I think you did a pretty good job describing what Model Trains are... ESPECIALLY considering how recently you became interested in the Model Railroading Hobby! ... and Thank You so much for making this Video... It's not just anyone that can both promote the Hobby and be Honest and Realistic about it's Expenses...it takes a Special Talent to accomplish that level of Professionalism and I am in Awe of you! I have been 'Playing with Trains' for over 60 years, and in all that time I could never accomplish what you have with this Video in 7 minutes and 35 seconds!
I've been on and off in the hobby for most of my childhood, adolescence, and even for a short time in adulthood, but this video gave me the bug again and in just a few weeks I've already bought new track, new cars, and a new engine. Were it not for college, I might buy more, thank you for re-igniting my spark for it.
It's a great video for someone getting into the hobby I've been doing model trains for almost 10 years and it's refreshing to see other get into a great hobby keep up the great work
Great vid. Don't ever get a sound unit, once you do, you will want all your locos to be sound. Lombard, Midwest, and spring creek are go to for all my train supplies.
If you have access to a model train show, then try going to one. There are very helpful people there (usually for the most part) and very good deals, pretty much the cheapest prices you will find.
I enjoyed your presentation. Scale trains is by far no 1. HO is also the best, it offers more of everything. Anyone wanting to get into the hobby should research and plan before purchasing anything, especially if they don't know much about it.😅
Great video my friend. I've been in the hobby for about 3 years, I also make unboxing videos. Here in Brazil we have a national manufacturer called Frateschi, the trains of this manufacturer are not very detailed, but it is worth the cost benefit, each wagon costs on average a little less than 10 dollars. Unfortunately, the hobby here is not big and this company has no competition, many models of our trains are handcrafted, mainly in 3D printing. And yes, this hobby is very expensive, a Scale Trains locomotive arrives here in Brazil costing more than double its value in the store and our already weak currency, it arrives costing 2 to 3 minimum wages. Very pulled.
Was interesting to see your comment as I was reading them all. We Model Train Enthusiasts in the US often are mindless of the Challenges that face folks like you in Brazil... and sometimes we need to be Reminded that we don't have the only Railroads on the Planet! I am aware of Frateschi Model Trains... I have even seen some of their older models at Train Shows here in the US. It's been a long time, though... and I often wondered about the History and background of the Fratesi Models. Thanks to Your Comment, I have learned more about them since I first became curious about Brazilian Model Trains 30 years ago !!!👍
This is one of my favorite videos on your channel ive ever seen, mainly on how you produced the video with a joke style but still focusing on the basics
Personally, I run HO and I never really buy any locomotives or rolling stock online. However, I have purchased track, scenery, track-maintenance and cleaning tools, oils, locomotive-maintenance tools online. When it comes to locomotives and rolling stock, my go-to would be hobby shops, antique stores, and swap-meets. Most of my trains are used, and I’m alright with that.
You could also buy from local shops like there is one in Illinois that can serve the whole country. (Lucky I live a few miles from Lombard hobbies) but Lombard hobbies is the best for me.
For HO, buy either Stewart, Bowser, Athearn, Atlas, Kato, or Scaletrains in terms of running quality. Models to be cautious of are Broadway, MTH, Intermountain, and Bachmann.
@@gamerfan8445 I never said anything about them being "bad". I said you should be cautious on which you buy. BLI has a history of having quite a number of stinkers, and less than optimal quality. For example, a good amount of the first BLI models to come out have the tendency to develop axle gear and/or idler gear cracking/failure problems. They were nylon gears. With that being said, spare parts themselves are not produced anymore for anything older than Paragon 2. You have to buy parts locomotives now or forge your own parts with a high quality printer. Speaking of Paragon series. There are around 6 lines that BLI produced models. Some are better than others. For Bachmann, the best models from them were the original Spectrum HO line. The Shay's and other geared locos had gear problems like the spectrum line diesels. Unfortunately, modern Bachmann steam engines seem to not be as strong pullers as their competitors. However lately, they seem to be putting in more torque motors now from what I have seen, but still, the best will the brands I have stated on my op including Walthers, which I forgot about however, even some of their newest return of the F40PH has issues too. Every brand has their duds, but some have more than others. Bachmann seems to be wanting to go more higher end with some of their models, but they need to up their motor power in order to justify some of their asking prices. Broadway has been doing better with Paragon 4 after their rollercoaster era of Paragon 3 motor and decoder quality. Now that they reintroduced DCC/Ready "Stealth" after almost two decades now, I'd say they are heading in a better direction and I hope they keep that direction from them on. Still, every new product could always have a possibility of being a dud. If you are buying used, then you need to know which ones to be more cautious about or to avoid.
