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Why O-Gauge?
- This is the best size for kids (starting around age 6). HO is too small, and the cars become derailed too easily.
- Many O-gauge trains are built to played with and passed on for generations. Even many starter sets include die-cast steel locomotives and cars with many metal parts.
- It is easy to incrementally upgrade a starter set with even higher-quality cars and locomotives and trackside accessories as the years go by
- What about cost? Although O-gauge equipment initially costs more than HO gauge, it not only lasts longer but holds its value. Used equipment can be resold easily. Rarer pieces sometimes appreciate.
- The best O-gauge locomotives are both finely-crafted machines and true works of art. You might not be able to collect Porsches, but you could collect some of the best toy trains ever produced. You can buy pristine examples of many collectable locomotives for a few hundred dollars.
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Where to Shop?
- Find a local store that specializes in O-gauge model trains. Forget
about toy stores (except as noted below)! The best search engine is http://www.hobbyretailer.com/ . If you are in the Seattle area head straight to East Side Trains in Kirkland. A big advantage of buying locally is that the dealer will repair or replace defective merchandise under warranty - and due to the many mechanical and electronic parts in O-gauge trains, defects are unfortunately not rare. If you save $10 by buying mail-order and then spend $20 mailing a defective piece back, your savings is negative!
- Although there are many train dealers online, few have lower prices than
you find locally. An online store with good service and good prices is trainz.com. The store WholesaleTrains.com (also known as Lantz Hobbies) has a very large selection and low prices, but their shipping charges are unpredictable (you have to telephone to learn what the shipping charges will be for your order) as is how well the merchandise is packed (they often reuse old boxes taped together for shipping).
- Avoid Ebay and flea markets until you have some experience: the prices can be higher than from a reputable dealer. If a deal sounds too good to be true (e.g., "50%
off!") it certainly is. Quality O-gauge trains are a low-volume
business; enormous discounts below list prices simply do not exist (but see the information below about starter sets during the 2009 Christmas season).
- Model train shows are a great place to see operating layouts and new and used merchandise from a large number of dealers. There probably is a show near you at least once a year. Many traveling shows are organized by Greenberg Shows. The Train Collectors Association (TCA) organizes a huge show twice a year in York, Pennsylvania. (To attend York, you need to be with a TCA member or join TCA yourself, which requires being sponsored by a member. You can find members willing to sponsor you on the O-Gauge Forum or by contacting TCA directly.)
- Many hobbyists like to collect antique trains to display or run. Trains produced up to 1942 are called "pre-war", and those from 1945 to 1969 "post-war". (No model trains were manufactured in the USA during its involvement in WWII. The golden age of post-war trains was the 1950's.) Almost all O-gauge trains are electrically compatible - if the motor is in good condition, you can run a train from 1945 on a modern layout. Before you even think of going to a train auction, however, you should educate yourself about models, terminology, and prices by getting the Standard Catalogs of Lionel Trains by David Doyle, volumes 1 (pre-war) and 2 (post-war).
- If you can't attend live auctions in persons, I have had good experience with using LiveAuctioneers to place bids on items before or during auctions. Search on "Lionel" at the site to find upcoming model train auctions. A great feature of online auctions is that you can decide how much in advance the most you want to pay for an item, and then record a "sealed bid" for that amount. At the auction, your bids will be placed for lower amounts up to your limit (just like Ebay). This way, you'll avoid getting caught up in a frenzy and overpaying. In addition, some train auctions go on for days. Items that come up for auction at inconvenient times of the day often sell at low prices, because few people are attending in person at that time.
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Which Brand to Buy?
The brands to know are Lionel, MTH, Atlas-O, Williams, and Weaver. Engines, cars, and transformers are
interchangeable (except as regards remote-control, see below), so you are not locked into one brand. MTH started by producing reproductions of Lionel trains from the 1950's,
but now introduces many new models each year. Atlas-O is a relative newcomer, although Atlas has made HO gauge trains for many years. Williams produces replicas of postwar Lionel trains that have a minimum of electronics. Weaver has the distinction of being the only company that manufactures its trains in the USA.
- Starting in 2003, Lionel starter sets come with Fastrack track. It is quite sturdy when locked together. The rails are attached to a wide,
solid plastic base, so it is fine to use even on heavy carpet. The Fastrack manual switches are unique in that they will not derail the train if it runs into it "backwards". With other kinds of track you must buy more expensive remote-controlled switches to avoid frequent derailments. In 2003 Lionel introduced a new transformer for many of their starter sets, the CW-80, that is both good-looking and quite powerful. Unfortunately, from 2006-2008 they included a very low-powered, poorly designed transformer called the "PowerMax" in their cheapest sets, which should be avoided.
