Chat Room For Younger Modelers

[Anonymous]

Oh and the Thomas/Brio track is the same width as as O gauge. Funny. I wonder what the odds are.

[danrunner]

MTL,

Love the photos.

Green and mechanial on tracks is always a good thing.

Thanks for the feedback on the kiddie trains. I think Alexandra has a Thomas/Geotrax/kiddie train in her future.

MTH's new catalog was to be released this last weekend on the web. I checked back several times, but it wasn't ready. I want to see what the have. You know what set I really want? The General. For those that don't know, it's a Civil War era (roughly) train that is a Lionel classic.

Anyone want to make a wish for a favorite to be reproduced in a future catalog by the maker of your choice?

The general's mine.

Have a great day!

Dan

[Anonymous]

I was born in 1975. So being one year old at the time so I can remember no Bicentenial paint jobs. I was too busy concentrating on learning to walk.

[ModelTrainLover]

Here are some photos for you guys to talk about for a while

[ModelTrainLover]

I now have the power to post my layout photos on hrer I hope you like them![8D][^][^][:D]

[ModelTrainLover]

Have you read one of my post above you would have known why the headlight is not working.

[ModelTrainLover]

Have you read one of my post above you would have known why the headlight is not working.

[Anonymous]

I can count one part on my kid's Thomas trains. They seem to mostly be a wooden engine body with plastic wheels and metal axels. The wheels do not come off.

[Anonymous]

I can count one part on my kid's Thomas trains. They seem to mostly be a wooden engine body with plastic wheels and metal axels. The wheels do not come off.

[Anonymous]

you might want to just replace the headlight bulb. ive had issues before, both in trains and other stuff that an unrelated malfunction can cause a light bulb to break or burn out.

[ModelTrainLover]

Hey you guys you know when I posted that Help Me thing on here about my broken train right?? Well I got the moter back in but the head light does not work But it runs like I first got it. And the Thomas Trains Are rated not for 0-3 because of some small parts.

P.S. Danrunner Idon't mean to be rude but we are finaly hearing some thing from you!!![^][^][^][^][^][:D][:D][bow][tup]

[Anonymous]

My son is 17 months old. He has some Thomas engines and loves them. I lucked out and found a Thomas dealer display in the dumpster behind a toy store for him. The good thing about it is that everything is glued or tacked down. He has a hard time with separate track parts and loves to climb into the layout and over the tracks. So the glued down part is great for him. In a few years I am sure separate parts will be more fun but for now it is great to sertup in seconds and get going.

I think officially the toys have a "not for 0-3 years" disclaimer. So does almost everything.

[ModelTrainLover]

Danrunner, I still have my Thomas The Tank Engien Wood train set.. They are great!! I've mine from when I was 4.. And the platice battery powered ones are great but the ones that have smoke are some what loud because the clicking the that engien makes is the smoke thing making smoke..

[danrunner]

HAS ANYONE PIDDLED AROUND WITH THE WOODEN OR PLASTIC TRAIN SETS?

My daughter loves trains but is only two (not quite). Those wooden train layouts look interesting. So do those Lego or Geotrax sets.

Anyone have any experience with them or any advice?

Dan

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Demon09

hey, i havent been on the forum in a while..... computer problems, research papers, and meetings to go to have kept me away from my layout for about a month too......

I just wanted to see if anyone here has the polar express? i won a new p.e. set on ebay and im anxiously awaiting its arrival, so i wanted to see what everyone here has thought about it........

I have the PE set, I bought it around early February. I personally think its a nice set, and I like the engine. It's a pretty basic set for O-27 by the look of the passenger cars and everything.

The only thing I don't like about the set is the crappy CW-80 transformer that was included. After reading about the numerous problems this thing has had, it has made me look into getting a better transformer (I plan to work on getting the Z-4000, a pure-wave transformer). Other than that I think its a good set, and uses an air whistle in the tender.

I only ran it on some test track to see how it ran and it ran pretty well. Course my PE engine will also be pulling freight cars too, so it wont be limited to just passenger service. For the time being I boxed everything back up and will be putting it back into service soon. Since I don't have a layout right now and getting into a different track system (plan to go either with Atlas or Gargraves track/Ross switch combination) it may take awhile before I have a functional layout to run my stuff on a regular basis. I'll run my PE set anytime of the year, not just the holidays. I don't put up Xmas trees so I may have a layout that can run anywhere.

Can't go wrong with PE either way. [:)]

[ModelTrainLover]

hey I'm doing a community service project for school and I'm doing it at the local YWCA here in Lewiston, Maine. It's with preschool students. and tomarrow I'm going to bring my model train.. Is it a good Idea to do it???

[ModelTrainLover]

I don't know I've checked all over and no maker. It's a New York Centrail # 5689 It's eather a GP7, GP9, RS-11, One of those 3 .. The paint on it was redone by the Vise President of the club I belong to.

[Anonymous]

A model number would help. Who made this engine?