One thing I also recommend, look and see if there are local vendors who sell used model railroad stuff, as they will typically buy from a lot sale, and sell each item at a really low price, which works well especially if you're looking for a specific era, company, or locomotive type. Also, in my experience, purchasing DC locomotives and installing dcc chips in them can sometimes be cheaper, especially because of a lowered labour cost.
I have been in the hobby for a while now, and i recommend visiting not only using online websites for your locomotives and rollingstock, and instead recommend visiting physical hobby stores. The one i go to has a lot of second hand locomotives, that apart from being a bit older, are really cheap and quite commonly are reasonably detailed and run ok. this helps when starting off a layout, as second hand stuff is generally cheaper then brand new
I Actually Use Beckmann Trains The First Set Was A BNSF Set I Found From Menards It Was $200 And I Got A Beckmann Trains Railroad Crossing For Christmas Eve 2020 And I Save Some Older Cars From The 1950s or 60s or 70s With 2 Older ATSF Engines That Don't Run Anymore But The Original Cars Can Connect To The Bachmann Cars But They Sometimes Derail On The Track Switches
I have found that the way for me to afford this hobby is to buy used and stick to DC. I especially like Athearn's blue box series from the 90s, the motors are like butter and the detail is pretty good compared to basic Bachmann stuff from the same era.
Crafty u need to get another British train, i belive the only one u have is the terrier if I’m not mistaken, u should get like the flying Scotsman or an a4 or maybe even a merchant navy :D, if u do decide to get any of those I recommend Hornby bc they are the best for those
Whenever I buy model trains, I usually go for the older stuff online since you can buy a lot of models from the 1990’s or earlier for insanely cheap prices. The most I’ve ever payed for one is 50 bucks.
Even newer trains can be found for really good prices on Ebay I bought a KATO R-2 for like 70 bucks without shipping it would've been 60. Recently got a Bachman Spectrum for like 35.
I buy from scaletrains and trainwotld. Scaletrains doesn’t have other brands like trainwotld does though. Trainworld has pretty much every HO scale brand, my personal favorites are athearn genesis. Very detailed(and loud), and addicting.
For anyone who wants to get into it I have to emphasize the fact that it is EXPENSIVE, I use the cheapest scale and in my 10 years of collecting I’ve probably spent 20-30+ thousand and if I bought my entire collection new I’d end up spending closer to 60-70+ thousand. My collection is on the larger scale tho (500-1000 rolling stock and trains
Right on! Ever been to a train show? They’re not the greatest place to buy brand new items but if you look in the right places you’ll find some real gems for cheap! Some of my best purchases came from train shows.
That was enjoyable. You reached great beginner points some of us model train veterans would be so accustomed to that we would forget to mention them, things like batch productions and general pricing and detail quality differences. I live in Denmark and primarily run N scale. I do most of my shopping on model train meets, eBay and DMtoys, a German site specializing in N scale. I wish I could have said that I did more to support the brick and mortar shops for model trains that are out there, but sadly they don't really care that much for N scale here in Denmark so I pretty much only use them for paints, oils, micro-set for decals and other such tools and remedies. there are a few small manufacturers i call when i need sliding decals, which are really thin decals with lettering or graphics that you can see me use on a few videos. Oh and I warn you about DCC. once you get into it. you get addicted to using sound and lighting functions. I keep finding myself wanting to toot the horn when i run regular DC.