- MTH uses a similar but incompatible track called RealTrax, which they
introduced years before Lionel. It is a bit more realistic looking than Fastrack, and also is sturdy and can be set up on a carpeted floor. MTH was founded in 1980 by a model-train enthusiast who wanted to recapture
the glory days of model railroading, and ever since has built a strong
reputation for the highest quality equipment. MTH makes several
different product lines: Their popular RailKing line of traditional
trains includes many starter sets. The Premier line is aimed at adults
who collect highly accurate scale models of real trains. Finally, MTH
has a unique Tinplate Traditions line of reproductions of early turn of the
century (1900, that is!) toy trains made out of stamped metal that are a larger scale, called "Standard Scale".
- Atlas-O makes detailed, high-quality scale-size trains aimed at adults who want to create realistic ("high rail") layouts. They have concentrated on diesel engines, but in 2007 offered their first steam engine model. In 2007 they also came out with their first starter set that includes an engine, cars, and track (but no transformer). Atlas track is much more realistic looking than either Lionel Fastrack or MTH RealTrax, but the sections do not lock together as strongly, so it should be set up on a table rather than a carpeted floor. Most Atlas-O engines are compatible with Lionel TMCC remote control.
- Williams was a small independent company producing replicas of postwar Lionel trains until the owner retired in 2008. Fortunately, rather than disappearing, the company was bought by Bachmann, a large European toy company, which had previously been known for HO and N gauge trains. Williams trains incorporate few electronics and no remote control, and are built like rocks. However, their starter sets are considerably pricier than those from Lionel or MTH.
- Weaver is another small company that manufactures O-gauge trains and buildings right in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. It is the only company described here that builds trains in the USA. It appeals mainly to adult collectors who want the very highest quality and detail. They do not sell starter sets and their engines are pricey, but they also have a huge range of rolling stock (cars) and wooden and plastic buildings which are very affordable.
- Up until 2005, there was another major independent O-gauge train company, K-Line. Their
higher-end collectible engines were typically 30% cheaper than the Lionel or MTH versions of those same locomotives. Another unique feature of K-Line's higher-end engines is that they could negotiate standard 031-inch (diameter) curves; nearly all of the more expensive engines from Lionel and MTH require 042-inch or even larger curves. For example, see their beautiful "Shay" engine (that historically was used for logging on steep mountain lines). K-Line licensed Lionel's TMCC remote control system. Unfortunately, they also tried to improve on Lionel's "cruise control" by buying Lionel's electronic designs from an unscrupulous Lionel employee. As a result, Lionel sued K-Line, K-Line lost, and was eventually acquired by an overseas manufacturer which in turn licensed its name back to Lionel! In 2007 Lionel introduced the "K-Line by Lionel" line of products that features semi-scale, 031-compatible engines and cars, as well as a unique line of electric streetcar track called SuperStreets.
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Judging Quality
How can you judge the quality of a (new) engine or rolling stock? Aside from the obvious visual detail, a simple rule of thumb is that higher
quality pieces tend to use less plastic and more metal (steel, aluminum, or
brass):
- The body of steam locomotive should be die-cast metal. The upper
body of a diesel engine will be plastic, but if you turn it over all
you should see is metal. All of the companies mentioned above include
such engines in some of their least expensive starter sets - but there are
some unfortunate exceptions, so check before buying!
- For rolling stock, check whether the "trucks" (the things the wheels
attach to) are plastic or steel. Steel trucks are sturdier and their
weight helps keep the car on the track. If the trucks are
steel, check if the carriage (the bottom of the car) is steel as well -
another good sign. The rest of the body is likely to be plastic, even
in more expensive equipment, but there are some exceptions.
Both MTH and K-Line make freight cars with metal
die-cast bodies, but
a line of several such cars will be too heavy
for many engines to pull. The more expensive passenger cars from all
three manufacturers are made of aluminum. Most pre-war rolling stock is made of thin stamped steel called tinplate.
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Sounds, Remote Control, and Transformers
Traditional O-gauge trains include a electro-mechanical horn and (rarely)
a bell. Although such trains still appear in starter sets,
most modern O-gauge locomotives include electronic sound systems of varying
degrees of sophistication. They provide sounds of chuffing, steam release, brakes, whistle, bell, and radio chatter from a train crew.
- Higher end engines also are remote-control ready. There are two
different (incompatible) remote control systems, one by Lionel and also licensed to
other companies such as Atlas, and the other by MTH. Both systems allow
multiple trains to be independently operated on the same track from a hand
held remote (including detailed control of sounds), and can operate remote
switches and accessories.
- Terminology:
- Trainsounds - engines with Lionel's most basic electronic sound system
- Railsounds - engines with Lionel's more advanced electronic sound system, which allows multiple sounds to occur simultaneously (e.g. chuffing + whistle + bell)
- TMCC (TrainMaster Command Control) - engines with Lionel's remote control
capability and electronic sounds system
- TMCC II Legacy, - Lionel's updated remote control system, released in 2007. It has many new features but is backward compatible with original TMCC equipment.
