Where can we find the Best ABC's of Trains

[Anonymous]

We are filming a children's video on Trains. The video will come out under the "Start Smarter" logo and will be entitled "Firefighter George & TRAINS." What websites offer the best ABC's of Trains?

We are looking for information on:

the different types of cars and what they are used for
the different types of engines
basic questions answered
the ins and outs of trains
things young children would want to know

If anyone has written an article or has a paper published, we would love to read this and give you full credit in the video. We know a little, we go to film in 3 weeks, and we would love a few courses on Trains. Our target market is 2 to 8 year olds.....

Thanks for any and all help. We will certainly appreciate all of your help!

Giff Gfroerer
Marshall Fairman Productions

[Anonymous]

We are filming a children's video on Trains. The video will come out under the "Start Smarter" logo and will be entitled "Firefighter George & TRAINS." What websites offer the best ABC's of Trains?

We are looking for information on:

the different types of cars and what they are used for
the different types of engines
basic questions answered
the ins and outs of trains
things young children would want to know

If anyone has written an article or has a paper published, we would love to read this and give you full credit in the video. We know a little, we go to film in 3 weeks, and we would love a few courses on Trains. Our target market is 2 to 8 year olds.....

Thanks for any and all help. We will certainly appreciate all of your help!

Giff Gfroerer
Marshall Fairman Productions

[Bergie]

Hi Giff,

Go to the Trains.com home page (www.trains.com) and click the Glossary link in the left column (about half the way down the page).

Good luck with your project. If you need any additional help, feel free to e-mail me.

Erik

[Bergie]

Hi Giff,

Go to the Trains.com home page (www.trains.com) and click the Glossary link in the left column (about half the way down the page).

Good luck with your project. If you need any additional help, feel free to e-mail me.

Erik

[JoeKoh]

Giff
Yes young kids can be interested in trains but also remember to include that Train tracks and yards are not playgrounds.Matt and I will be looking for your tape soon.
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

Giff
Yes young kids can be interested in trains but also remember to include that Train tracks and yards are not playgrounds.Matt and I will be looking for your tape soon.
stay safe
joe

[Wdlgln005]

Hello Gif and welcome to the forum

For your target market, why not try to take a page out of the Mr Rodgers TV show.
Try to show taking a trip on a train! Show going to the station & buy a ticket. Get onboard, find a seat, and have the conductor take your ticket. Try to include all the people responsible for moving the train. Some commuter systems allow kids to ride with their parents free.

Think of all the places trains can go, and take the chidren too. Some go for a short distance, like the local bus. Others go downtown for work, shopping, for play (go to sporting events) museums, libraries, zoo's and other places children like to go. In remote areas, some children still go to school by train (last time I was in British Columbia on BC rail)

Many children live near railroad tracks. They need to learn to stay away from them & be safe. No throwing of rocks or other stuff. Introduce grade crossing safety. Perhaps a child can help their parent STOP, LOOK & LISTEN for the train. When the gate comes down & the bells are ringing, STOP & WAIT for the train to go by. When the gate goes back up, WALK ACROSS the track, not on it, and they will be safe! The railroad that you took your little trip on has an Operation Lifesaver group. We need children to learn to be safe & live!

Good luck on your project. Come back here & let us know how it goes!

[Wdlgln005]

Hello Gif and welcome to the forum

For your target market, why not try to take a page out of the Mr Rodgers TV show.
Try to show taking a trip on a train! Show going to the station & buy a ticket. Get onboard, find a seat, and have the conductor take your ticket. Try to include all the people responsible for moving the train. Some commuter systems allow kids to ride with their parents free.

Think of all the places trains can go, and take the chidren too. Some go for a short distance, like the local bus. Others go downtown for work, shopping, for play (go to sporting events) museums, libraries, zoo's and other places children like to go. In remote areas, some children still go to school by train (last time I was in British Columbia on BC rail)

Many children live near railroad tracks. They need to learn to stay away from them & be safe. No throwing of rocks or other stuff. Introduce grade crossing safety. Perhaps a child can help their parent STOP, LOOK & LISTEN for the train. When the gate comes down & the bells are ringing, STOP & WAIT for the train to go by. When the gate goes back up, WALK ACROSS the track, not on it, and they will be safe! The railroad that you took your little trip on has an Operation Lifesaver group. We need children to learn to be safe & live!

Good luck on your project. Come back here & let us know how it goes!

[Anonymous]

Glenn, Excellent Advice! Thank you so much! Any other ideas??? We will most definitely include a good number of your suggestions....

And we are trying to include a section on Safety. Any other thougts than the crossing gates?

[Anonymous]

Glenn, Excellent Advice! Thank you so much! Any other ideas??? We will most definitely include a good number of your suggestions....

And we are trying to include a section on Safety. Any other thougts than the crossing gates?

[Anonymous]

There have been a lot of good suggestions for your video. I have a couple more that might be good. Why not include some information about how trains deliver the goods that people use everyday? You could say how important the railroads are in making sure we get the things we need. The food children eat, the cars their parents drive and the toys they play with all probably at some point were hauled on a train.