I’m a 3rd generation railroader and I’m lucky enough to model my old line of Chicago Northwestern, since my grandpa collected all of their models kits from the 70’s to the 90’s
Literally a dream of mine to have what you have. I’m just a kid so I don’t have enough money to buy model trains. Watching your Channel is all i need for now tho :)
i'd love to see much more diverse content (such as this!) from you, it's way different than usual but very nicely packaged and informative to be interesting
Interesting to see the American H0 scale. im only used to european H0 (Märklin, Trix...) with 3 contacts called "Dreileitersystem" working on AC Power here in Germany. i´d love an ac 4400cw running on my rails but i havent found one with Dreileitersystem-compatibility sadly.
I recently scored a 27-car eBay lot of covered hoppers for about $600 plus shipping. If you check regularly to see if you can find lots like that. I also talked to the Saler to negotiate a price. Tank cars will for the most part are hard to get in eBay in lots. Crafty Fox is spot on with what he said about starting. A little bit here and there will get you your railroad.
I might add, in your area there might be local flea markets where you can get excellent prices. I live in Europe but love Americans trains. Getting American locos (I love EMD F7 or EMD GP35) is extremely difficult (if you search for a very specific model) and you usually pay a premium because they have to be imported. However I got a DCC GP35 from Bachmann in excellent condition for 60€ on one of those markets. A steal in my opinion.
My best advice for starting it in model trains is too find local hobby shops and see what they have. A lot of times you can find great deals and really unique vintage models. Next look for model train shows your can get amazing deals on great models as well as new connections to shops that you might not find as easily online. I spent $290 this year at a train show and got 7 locos, 2 of which were Athearn, and a bunch of rolling stock. I easily could've spent more and gotten some incredible models. Train shows are the best for great deals. Lastly you can always casually check eBay for specific models you want but I would only buy from there if you haven't found it anywhere else, if it's a great deal, or if you're looking for vintage or broken models you want to fix up
I like to go to a model train store. They will have new and used trains also the people working there can show you what's up with every model. You can send locomotives there to get repaired as well.
As many model train you buy, how much total money you use for buying model trains. The thumbnail craftyfoxe staring at computer for knowing what is the model trains Lmao
If you have a local hobby shop buy from them mostly. Eff online shopping support your local community. I DO use Amazon but only for smaller kinda disposables or items that get used up.
I have trains from most scales by this point, and almost all of them I got used. If you're not looking for modern model trains with advanced features, I would highly recommend looking in antique shops and model train shows. There are some really good deals, and if you get lucky you can find an HO set for $20-$30.
Man I WISH O scale had the insane options that HO has in terms of manufacturers. With O we just have 3 MTH, Lionel, and Atlas. I do believe that in O scale we have hands down the best sounds and features. Really great video even for someone who's been in this hobby forever. As far as favorite store? Gotta be Trainworld and Trainz, trainz is basically eBay but only for model trains, alot of great deals!
And dont forget that floor-vibrating weight :D . I have a few steam locomotives that weigh 14-16 pounds (6.3-7.2 kg). (disclaimer, it took many, _many years_ before I was in a position to afford articulated steamers in O, and each one _still_ involves saving for the better part of a year)
Retailers are the best way to buy them because you can generally find what you're looking for and see what you're buying to make sure you get what you want
Here are some of my tips. I have been collecting HO trains since 2014. I have built 3 layouts and currently planning the 4th layout 1. NEVER buy trains at full MSRP. You are just wasting money. 2. Purchase from reputable and established online retail stores. 3. Never buy trains from Amazon. They are just over priced junk. 4. Use a layout planning software before you spend on tracks. 5. Steam Locomotives are always more expensive than diesels. 6. Try to get DCC Ready. So adding a DCC decoder will be easy. 7. Do not get into the FOMO, some trains will have their prices reduced over time. 8. Road Numbers and Road Name plays a huge part in pricing. 9. Some brands have different versions of the same thing in terms of build quality and detail. 10. Not all brands are created equal. Some will have or lack features. 11. eBay is a great place for secondhand trains. But make sure you know the seller. 12. European is 1:76, Japanese is 1/80, and American is 1/87 13. KATO HO Unitrack is the most reliable and robust. But it is also very limited. 14. Startout with sectional track before you get into flex track. 15. An engine can look nice, but it does not matter if it cannot run properly. 16. Price compare from diffrent stores. One store will sell it cheaper than the other. 17. Train sets are good for starting out, but they are not high quality and have cheap rolling stock. 18. Do not run DC engines on a DCC layout, you will blow up the engine. 19. Wait for sales and use coupons offers. They will help a lot. 20. Know your worth. Is this locomotive or rolling really worth this much money?
