# Good G train for the kids?



## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I've got some nice DCC G-scale trains, but when the kids come over I don't really want them messing with them. However, I do want them to have some fun with a train that if they break is no big deal.

Got some recommendations? Battery operated, remote control, and run on my existing 45mm track would be requirements.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

I think the LGB "Toy Train" line might meet this objective, though they are really toy-like in appearance. 

Is inexpensive or rugged more important criteria?


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## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Lil' Bachmann I think is designed for kids....


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## TOM_1/20.3 (Mar 28, 2013)

Most kids are into Thomas Tank engine if they like trains.
Check eBay.
You will have to install a decoder (kids would appreciate a sound engine). 
TOM


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Playmobil make a nice battery 2.4 GHz R/C diesel freight set. Sound, lights and high play value.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll second Tom's suggestion regarding a Bachmann Thomas set. There is a lot of room in Thomas for RC. A member here, Chama, has added battery and RC to Emily and it was a success at our Christmas show. Chuck


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

We have a LGB set with sound, remote, and battery operated.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I think Thomas is the hands-down winner for younger kids (2 to 4, especially), but my experience with a Bachman Thomas set makes me warn about the downside, namely that only four of the six driver wheels are electrical pickups. When my granddaughters vist, I have to Swiffer my entire 500 feet of SS track because it seems that any speck of dirt causes Thomas to lurch. I encourage them to run it FAST, just to keep it from stalling. My DCC is putting out only 16VAC, so Thomas' top speed isn't enough to fly off the tracks and full speed keeps it running. (I'll up the power eventually, when they're a little older. As is, even a two-year old can operate it.) I put a relatively cheap sound card in it - not very accurate sounds, but they're happy with any whistle and chuff.

I'm thinking that a back-up battery might help the lurch problem. Has anyone tried installing a battery in Thomas?

JackM


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Jack 

I will contact Scott L [Chama] and see if he will post details of his battery / RC install for both Thomas and Emily. He ran them on my outdoor layout back at Veterans Day and the Emily at the Colvin Run Holiday train exhibit. The units he used were quite inexpensive [I thought].


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

As I recall, Scott used Del's new RC system.

Chuck


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Bachmann Thomas line, also their Lil' Big Hauler line are great for kids. Keep in mind both of these are straight DC operations, no boards-no nothing, no DCC unless you want to do some serious reworking. Now if you don't want to spend too much and your kids are not sticklers for detail, get them a Scientific Toys/EZtec battery operated toy train set, it has a simple R/C throttle with a battery run loco and will run without disrupting DCC operation on your mainline. 

Thomas: 
http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=255_426 

Lil Big Haulers: 
http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=255_639 

EZtec 
http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Tec-Grande-Radio-Control-Train/dp/B00AW26TBK 

You can find the Lil Hauler and EZtec sets on Ebay, usually for less than retail


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

I got the Thomas set (him, Annie & Clarabel) for a little over a hundred bucks in the clearance area of a hobby store that doesn't carry much train stuff. Spent another $150 or so for a DCC card and sound. I got my money's worth, but the lurching and stalling takes a lot of the fun out of it - if only for me, because I have to "run & shove". It's a shame Bachman didn't wire the center drivers for pick-ups. 

JackM


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Some great suggestions. What about for a little older kids, like 10? Any experience with the Lionel G-scale Polar Express or Hogwarts?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim;

Those Lionel sets are battery with an infrared remote. They would be great if they worked. About two years ago, the LHS I help out at during the holidays had quite a few of their locomotives that had come back for repairs. These were from sets that were only a few months old.

Buyer beware.

Best,
David Meashey


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## VentureForth (Dec 10, 2013)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 13 Jan 2014 04:20 PM 
Playmobil make a nice battery 2.4 GHz R/C diesel freight set. Sound, lights and high play value. Is this G-Scale?


