How to Get Started with O-Gauge Model Trains

• Why O-Gauge?

  • This is the best size for kids (starting around age 6).  HO is too small, the track falls apart unless it is nailed down, 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, and rarer pieces often 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.

• Where to Shop?

  • Find a local store that specializes in O-gauge model trains.  Forget about toy stores!  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.
  • 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.

• Which Brand to Buy?

  The brands to know are Lionel, MTH and Atlas-O. 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.
  • 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, in 2006 they began including a very low-powered, poorly designed transformer called the "PowerMax" in their cheapest sets. The engines in the PowerMax-equipped set are similarly downgraded, and 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.
  • Up until 2005, there was another major independent 0-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 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.

• 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 your should see is steel.  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 solid steel 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.

• 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.
• The start-up cost of the the Lionel TMCC remote control system is much less than that of the MTH Proto-Sounds system.  A minimal TMCC system just requires adding a handheld unit and a "command base" for about $150 (assuming you already have an engine with TMCC capability).  A minimal MTH system requires about $300 worth of additional hardware. 
• Using electric 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 don't!  For example, TMCC is 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.  The Proto-Sounds system requires even more complex wiring!   Neither company seems to understand that the market for a truly wireless system for kids and "ordinary people" is much larger than that for adult hobbyists with huge permanent layouts.
• 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.

• 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), which have a poor transformer and cheap, lightweight cars and engines. 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.

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