[ModelTrainLover]

Ok Right now for me this a big must have info time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of my engiens is broken.. Not GOOD!! I was going to fix a loose coupler when it slipped out of my hands. the moter detatched from the spot were the weels and moter attach. it's on of those engiens were the moter turns alls of the weels. and the platice that keeps the moter on the frame broke and one of the wires to the light bulb came off. It's totaly mesed up!!! please tell me how fix it.. The engien is my first one that I got last summer.
and I don't have a soddering tool..

[Anonymous]

The Polar Ex. set seems a good deal for the money. The cars look very nice and the figures seem a fun idea for kids. I pointed the set ot to a man arod X-mas at the store who asked me what he should look at for his kid. I pointed out the engine and compared the price to the Lionel Pennsy version of the same engine in the case. The single engine was only $60 less than the set and had no cars, transformer, track etc. I thought about getting a set for the parts and to repaint but the engine is a bit newer than the era I am trying to model.

People have been raving about it on the forums so it seems like a good buy if it suites you.

As far as starter sets I really like the lionel Docksider engine. I got the Santa fe version on first release. The whistle is a little funny but the engine is scale and looks very detailed and heavy. I got the Copper Range set and really like it.

The new Cascade set with the docksider, three operating log dump cars, and caboose with track etc. seems like the neatest current set out there. There is even an add on car pack with crane, bunk car and depressed center flat car WITH working hand pump car with the newer painted figures. The pump car alone is worth $60+.

The add on frieght car sets offered the last two years for the non Thomas and Xmas sets have had three cars, some Fastrack and a bunch of acessories for about a $100. One of the cars is always an operating car which alone normally sell for $40 -$60. The other cars for $20-$30 each plus the extras. I don't think I am the only one who has noticed the value in these, I have even noticed some dealers breaking the sets to sell individual cars because they can make more $. A big part of the reason these seem like a great deal and each year they have switched cars. So the 2005 set is different than the 2006 one. The passenger add-ons seem to be the same. If I were starting out again I would get these sets. It is a great and inxpensive way to build a nice collection.

[Demon09]

QUOTE: i'm not sure if i'd run it on the layout too much

Thats kind of what i figured with mine.... id make the separate layout under the tree partly because with my regular layout, i miss the feeling of taking out the big train box every christmas and setting it all up on the floor..... or setting it up any time of year for that matter....

[Anonymous]

i was thinking about getting one to run under the tree, every year i usualy run a post war set for a more"traditional" feeling. i'm sure i'd get it eventualy but i'm not sure if i'd run it on the layout too much

[Demon09]

hey, i havent been on the forum in a while..... computer problems, research papers, and meetings to go to have kept me away from my layout for about a month too......

I just wanted to see if anyone here has the polar express? i won a new p.e. set on ebay and im anxiously awaiting its arrival, so i wanted to see what everyone here has thought about it........

[danrunner]

DCC= Digital Command (&) Control. It's when you go from just using a throttle pack/transformer to run a train set to Using a computer-like device to control many aspects of a train and the layout. Think of pressing the whistle of horn button on a train (actually on the transformer in O gauge) to setting all kinds of special sounds at start-up the rail crew talking, announcements at the station by the conductor, getting your train to release it''s couplers by command instead of over an uncoupling section of track. That's some of what DCC can do. There is a lot more and each gauge has its own stuff.

MRC and Digitrax seem big in HO (and yes there are many others)

In O, MTH and Lionel both have their own DCC systems. Check their catalogs for details. The catalog's descriptions of their products explain what they do.

I'm fascinated by the technology, but it's not needed up front to enjoy model railroading, and many traditionalists want nothing to do with it.

lionel's was created, in part, by Neil Youg--a cool musician and a technical genius.

As you progress in the hobby, you'll know this stuff well and you'll know what you want/ need and what you don't. Do your homework--it's expensive.

Dan

As far as couplers go, be careful of what gauge they are and that they are compatible with what you already have. I have O, so I'm not familiar with mchenry, maybe they make O couplers, but I stick with Lionel, MTH, and Weaver.

[ModelTrainLover]

DCC I think stands for Direct Current Controll I'm not sure. Try posting your Q on the model rr forum

[Anonymous]

re entring model trains and have many questions. I have always had dc, I would like to have a general inform of what dcc is and what it is for and what it does? Thank you for any reply.

[ModelTrainLover]

Ok then!!!! Has any one tried the McHenry HO Couplers?? If you have tell me if they are with getting them, I plan on buying some..

[danrunner]

Modeltrainlover:

I'm glad to see this forum take on a life of its own. I was more hands-on in the beginning, but i don't want it to be my forum or even need me. This is a place for all younger modelers to talk to each other, not just me.

We're glad to have you on board. You are very mature for a middle schooler, but as I've taught middle school for many years, I know there are many great middle schoolers doing interesting things.

Right now I only have my Copper Range set running and all of my other train stuff is packed because my family will be moving in a few months, and I am doing a lot of the packing myself. I left myself a generous loop that covers the 8x8 table I had the whole layout on which is still up and running.

Now, let's talk trains and bring up issues that affect us younger modelers.

Dan

[ModelTrainLover]

Hey danrunner, WE haven't heard a peep from you What's Up????
And I am Middle School Student 7th grade.

[ModelTrainLover]

RR Redneck,

Were do you plan on starting a club???[bow][alien]