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By VentureForth on 14 Jan 2014 09:44 AM 
Posted By TonyWalsham on 13 Jan 2014 04:20 PM 
Playmobil make a nice battery 2.4 GHz R/C diesel freight set. Sound, lights and high play value. Is this G-Scale? 
Yes, it runs on G track, these are popular with the Euro and Brit garden RRs

http://www.amazon.com/Playmobil-525...B0077QSSTU


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't want to jump the gun, but sometime next week when I get the instructions ready I will be ready to announce a new range of battery R/C kits forThomas & Friends and Li'l Big Hauler locos. 
Like all RCS equipment they will not be super cheap, rather they will be moderately priced and work well. 
In the meantime I have seen the Playmobil sets running. They seem to be good value for money and have great play value. They are very popular in Europe where many enterprising users have kit bashed them into something else.


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## jjwtrainman (Mar 11, 2011)

Jim,

G scale polar Express and Hogwarts sets have been sub par and the reviews aren't that great. The O scale versions are much nicer though. What I personally would recommend is looking at trainworld.com for Bachmann starter sets. The Plainsman, for instance, is for sale for about 219 dollars on that site which is only about 30 bucks more than the Thomas set. Also, for a 10 year old, they start to actually want to run what looks like a real train. 

So below are my recommendations based on what you might be looking for in a set. *none of these use DCC or RC right out of the box, but all can be modified to use those control methods* : 

So if *you're looking for something that looks like a train, runs like a train, and is fairly straight forward*, I'd go with the Plainsman from Bachmann. Bachmann 4-6-0's, to my knowledge, are generally good running engines that aren't loaded with fragile parts. Of course, nicks and dents will occur and smaller pieces will be lost, but the 4-6-0's are widely available and so if something does break, a junker on ebay can be purchased for parts.

*If you want rugged and durable*, LGB can't be beat. My Stainz locomotive, bought in 1996, still runs with no maintenance, although many of the detail parts have been lost. However, ever since LGB was bought out, I don't know if their reputation for durability has been broken or not.

Now if the* kids like diesel locomotives,* or gas mechanical if they know what that is, Bachmann makes two starter sets using their Davenport Locomotive. One is a mining train that has manually operating dump cars and the other is a logging train. The Davenport is durable and has few breakable parts, plus I believe their Davenport has one of the better mechanisms in it. Trainworld has them for less than $190, which is pretty much on par with their Thomas sets.

*If looking for a set that has nothing which can break, don't care about realism that much, and is on the cheap*, Bachmann Lil Haulers are a great recommendation because everything about the sets are simple and fairly durable. This is based on LSOL.com's review of the set on Youtube. I would say that for a 10 year old, this set looks a little too much like a toy and not what they really want to run (the range these sets are looking like are for about 2-7 year old children).

I'm sure you already found this out, but the kids want to play with something that looks big and expensive such as your prized locomotives. So my ultimate recommendation is to get a set that looks big and expensive, but really isn't. And with my experiences with starter sets, Bachmann sets seem to fit that category well. If price isn't a terrible issue, LGB is perhaps the ultimate in starter sets. Both Bachmann and LGB can be fixed either through parts or though a locomotive bought on Ebay for parts.


*Other sets for consideration:*

Playmobil, for all their worth, are quite durable, but to me it doesn't really look like a train, it only rides on rails which happen to be 45mm apart. If I were to kitbash or change a locomotive, Playmobil would be a great candidate. That said, Hartland Locomotive works sells a great Mack Locomotive and a series of mini cars which can be bought and built cheaply. But to a 10 year old, the funky little Mack probably doesn't look like a train. Vsmith, if you've seen his layouts, uses a ton of HLW equipment so apparently the Mack Locomotive is easy to modify and seems to be fairly straight forward for DCC or even RC control. They are also cheap, being about 50 bucks apiece if bought from an online store. But as I said, to a child the Mack doesn't look like a train, there's no side rods, boiler, fire box, tender or cow catcher (unless you modify it to include those) Even to me, if I ever buy a Mack, I'm modifying it to fit a more generic diesel engine rather than the center cab, gasoline powered lightweight prototype.