- Loco-Sounds - engines with MTH's electronic sounds system only
- Proto-Sounds DCS (Digital Command System) - engines with MTH's remote
control capability and electronic sounds system. If you buy used equipment, be sure it is Proto-Sounds 2.0, not MTH's earlier 1.0 system.
- Remote control allows you to run multiple trains on the same track without complex wiring of different sections of your layout. For Lionel, the most basic set up requires a TMCC or TMCC Legacy enabled engine(s) and the CAB-1 handheld control and the TMCC command base (about $150 total for the control and base). Substituting the TMCC II Legacy controller and base would bring the price to $300. For the MTH system, you need Protosound 2.0 enabled engine(s) and about $300 for the handheld and base. Both systems work well. One advantage of the TMCC system is that the command base only needs to be wired to the track at a single point; the Protosound system typically requires running wires to several points for the most robust operation. The cheapest TMCC enabled engines from Lionel are more expensive than the cheapest Protosound engines from MTH.
- Using remote controlled switches and operating accessories with a layout that is
not permanently installed on a train table is a pain because of all of the
wiring involved. You might think that the Lionel or MTH wireless remote
control systems would simplify things, but they usually don't! The systems are designed so that the handheld unit sends a signal to a command unit which
must be physically connected to the transformer. The command unit then
broadcasts another signal to a switch control unit, which must be hardwired to
each of your switches.
- In 2009, Lionel introduced Fastrack switches that have built-in remote control receivers. This would seem to overcome the wiring problem - and it does, if you can foot the bill. Each TMCC enabled switch lists for $120 and retails for about $100.
- All US O-gauge trains run on 0-18 volt AC current, and transformers from any of the companies mentioned here are interchangeable. The higher wattage of a transformer, the larger layout it can handle without overheating. Get a transformer with at least 70W of power, such as the Lionel CW-80 or the MTH Z750. If you have inherited an old Lionel transformer that is in good condition (no frayed wires or cracks in the case), you can use it with modern trains. However, to protect the delicate electronics in modern engines from being damaged, you should add an inexpensive fuse block between the transformer and the track. You can buy appropriate fuse blocks from Scott's Odds N Ends. In fact, it is an excellent idea to add a fuse block even if you have a brand new transformer.
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Recommended Starter Sets
Plan on spending at least $250 on a good starter set that includes a die-cast steam locomotive, several cars, a loop of track, and a transformer. Don't forget to buy some extra track, too!
Any of MTH's starter sets are good quality, but avoid any of the Lionel starter sets that include the PowerMax transformer (such as their Nascar sets). Some good starter sets (as of 2007) that you can buy for about $250 include:
- Lionel's New York Central Flyer Set
- Lionel's Alaska Steam Work Train Set
- K-Line by Lionel's Southern Pacific Work Set, plus a transformer and some track
- K-Line by Lionel's Southern Executive Inspection Train Set, plus a transformer and some track
- MTH's 2-8-0 Pennsy Freight Express Train Set with Loco-Sound
If you can spend about $350, you can get an MTH starter set with a Proto-Sound engine. MTH has a wide variety of starter sets in this price range. Or, from Atlas-O, for $350 you can buy their Union Pacific, O Trainman GP15T Train Set and a separate Lionel or MTH transformer. For $400 you can get a Lionel set with a TMCC-ready engine, such as the Chesapeake Super Freight set (6-30025).
Christmas 2009 Recommended Starter Set Update
Retail prices have actually come down since 2007 due to the bad economy - bad news for the companies, but good for shoppers this Christmas. In addition, Lionel has deeply cut the prices of starter sets sold at Toys R Us. Unfortunately, Lionel no longer sells any lower-cost TMCC-ready starter sets, but a few older sets such as the Chesapeake set described above can still be found online at a few dealers. Particularly good deals this year include:
- Lionel's New York Central Flyer Trainsounds Set 6-30016 (list price $280) - this is being sold for $175 at Toys R Us online, and is surely the bargain of the season at that price.
- MTH's Protosound 2.0 sets are being discounted by some online retailers for as little as $280. You will have to search around to find dealers that have the sets you want in stock at a discount price; start by looking at Trainz.com, the most reliable online train dealer.
- What about the Lionel Harry Potter Hogwart's Express O-Gauge set ($350 list, discounted to $210 at Toys R Us)? It looks great, and I owned one once, but I found it disappointing. The engine is not a smooth runner - it slows down dramatically on curves, and cannot negotiate any curve tighter than O36, so it is not possible to run on older O31 track. The cars are very light and easily derailed. And, disappointingly for the HP fan, there are no HP character figures included.
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