Buying your first model train set

A buyer’s guide for selecting the right train set.

Train sets should be fun, no matter what your age. We hope your first train set will provide countless hours of enjoyment and even spark your interest in model railroading as a lifelong hobby.

A typical train set includes a locomotive, three to five freight or passenger cars, enough track to make a circle or an oval, a transformer (more appropriately called a power pack), and a set of wires that go between the power pack and the track. One of the track pieces is usually a “rerailer” section that helps you put the cars and the locomotive onto the rails more easily.

A more elaborate train set might include a track switch (called a turnout) and accessories such as telephone poles, a tunnel, a bridge, small structures, and even trees.

To get the right set for your needs, it’s important to be an informed consumer. Here are some tips to make your train-set buying and “playing” experience more enjoyable.

Age/Scale Recommendations
Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow if you’re buying the train set for a youngster: the younger the child, the larger the scale should be. (See the glossary below for the definition of “scale” and other key terms.)

Children 8 years and older will generally do fine with an HO scale (1:87 proportion, 1⁄87th of actual size) train set. Children younger than 8 might find the smaller equipment harder to handle, so larger equipment, like that found in S, O, and large scale train sets, will be more fun for them.

If the train set is for an adult or the entire family, any scale from Z through large can be considered. The smaller scales – Z, N, and HO – are especially good for people living where space is at a premium.

Glossary

• Couplers: The knuckle-shaped devices at the ends of locomotives and cars. The “horn-hook” style was developed several decades ago by the National Model Railroad Association to encourage mass-produced HO scale equipment. The “Rapido-style” coupler is the de facto standard for N scale. In recent years, however, more manufacturers have been offering their stock equipment with more-prototypical looking “knuckle”-style couplers, such as those first made popular by Kadee.
• Drivers: The large wheels on a steam locomotive connected by side rods.
• Flywheel: A turned, solid-metal cylinder mounted in line with a model locomotive’s motor that smooths out the motor’s rotating motion to the drive train.
• Rail joiner: A small metal clip that joins two sections of rail together.
• Rerailer: Section of track that guides wheels onto the rails.
• Scale: The proportion of a model in relation to its real-life counterpart. HO (“aitch-oh”) scale is the most popular model railroading scale, with a proportion of 1:87, or 1⁄87th of actual size. The second-most popular scale is N (1:160). Large scale can range from 1:32 to 1:20.3, with 1:22.5 the most popular. All large scale trains use the same track gauge. Other common scales in North America are O (1:48), S (1:64), and Z (1:220).
• Tender: The car immediately behind a steam locomotive that carries fuel for the firebox and water for the boiler.
• Throttle: The speed control of the locomotive; in the model world, a potentiometer controlling a voltage regulator.
• Truck: The frame assembly under each end of a car or diesel locomotive that holds the wheelsets.
• Wheelset: The wheel-axle assembly that fits into the truck. Most trucks have two or three wheelsets, depending on the type of car.

Locomotive
The locomotive is the heart of any train set.
The key features to look for in a model locomotive are:

• Diesel locomotives should have all-wheel electrical pickup and at least eight-wheel drive.
• Steam locomotives should pick up electricity from the drivers and the tender wheels.
• Flywheels are good to have as part of the drive mechanism on a diesel locomotive. Flywheels help the locomotive operate more smoothly and negotiate dirty track better.
• Avoid traction tires. These little rings of rubber around some locomotive drivers and wheels are intended to overcome poor adhesion. However, the cure is almost always worse than the disease. Traction tires contribute to an irritating wobbling and also can’t pick up electricity.
• While they may be appealing, inexpensive steam locomotives generally won’t run as well as inexpensive diesels.
  

A good-quality model diesel locomotive will pick up electrical power from all eight or 12 wheels and will be geared on all wheelsets, or “trucks,” for the best pulling power. Avoid traction tires as these contribute little to performance.

If you’re purchasing a train set with a steam locomotive, make sure the locomotive picks up power from as many wheels and drivers as possible. Preferably, the tender should assist in power pickup, as this locomotive’s does.



Cars
Most likely the cars in your train set won’t be the highly detailed kind you see on layouts in Model Railroader. These would make the train set’s price tag considerably higher. But you certainly can add these kinds of cars later. Easy-to-build kits and ready-to-run cars from Accurail, Athearn, Atlas, Life-Like, Micro-Trains, Model Die Casting, Walthers, and other manufacturers can be found at a well-stocked hobby shop.

You might consider swapping out the stock “horn-hook” couplers for more realistic and better-operating knuckle couplers. The hobby shop can show you some inexpensive replacements and how to easily install them.

Most HO train set cars come with truck-mounted “horn-hook” couplers, like the one on the top car. The bottom car has body-mounted knuckle couplers, which are more realistic and reliable.

Most N scale train set cars come with truck-mounted “Rapido-style” couplers (as shown on the top car). Replacement truck sets are available that have more realistic and reliable knuckle couplers (bottom car).

Track
Many train set manufacturers today include track pieces for HO or N scale sets (the two most popular model railroading scales) with built-in, cast-plastic roadbed; they are easy to assemble. Using track with plastic roadbed helps keep the track sections together and takes the place of having to lay cork under the track. Well-known brands are Atlas True-Track, Bachmann E-Z Track, Kato Unitrack, and Life-Like Power-Loc.

Track won’t stay clean forever, so to keep trains operating smoothly make sure you read any cleaning instructions included with your set.

Look for a train set that has a built-in, cast-plastic roadbed system with nickel-silver rail for ease of assembly and reliability.

If you're really into trains, then the Rochelle live webcam is for you! You can simply sign up for free at Trains.com to access the cam. This is one of the few double crossings in the US where there can be over 100 trains within a 24 hour period that bang across these tracks. You can actually watch them live.....

Other Hobby Sites / Links

Cash2Burn Directory / Link Exchange - Click here and ad yours

All your train and railroading supplies