Another good idea would be to include a section with a steam train. I don't live anywhere near Atlanta, so I'm not sure exactly where there would be an operating steam locomotive in the area, but there definetly should be one somewhere. Kids especially like steam trains. There's the smoke, the sound and the visual aspect as well of seeing all the big wheels and connecting rods moving together. It would be good to mention how inportant the steam locomotive was in the very early days of the railroad. Before the railroad, in the days of the pioneers, to travel across the country would be a very long and difficult journey. The railroad changed the all of that. There are plenty of good sources of information on steam locomotives and the early railroads and it shoudn't at all be hard to find information that you'd need.

Also, what about toy and model trains? Many children have train sets and it's a hobby that's loved by people of all ages. There are many model railroad clubs out there and definetly should be one in your area. You could talk about the miniature worlds that people with with towns, mountains, etc. all with trains running through them.

The best of luck to you in producing this video. I'm sure it will be a success. Kids love trains. I'm looking forward to hearing how it works out.

Mitchell

[Anonymous]

There have been a lot of good suggestions for your video. I have a couple more that might be good. Why not include some information about how trains deliver the goods that people use everyday? You could say how important the railroads are in making sure we get the things we need. The food children eat, the cars their parents drive and the toys they play with all probably at some point were hauled on a train.

Another good idea would be to include a section with a steam train. I don't live anywhere near Atlanta, so I'm not sure exactly where there would be an operating steam locomotive in the area, but there definetly should be one somewhere. Kids especially like steam trains. There's the smoke, the sound and the visual aspect as well of seeing all the big wheels and connecting rods moving together. It would be good to mention how inportant the steam locomotive was in the very early days of the railroad. Before the railroad, in the days of the pioneers, to travel across the country would be a very long and difficult journey. The railroad changed the all of that. There are plenty of good sources of information on steam locomotives and the early railroads and it shoudn't at all be hard to find information that you'd need.

Also, what about toy and model trains? Many children have train sets and it's a hobby that's loved by people of all ages. There are many model railroad clubs out there and definetly should be one in your area. You could talk about the miniature worlds that people with with towns, mountains, etc. all with trains running through them.

The best of luck to you in producing this video. I'm sure it will be a success. Kids love trains. I'm looking forward to hearing how it works out.

Mitchell

[Wdlgln005]

Is it true that you are based near Atlanta? I'd suggest making a trip to Chattanooga TN home to the National Model Railroad Association. Nearby, I have listed two other places you could contact. Have fun with your video!

Tennessee Valley Railroad

4119 Cromwell Rd
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: [phone]

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

1400 Market St
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Email Address: [e-mail]

Web Site: www.choochoo.com

[Wdlgln005]

Is it true that you are based near Atlanta? I'd suggest making a trip to Chattanooga TN home to the National Model Railroad Association. Nearby, I have listed two other places you could contact. Have fun with your video!

Tennessee Valley Railroad

4119 Cromwell Rd
Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: [phone]

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

1400 Market St
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Email Address: [e-mail]

Web Site: www.choochoo.com

[Kathi Kube]

Giff,

Please contact me off-line.

Thanks!
Kathi Kube,
Associate Editor, TRAINS
[e-mail]

[Kathi Kube]

Giff,

Please contact me off-line.

Thanks!
Kathi Kube,
Associate Editor, TRAINS
[e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Once again, thank you for all this wonderful advice! Keep the advice coming, we are writing down all of the suggestions! Yes, we already have 2 steam engines and are working on a third. For anyone out there that has young boys and girls under 8, ask them what they would want to know about trains. This has been a wonderful way to find out what to teach in the video.

Thanks so much again....we are definitely listening!

Start Smarter Videos

[Anonymous]

Once again, thank you for all this wonderful advice! Keep the advice coming, we are writing down all of the suggestions! Yes, we already have 2 steam engines and are working on a third. For anyone out there that has young boys and girls under 8, ask them what they would want to know about trains. This has been a wonderful way to find out what to teach in the video.

Thanks so much again....we are definitely listening!

Start Smarter Videos

[JoeKoh]

when matt sees a train live or on tv he says whoo whoo.He says whoa daddy or mommy whenever we approach a rail crossing if hes not asleep in his carseat.
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

when matt sees a train live or on tv he says whoo whoo.He says whoa daddy or mommy whenever we approach a rail crossing if hes not asleep in his carseat.
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of this wonderful information. Here is what we have gathered from this board:

We will include a safety section. This safety section will include Stop/Look/Listen/Live.
We will try to include a section on buying tickets and getting on board and having the ticket taken.
We will go over the Engineer, Fireman, Brakeman, and Conductor.
We will discuss different types of trains for different routes.
We will discuss the different types of cars and what each car transports.
We wil have many steam trains.
We have contacted the Tennessee Valley Railroad and will be filming there on 8/11/03.
We will look into having model trains in the video.
I will see if we can't have children in the video making the "Whoo Whoo" sounds....

Please let me know if anyone has any other thoughts.

Start Smarter Videos

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of this wonderful information. Here is what we have gathered from this board:

We will include a safety section. This safety section will include Stop/Look/Listen/Live.
We will try to include a section on buying tickets and getting on board and having the ticket taken.
We will go over the Engineer, Fireman, Brakeman, and Conductor.
We will discuss different types of trains for different routes.
We will discuss the different types of cars and what each car transports.
We wil have many steam trains.
We have contacted the Tennessee Valley Railroad and will be filming there on 8/11/03.
We will look into having model trains in the video.
I will see if we can't have children in the video making the "Whoo Whoo" sounds....

Please let me know if anyone has any other thoughts.

Start Smarter Videos