WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR SCALE FOR TRAINS TODAY?
Today’s model railroader has a lot of choices. O gauge and HO have the most to offer in terms of technology, roadnames, manufacturers and equipment. Our customers are about even between the two. There are also a lot of Garden railroaders in the more temperate areas who operate large scale indoor outdoor railroads. For those with limited space, there is also a good selection of N scale. We carry all of the major sizes and can custom order even the smallest Z scale trains upon request.
I HAVE A REALLY OLD METAL LIONEL TRAIN, WHAT’S IT WORTH?
This would be the million dollar question. Material has little to do with value, and age is not even the most discriminating factor. Both certainly can be important. The first electric trains were made at the turn of the century, that would be the close of the 19th century….scarcity and condition are the two biggest drivers for price, but demand is also key. At Southbound Trains® we buy collections at 30% of the price we anticipate being able to sell them. For exceptionally rare or mint pieces, we will sometimes pay more, or if it is an item in great demand. Being Lionel and being made of metal may only retail for $50, which would be an even smaller price to part with Dad’s old train. We sell price guides on our catalog page that start at around $15. Click over and see what its worth!
CAN I TRADE MY OLD LIONEL TRAINS FOR NEW MODERN HO?
Yes. Again the consideration is how many Lionel Trains you have, their condition,
And their market demand. We have stacks of Lionel steam engines that are a fraction of the cost of a new Broadway Limited HO steamer with sound and DCC.It really depends on what you want to accomplish by trading, but we will try to help you make a wise choice.
WHAT IS THE MOST RELIABLE TRAIN AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Great question…all of the equipment we sell is reliable. We shy away from the toys and the battery operated trains that don’t last. We also don’t carry cheap train sets. As a consumer you will get what you pay for and the quality of trains follows suit. The best trains for the money continue to be the boys from Philadelphia, Bachmann Brothers. They have been making good quality G, HO, and N scale trains for years and all of their equipment comes with a life time warranty. That is hard to beat. A small entry level set starts around $100.
WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET A KID A TRAIN?
We will hedge our bet here. It really does depend on the child. A kid who is respectful of toys and has a little patience at 3 years old is ready at 3 years old. Usually if a kid is tough on toys at 3, they will still be tough on toys at 8.The manufacturers recommend 8 years old for HO, 5 years old for O. We carry a full line of Thomas from wooden to electric.
We can also help you transition from wooden railway to electric with wooden trains that look like the real thing. Click over to our catalog page or Give us a call and we can help you pick the right train set.
I WANT TO CONVERT TO DCC.SHOULD I CONVERT MY OLD TRAINS OR BUY NEW? WHO MAKES THE BEST DCC SYSTEM?
You should do what you want to do, but converting your old ones might wreck your hobby. If you are ready to go digital, it is time to put a display case of your old trains on a shelf with your bronze baby shoes. The new equipment is far superior to the old, and the time and cost is far greater converting the old stuff. All of the major manufacturers have DCC equipment on the market. Here is a list of links to visit and compare. The easiest system to start with is Bachmann EZ Command, the most popular on the high end is Digitrax.
I HAVE ALWAYS HAD LIONEL TRAINS, BUT I LIKE SOME OF THE NEWER BRANDS AND THERE SEEM TO BE MORE ROADNAMES THAN THE LIONEL.
WILL MY LIONEL TRAINS RUN WITH ATLAS AND MTH?
Yes. We operate a High Rail store…Williams makes great trains to run till the wheels come off. Weaver has great craftsmanship and detailed cars with the occasional TMCC licensed locomotive. MTH and Lionel now work well with one another (MTH’s original Proto engines(1.0) will not run as well with Lionel)….you can pretty much buy and operate whatever suits your eye. There are some fabulous 3RD Rail Brass engines out there now with sound and TMCC if you like $1800 locomotives!
WHICH IS BETTER TMCC OR DCS?
Lexus or Cadillac? Both systems have there benefits and they are becoming more intertwinable(sic)….We have some great books that can help you decide which is best for your plans, but we hope you will consider running both types of equipment once you decide. Stick with one operating and track system, but enjoy all of the great O gauge trains.
WILL MY OLD LIONEL RUN ON THE NEW FASTRACK AND REALTRAX?
Yes. It will run better than ever!
WHICH O TRACK SYSTEM IS BETTER?
A tough question, we carry most. Depending on the application. If you want realistic wooden ties, then Gar Graves is the answer. If you play with trains on the floor all winter, Fastrack is the answer. All of the track systems are starting to have multiple switch variations and operating tracks available. The look and feel is up to you. Weathered Fastrack looks great! Come see our new lay out or visit the photo gallery of it online to help you decide.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET STARTED?
$20. Pick a good book or manual that matches most closely to what you think you want to do. Before buying thousands of dollars of track and equipment be sure that you have a suitable space to build and a budget to meet your needs. It is the never-ending hobby, but the faster you can get a loop of track operating, the less likely you and your kids will lose interest. A room full of trains in boxes isn’t much fun to enjoy for anyone except your heirs after you’re gone.
DIDN’T SEE YOUR QUESTION?
The only dumb question is the one that is never asked. Please E-mail or call us with any questions about trains. We will do our best to get you an answer. If we find several people asking the same question, we will certainly post it here!
trains@southboundtrains.com
Toll Free: 1-888-844-4403
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