That is just my two cents worth, their are plenty of options available, but different sets are built for different audiences. Thomas is for toddlers, Lil Haulers seem to be for kindergarten through about 3rd grade, regular Bachmann Sets are great for about 10 and older and LGB is great for all ages (I've seen both two year old's and 80 year old's run LGB trains like experienced operators)

Really, the *most important aspect of a train set is that it is simple to run, runs well, and is either durable or easy to fix (or hopefully both). * That goes for all manufacturers and all train sets. If the set can't meet those requirements, it isn't worth buying... period.

Hope this gave you some ideas. I know I re-posted some sets which have been mentioned already, but these would be my recommendations depending on what you are looking for. 

--James


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Just a footnote about the Mack switcher. I possess a copy of the Mack 1929 locomotive and railcar catalog. (Copied from the original when I worked in the Service Publications Department for Mack Trucks, Inc. in Allentown, PA.) There were prototypes for that locomotive. Most were more lightly built, as the HLW version represents the Mack Plant 5 shop switcher. It had a heavier frame than the production versions, as Mack had a tendency to "prototype kitbash" equipment for internal use.

In the 1920s and 1930s many manufacturing facilities wanted the capability to move cars about their own sidings, but did not want the cost of keeping a steam locomotive up and running 24/7. These little light switchers appealed because: 1. They could be started when needed, 2. They did not need a fireman, 3. Depending on the load, they could be run with one or both engines engaged, and 4. They were relatively low cost on initial investment, fuel, and maintenance.










They do look strange today, but they were right for their times.

Have fun,
David Meashey


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

For young children, pick an engine with no siderods as these rods are a pinch point hence the nmanufacturers stating the trains are not for use by children under 8 years of age. 
The yellow mack above is great for young children as there are no pinch points as there no siderods.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

0-4-0 engines and two axle cars with hook n' loop couplers are a lot easier for kids to get on the rails and hook together. 

Andrew


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## VentureForth (Dec 10, 2013)

OK - I jumped the gun. This thread caught my attention and I found a Lionel remote control loco on eBay for like $40. But it doesn't have a controller. Then I find out that the controller is $30! Ack. Is there any way to run it without the remote? What kind of remote does it use? Radio? I don't think it's IR, as the controller has an antenna (of course, it could just be for looks)... Can ANY other remote work?


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By VentureForth on 16 Jan 2014 03:07 PM 
OK - I jumped the gun. This thread caught my attention and I found a Lionel remote control loco on eBay for like $40. But it doesn't have a controller. Then I find out that the controller is $30! Ack. Is there any way to run it without the remote? What kind of remote does it use? Radio? I don't think it's IR, as the controller has an antenna (of course, it could just be for looks)... Can ANY other remote work? 
No, you must have the controller and the frequencies may even vary set to set, and that was on purpose so kids couldn't turn it on, leave it on , then walk away and run it into the ground. I have this set, a Lionel "Christmas Story" set, it has another quirk I dont like in that in order for the train to stay running, you to be relatively close to the train, get too far away and the RC signal falls off and the train stops. Again this was to avoid kids walking away leaving the train running unattended. 

I want to get rid of the set, I dont use it, contact me PM or email if interested, will let it go for very very very reasonable price.


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## VentureForth (Dec 10, 2013)

I'll let the op take dibs.... but maybe....


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Anybody have any experience with the NQD? 

 link


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim;

If you use a search engine with the phrase "newqida g scale," you will find several places that have that locomotive new for a better price. I have no idea as to its quality. Andrew may be able to chime in regarding that. I have only seen the equipment on the web, so I don't know anything regarding its durability.

Yours,
David Meashey


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

NewQ loco's have a common problem with battery sets aimed at the entry toy level, they are either going 0-mph or 75-mph.


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## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I had an REA (Aristo) FA-1 when I was growing up in the early 90s. I still have it today, and it still runs! The only parts that seem to break easily are the horns. As a bonus, if it survives kid-duty, you can tear into it in a few years, lower the carbody, weather and detail!


