How to Get Started with O-Gauge Model Trains |
![]() |
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.
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.