Actually "playing" with trains (future of model railways)

[rue_d_etropal]

Playmobile used to have doors that opened , and it integrated with various toy figures(articulated) . LGB actually maded some of it, but then they switched to a sort of radio control.Original system was more popular with railwaymodellers, but rc version might suit those with visiting grand children  for garden lines.

It does not surprise me about the Thomas stuff. The marketing folk just think that a blue engine with a face is enough.

All toys are going to be eventually put to one side.

Simple building toys such as Lego probably last longer, but you need a lot to build a railway. Combining Lego with model trains would get best of both worlds.

I think I have mentioned it elsewhere, but best scale(?)  would be 1/32 using 16.5mm gauge, as the most common size for toy figures, soldiers farms etc is 1/32 or 54mm . maybe if Fleischmann had gone for that scale, not O scale for their Magic Train thenit would have done better. In fact a few years before, Marklin had proposed a 1/32 scale narrow gauge system but it did not go ahead.

[tamperman36]

You can get a kit for Ivor the Engine, have seen it somewhere recently however these days children have no idea what it is. The PLaymobil trains would be great for play value apart from the cost to extend the basic trainset and add more rolling stock, besides which the sheer size is prohibitive as modern houses tend to have smaller footprints than in the past, the best place for these trains is outside..

[PaulRhB]

Pete Harvey does the brass Ivor kit.

 

There isn't one answer to this

Some kids will come in through play value sets, some from riding trains and some because they just like the look of the models. Variety is the answer not one solution.

 

As mentioned above there are adults obsessed with trains but not interested in models and vice versa.

All the suggestions are valid and it's good to see kids adding in other toys to create a miniature world. Lego is good but the obsession with sets that do too much for you and many kids don't think of modifying or building from scratch because there aren't the big 'bits sets' in the majority of outlets now. You have to go to Lego or some of their stores for much in the way of random pieces. One or two bits bundles in the main range and pushed in shops might help there. The same kids when given a heap of random Lego just get on and build stuff as they don't feel constrained by the finished article, creativity is natural.

Same with models it's availability and fear of techniques that stops many from trying scratch builds. That's where clubs can even beat forums

[Nearholmer]

"Playmobile used to have doors that opened , and it integrated with various toy figures(articulated)"

 

They still do. No longer made by LGB, but of similar quality and fully compatible with LGB, and using very, very good radio control.

 

The basic train set costs less than £100 for a loco, wagon with three containers, circuit of track, and two or three figures, and is astonishingly good value. (Google "Playmobil 5258"). The RC kit would cost more than the price of the whole set, if bought separately. As a "floor toy" it isn't so big that it can't be used indoors, and it is great fun on the lawn. Extra wagons/coaches can be had from ebay, secondhand, for pretty reasonable prices.

 

Photo shows daughter playing with old (1980s) Playmobil, which was handed down to us by friends when their children grew up. It is still "good as new" after a great deal of use.

 

Kevin

 

(Playmobil must owe me, because I'm forever promoting their train sets for free!)

[Pacific231G]

Though I can't remember which society it was - possibly High Wycombe- I was impressed by a layout at their exhibition aimed at youngsters (and adults as well) that consisted of an O gauge shunting layout. Being in O the rolling stock was not fiddly to work with and the loco rarely stalled. A simple shunting challenge provided ten minutes of interesting experience without becoming frustrating as say an Inglenook might. I wonder whether a basic proprietary BLT might with suitable supervision and encouragement provide a better initial experience than the more typical "childrens'" layout where all they can do is to run trains round and round and start and stop them. 

 

I think I was lucky in that my own first "train set" - when I was four or five- was actually a Horby Dublo (three rail) layout already mounted on a board with a reverse loop and a couple of sidings. The points and a signal were operated  wire in tube from a small lever frame and, as my grandfather was a signalman I loved that. Mum had bought it second hand from another teacher and it provided far more interest than laying out an oval of track on the table and running a train round and round could ever have done. The train was the Dutchess of Atholl with a couple of coaches plus two or three wagons so I'd guess that it had been developed from a basic train set. Many years later Mum admitted that she often had a play with it while vacuuming my room. 

