, but that's pretty complex, from what I've seen. Unfortunately, beginning train items for toddlers don't seem to be as readily available as they were even ten years ago.
Tom

[cnw1995]

There's lots of choices for this excellent gift choice! Go to your favorite big-box retailer 's toy section and find a Brio-knock-off set - with wooden track - maybe add a few $10 Thomas the Tank Engine engines - they have more personality than anything in the other set - and Thomas is back on PBS in many markets - so they may recognize him.. My 2 1/2 year old loves 'em and enjoys putting the track together into all sorts of set-ups.. The Playskool plastic train sets are still around - though I've seen more of the Fisher Price variety - they're essentially the same - and the battery-powered engine goes by itself. I'd recommend K-Line's offering of a battery-powered O gauge set with plastic track for about $39 (from their website).

[CP5415]

GEO TRACKS from Fisher Price.
It's a battery operated set that can be expanded.

The best solution for small fingers

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I'd recommend some of the battery-powered train sets, as others have mentioned. The Brio and Fisher Price trains that others have mentioned are good for kids, but I'd personally go with the battery-powered sets. They're much bigger, they have more in common with a real train than do the others and it would be longer before they outgrow them. I'd personally recommend the large G scale sets, although the O gauge sets are good, too. Companies that make battery-powered G scale sets are New Bright, Goldlok and Echo Toys. Some of the Goldlok G scale sets use a simple infrared remote control that you put batteries in. The K-Line O gauge set also uses this system, as do a few other O gauge sets. Of course, the K-Line sets might perhaps be better because they have diesels. Most of the other sets have old 1800's-style steam engines and a diesel would be something that your granddaughters would relate to more.

[j1love]

I bought my nephew a LARGE Brio set for his 3rd birthday. His parents started him out with a loop of the wooden track and half the train. Now he is 6 and loves it! He takes the whole set and makes various different layouts on the living room floor. Brio has a battery powered loco and he loves it. Now he is ready to move on to electric trains. I am thinking seriously of getting him an HO starter set. But to answer your question, IMHO....BRIO ROCKS as a starter set.

[n2mopac]

I too would recomentd the wooden sets as they inspire both love of trains and personal creativity. Brio has a lot of cool stuff, including a new set to go the the Polar Express movie, but I personally prefer the Thomas the Tank Engine stuff. It is made by Learning Curve (not Brio). There is an unbelievable amount of stuff available for a great wooden railroad empire, and you can build and rebuild it as many times as the imagination will allow. I have this for my son who is now 5 and he loves it.

Ron

[Anonymous]

Thanks a million, folks! Letter to Santa to follow....along with my paycheck....

Erik

[Anonymous]

I agree about Brio - My brother and I built up a large collection of this as kids, now, around 12 years later, we've passed it on to our 2 year old cousin - it's a great way to start them out as it's pretty much indestructible and lasts for years - the oldest stuff we have is probably about 17 years old!

[Anonymous]

I still have all my BRIO stuff from when I was little. I still make layouts with it sometimes (those battery powered engines are great!). It's an excellent way to introduce the young ones to trains.

[simon1966]

My kids are older now (8 and 5) but when they were younger the wooden trains like the Thomas and Brio were loved far more than a battery opperated train. The manually pushed trains gives the kids so much more to do than just watching a toy train go round and round. I would suggest you look at the following web site http://www.woodentrain.com/ The whittle short line railroad make a fantastic line of diesels and frigt cars that run on the common wooden track. My 5 year old is getting a Conrail set for his birthday next weekend. This will mean we virtually own the entire product line!! The boys just love them and don't touch the Thomas stuff any more, only the more realistic trains.

Have fun

[88gta350]

I reccomend the Thomas train sets. You can even get Thomas' that are battery powered so they go on their own. All the cars and engines can get pricey though.

[PennsyHoosier]

Go with Brio. I gave a set to all three of my kids (both genders) and all have grown up to be little PennsyHoosier nuts. [:D]