I mainly focus on N and O scales: For N scale, I prefer Japanese models, and it's usually cheaper to import from Japan than buy locally, most of the time; the places I recommend are Plaza Japan, Model Trains Plus, and Suruga-ya. Trainz, eBay, and Amazon may have good deals as well if you know where to look. I typically go with KATO locomotives with TOMIX rolling stock, unless it's something that only one particular manufacturer offers such as themed trains. For track; I use both KATO Unitrack and TOMIX (both their old style, and the current 'Fine Track'). And for O gaue (not always technically O scale), I collect mostly vintage models from Lionel, American Flyer, Ives, Marx, Hornby, etc... Most of my O gauge stuff was made between the 1920's to the 1960's, with a few modern stuff mixed in. There's several places to buy from, but for starters, I recommend Trainz, eBay, or even local second-hand/antique shops. I use traditional tubular 3 rail O gauge track; obviously not very prototypical, but it's cheap and the customability options are limitless (plus that's what they were designed to be ran on).
I don’t know if it’s just a problem that I’m having but here is a tip do not use cabooses because whenever I use them they don’t stay coupled forever I have one that will put my other one will immediately detach and I have no idea why cause it’s perfectly fine yeah it doesn’t stay shut
I highly reccomend buying used from hattons if you're within the eu, always great deals on locomotives and rolling stock Also buying used in general is way cheaper, bit iffy with locomotives buy almost always a safe bet with rolling stock
You should make a Minecraft 53' Domestic Container Train tutorial carrying the containers that Union Pacific carries (EMP, UMAX, CSX intermodal, Pacer Stacktrain)!
I have mainly 3 rail o gauge (Lionel) and also have some standard gauge, HO, N, G, and On30. I always liked MTH trains a lot. Very high quality and they are built like tanks.
You forgot about BLI, and also, everyone should start with DC just to understand operations and maintenance, then purchase a good DCC system. I use the NCE powercab and digitrax is good too
So i like Japanese trains. I made the mistake of liking HO stuff and it's very expensive from Japan. The N scale over there is great and they constantly pump out like every prototype. It's kind of cool really
1:22 go to the big train show in Springfield at the end of January, there’s a guy that 3D prints body M8 body shells and I think he might be there. If not you might still be able to find someone else, or get contact info
Idk if they have but, a would love if they have the legends AWVR 777 and 767, but i know it's hard for maybe copyright but atleast you can make your own AWVR locomotoves (7375 and the other one, 1206, 777, 767) i love ur vids
I dont have much experience, but from that which I Do Have I'd say buying in person is my personal favorite thing to do if that is available to you. I buy from the Marklin Store in my cit and I always get good deals cause they have used items in good shape which tend to be cheaper than what I've seen online. I bought an old Märklin Br 103 for 70 Euros when a straight from the Production line one would have cost me 300 Euros. Thats my mustard at least.
Australian modeller is the best model train shop in Australia If they don’t have something in store it’ll definitely be in their online shop which will arrive very quickly
In my area, there is only one shop that specializes primarily in HO called Engine House in Green Bay, Wi. it's a very small shop but there is so much stuff crammed inside, very dangerous for your wallet!. Other than that, Ebay has been very reliable for used locomotives along with the local club im a part of which is how I got my HO Rivarossi Union Pacific 4005 Big Boy for 50 bucks. Reason why it was so cheap is that it had some issues, that being all it needed was some new oil and grease in the gearboxes.