[Satan's Goldfish]

LGB assisting in Playmobile has already been mentioned above, but moving on to more realistic items there are plenty of LGB options with play value too. Doors open, people can be added, wagons tip, etc. But also LGB did/do a good range of circus train parts with performers, animals, removable cages, etc. So as the little'un out grew playmobile you've already got parts in place move onto a slightly more grown up railway but still with play value. LGB is quite robust for children too, a smaller scale layout is going to have lots of fragile parts and broken toy is never as fun as good condition toy! A larger scale layout is easier to make interact with children. When my young nephews (6 and 2 at last count) come to visit i have no issues with breaking out a figure 8 of LGB for them to poke and play with and they love it (underscale cows in an open wagon, what's not to love?!), same interaction can't be said for OO stuff which they can't interact with because of it's relative fragility and easiness to derail with just a slight touch. Somebody mentioned earlier in the thread the joy of the big big train set up at an exhibition, it's a size children can relate to as toy like and providing constant movement is always good. A set up like that (or LGB) will always be a winner for the movement factor, but can also be made to incorporate a simple shunting/operating option for the younger ones to feel involved with, plus possibility of them also being able load/unload vehicles in a train between shunt moves. The down side as ever though is cost, and then the battle between high price realism or cheap toy like quality starts, pretty sure we've seen that in model price arguments grumbles before.

 

(crazy idea, build to a 'toy' standard to keep price down but then also provide to purchase a seperate model detailing packs to add to those 'toys' so those that want realism can do some modelling to improve it..... (but then that'll upset those that just want to open a box and have everything done for them (even so, a big LGB carriage will only have a hook fitted at 1 end, if you want hooks at both ends you fit the second one yourself, doesn't take that long, adding brake hoses and hand rails to that list wouldn't add much time but leave you with that warm satisfied feeling that you've achieved something rather than just opening a box and plonking on rails. All steps you don't actually need to do to run the item in the first place)))

[jjb1970]

Some of the German manufacturers seem much more willing to develop products aimed at the toy market (as opposed to lower spec, basic model trains). My children had one of those Tomy Thomas trackmaster battery powered plastic trainsets and really liked it.

[Jongudmund]

A few people have mentioned Lego. I've been getting quite into Lego in the last couple of years and have a blog about my Lego train efforts (see my signature below).

 

On the one hand Lego will always look like Lego and rather toy-like if you use the mini-figures, but I have seen some amazing stuff done with it at exhibitions that's far more life-like.

[Hesperus]

I grew up with a clockwork Thomas set and the thing that got me into modelling was acquiring a second clockwork Thomas for 10p.  Obviously 2 looked silly so the face was sanded off and black Humbrol applied librally followed by NCB from Letraset.  What I think I mean is that the act of doing some modelling was the lure into the hobby rather than any gimmicks that were provided in the set.

 

If I had started with an expensive passenger train that needed to be looked after carefully would I still be playing with trains?

[plarailfan]

I just bought one of the "Flying Scotsman" locomotives, recently released by Fisher Price.

These cost around £20 (new) and run on batteries. Many of the older models in the range turn up on ebay for just a few £ pounds https://www.flickr.com/photos/41294071@N02/28848139940/in/dateposted-public/.

They are a good starting point for youngsters and great for adults who enjoy a quick build layout in the garden during the summer  

[Glorious NSE]

A few people have mentioned Lego. I've been getting quite into Lego in the last couple of years and have a blog about my Lego train efforts (see my signature below).

 

On the one hand Lego will always look like Lego and rather toy-like if you use the mini-figures, but I have seen some amazing stuff done with it at exhibitions that's far more life-like.

And for younger kids, there are Duplo trains too, if you buy via the EBay s/h market that includes options for battery/push along/generic/Thomas, extra track (incl diamonds, points, bridges, tunnels) and accessories like cranes. Combine with other Duplo for more play value...

[ben racey]

For my three year old, the marklin my world is ideal. Ho scale, infra red control with 3 speed settings, and four sounds at a very reasonable price is fantastic! She's now got a couple of DB 218's a regio, ic and A schlafwagen. It's ideal and robust, and even though she'll watch and run my stuff it's the marklin that's robust enough to withstand the full on test that a 3 yr old can provide. Recommended.

 

Cheers for now.

 

Richard

[Glorious NSE]

And for younger kids, there are Duplo trains too, if you buy via the EBay s/h market that includes options for battery/push along/generic/Thomas, extra track (incl diamonds, points, bridges, tunnels) and accessories like cranes. Combine with other Duplo for more play value...

 

A little tip - if you're after some of this but put off by the price, search for "Kidoloop train" on Ebay, it's a Chinese 'knock off' version, not too far off in quality (in fact most pieces I can hardly tell the difference) but you can get one of their train sets (battery powered train with sound) for as little as £13.99 (no connection to seller apart from being a happy customer!) - fully compatible with the proper Duplo as well - that generally puts it at being cheaper than second hand duplo trains!

 

There's even a psuedo Thomas....