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Dave, I haven't checked one out myself but I probably wouldn't buy one. They look well detailed but a bit junky to me. Probably OK for the price if looked after. 
I bought an old LGB one for a few hundred dollars.
This LEGO dude has a fairly comprehensive test video below. He is a bit rough with it outside and the loco tends to fall apart, the remote seems to have limited range. 
He needs to come to MLS and learn about laying track!
I have a Lil Big Hauler saddle tank on the way though. Could be at the post office now!






Andrew


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, 


When my grandson was here visiting from overseas a few years ago he had a couple of little friends here and I let them run trains. He and his chums were eight years old. I found that they were most comfortable with the 20ft. cars (Aristo) that I had at that time as they were robust and just two axles so easily out on the track. Truck stock aggravated them.










I am not sure about locos but again I suggest something with few wheels such as an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0. Speed was mentioned in a previous post: my experiences were the trains were expected to be flyers and run as fast as possible. I took a little while to get then to lower speed a little. No realistic scale speeds for them.


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## Emperor (Nov 16, 2012)

playmobil is the best for kids, check this out... 






and here is the lates model 5258 in action


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

After watching those vids - especially the 'Pumpkin Junction' one (great layout!) I have this impulse to resume work on my own dormant model railway.... 

...and pick up a bunch of two axle rolling stock.


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## Underdog (Jan 31, 2014)

While not "G" scale (breaking the rules here) the lego trains have a lot of appear to the age group you have in mind. The blocks can be configured into an infinite variety of configurations and the "playability" is hard to exceed. Kids can build their own track layout and then change it. Some of the engines are quite sophisticated and take hours to assemble, while others are simple. The play can be engaging and over time you can add building sets for other structures. While all lego stuff comes at a hefty price, most of the train sets retain their value on the used market. Prices seem fluctuate wildly at the beginning of the year as old sets are discontinued and collectors start snatching them up. A freight set might run you $140 with track, cars, remote and power system. As the kids gain interest you could add robotics and programming. LEGO TRAIN


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Just wanted to clarify one point about PlayMobil. The track powered trains shown in some of the videos above are no longer available as new items, although you may be able to acquire them used. PlayMobil currently offers only battery powered trains. Also, keep in mind that PlayMobil can be modified into items we can use with our own trains, as shown in the photos below:




























Have fun,
David Meashey


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## Emperor (Nov 16, 2012)

Another thing about of the playmobil trains is that the wagons and some parts are compatible with most of the LGB trains, the original playmobil train tracks are made of brass and they are compatible with the LGB tracks and USA Trains tracks, after all, playmobil outsourced the engines, tracks and couplers pieces to LGB for a long time...


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## moxin (Jan 2, 2017)

Lego Train Sets have huge train layout, they move at an amazing speed compared to the amount of power supplied. Lego train sets have strong plastic material that seems durable and smooth on the edges . Unlike before you, the bricks supplied are now more increased and pretty much can be built from them and hence enabling the kid to construct a much longer train. I find the Brushes, lights and wagons much more of use because now we can use them to carry more load. You can check it out by following this link:


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## moxin (Jan 2, 2017)

Lego Train Sets have huge train layout, they move at an amazing speed compared to the amount of power supplied. Lego train sets have strong plastic material that seems durable and smooth on the edges . Unlike before you, the bricks supplied are now more increased and pretty much can be built from them and hence enabling the kid to construct a much longer train. I find the Brushes, lights and wagons much more of use because now we can use them to carry more load. You can check it out by following this link:http://www.jpost.com/PromoContent/10-Best-Lego-Train-Sets-Of-All-Time-442613


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I still have a new Playmobil diesel set unused in the original box.
It came with LGB R1 curves!!

I also have a steam set I converted to DCC with sound, runs great.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Lego trains won't run on G gauge track. This thread is three years old BTW.


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