If you want a locomotive or rolling stock that doesn't exist you can ask scaletrains to make it and in a few months they might reply back to you that it will be considered.
If you have a small space but want an intricate track set up, n scale is good. The bad thing is that their harder to handle, because of the fact that their smaller. I have more Ho scale than n scale, but I’m growing my n scale collection. Ho scale is great for a starter, and a model train enthusiast.
I have spent $1,478 (I think) dollars on HO scale trains and tracks my most expensive one was the V/line vlocity which was $600 my least expensive was the freight Australia P class Locomotives with Pacific national logos was $285 plus I got two NR class Locomotives a ex CFCLA C class Locomotives and 6 wagons three from SSR and the other three from PN/QUBE, yeah HO scale is really fun to have
Here my advice to beginners 1. DCC consisting isn’t easy A lot of people think that Oh dcc should be easy if it’s the same locomotive Well no It has to be the same brand for it to work I tried running my u28c and ac6000 both from southern pacific to run together at my model railroad club (Silicon Valley lines ) in San Jose They both didn’t run well together So I had to uncouple the lead locomotive and have my u28c #7155 drive the rest of the manifest train they were hauling the rest of the way
Model trains are:
A) Expensive
B) Addicting
C) Fun
D) Worth it
Amen to that mate
even better with steam locomotives
E for All the above
Yes.
Definitely.
I do OO gauge. I recommend, if you’re gonna buy any Hornby products, DO NOT buy them from Hornby themselves.
I agree but I heard they were unreliable
Always buy Hornby models from a model shop or online store. That’s how I got my Hogwarts Express train.
I do O scale and I do the same thing with Lionel.
@@theamericanlocomotive then you’re on the right track (pun intended)
Also if you're an American and want OO, Hattons and Rails of Sheffield is your friend.
I think you did a pretty good job describing what Model Trains are... ESPECIALLY considering how recently you became interested in the Model Railroading Hobby!
... and Thank You so much for making this Video... It's not just anyone that can both promote the Hobby and be Honest and Realistic about it's Expenses...it takes a Special Talent to accomplish that level of Professionalism and I am in Awe of you!
I have been 'Playing with Trains' for over 60 years, and in all that time I could never accomplish what you have with this Video in 7 minutes and 35 seconds!
I've been on and off in the hobby for most of my childhood, adolescence, and even for a short time in adulthood, but this video gave me the bug again and in just a few weeks I've already bought new track, new cars, and a new engine. Were it not for college, I might buy more, thank you for re-igniting my spark for it.
It's a great video for someone getting into the hobby I've been doing model trains for almost 10 years and it's refreshing to see other get into a great hobby keep up the great work
Great vid. Don't ever get a sound unit, once you do, you will want all your locos to be sound.
Lombard, Midwest, and spring creek are go to for all my train supplies.
No offense but that isn’t the best advice 😭
That is so true it becomes an addiction 😂😂😂
If you have access to a model train show, then try going to one. There are very helpful people there (usually for the most part) and very good deals, pretty much the cheapest prices you will find.
Yea exactly I got Kato BN SD70MAC for $89 bucks it was good deal
I got a brand new bachmann set (locomotive and caboose) for $25. Unfortunately one of thr plastic gears split due to lack of use and run time
I enjoyed your presentation. Scale trains is by far no 1. HO is also the best, it offers more of everything. Anyone wanting to get into the hobby should research and plan before purchasing anything, especially if they don't know much about it.😅
Great video my friend. I've been in the hobby for about 3 years, I also make unboxing videos. Here in Brazil we have a national manufacturer called Frateschi, the trains of this manufacturer are not very detailed, but it is worth the cost benefit, each wagon costs on average a little less than 10 dollars. Unfortunately, the hobby here is not big and this company has no competition, many models of our trains are handcrafted, mainly in 3D printing. And yes, this hobby is very expensive, a Scale Trains locomotive arrives here in Brazil costing more than double its value in the store and our already weak currency, it arrives costing 2 to 3 minimum wages. Very pulled.
Was interesting to see your comment as I was reading them all.
We Model Train Enthusiasts in the US often are mindless of the Challenges that face folks like you in Brazil... and sometimes we need to be Reminded that we don't have the only Railroads on the Planet!
I am aware of Frateschi Model Trains... I have even seen some of their older models at Train Shows here in the US. It's been a long time, though... and I often wondered about the History and background of the Fratesi Models.
Thanks to Your Comment, I have learned more about them since I first became curious about Brazilian Model Trains 30 years ago !!!👍
This is one of my favorite videos on your channel ive ever seen, mainly on how you produced the video with a joke style but still focusing on the basics
Personally, I run HO and I never really buy any locomotives or rolling stock online. However, I have purchased track, scenery, track-maintenance and cleaning tools, oils, locomotive-maintenance tools online. When it comes to locomotives and rolling stock, my go-to would be hobby shops, antique stores, and swap-meets. Most of my trains are used, and I’m alright with that.
You could also buy from local shops like there is one in Illinois that can serve the whole country. (Lucky I live a few miles from Lombard hobbies) but Lombard hobbies is the best for me.
For HO, buy either Stewart, Bowser, Athearn, Atlas, Kato, or Scaletrains in terms of running quality. Models to be cautious of are Broadway, MTH, Intermountain, and Bachmann.
Broadway and bachmann aren't that bad.
@@gamerfan8445 I never said anything about them being "bad". I said you should be cautious on which you buy. BLI has a history of having quite a number of stinkers, and less than optimal quality. For example, a good amount of the first BLI models to come out have the tendency to develop axle gear and/or idler gear cracking/failure problems. They were nylon gears. With that being said, spare parts themselves are not produced anymore for anything older than Paragon 2. You have to buy parts locomotives now or forge your own parts with a high quality printer. Speaking of Paragon series. There are around 6 lines that BLI produced models. Some are better than others.
For Bachmann, the best models from them were the original Spectrum HO line. The Shay's and other geared locos had gear problems like the spectrum line diesels. Unfortunately, modern Bachmann steam engines seem to not be as strong pullers as their competitors. However lately, they seem to be putting in more torque motors now from what I have seen, but still, the best will the brands I have stated on my op including Walthers, which I forgot about however, even some of their newest return of the F40PH has issues too. Every brand has their duds, but some have more than others. Bachmann seems to be wanting to go more higher end with some of their models, but they need to up their motor power in order to justify some of their asking prices. Broadway has been doing better with Paragon 4 after their rollercoaster era of Paragon 3 motor and decoder quality. Now that they reintroduced DCC/Ready "Stealth" after almost two decades now, I'd say they are heading in a better direction and I hope they keep that direction from them on. Still, every new product could always have a possibility of being a dud. If you are buying used, then you need to know which ones to be more cautious about or to avoid.
One thing I also recommend, look and see if there are local vendors who sell used model railroad stuff, as they will typically buy from a lot sale, and sell each item at a really low price, which works well especially if you're looking for a specific era, company, or locomotive type. Also, in my experience, purchasing DC locomotives and installing dcc chips in them can sometimes be cheaper, especially because of a lowered labour cost.
I buy most my stuff from Tonys Trains, Seeing as how it is in Essex Junction i just go to the store to pick up any orders after railfanning
I would recommend train show I got a 300$ A AND B unit from KATO for only 80$ it was a huge steal
I have been in the hobby for a while now, and i recommend visiting not only using online websites for your locomotives and rollingstock, and instead recommend visiting physical hobby stores. The one i go to has a lot of second hand locomotives, that apart from being a bit older, are really cheap and quite commonly are reasonably detailed and run ok. this helps when starting off a layout, as second hand stuff is generally cheaper then brand new
I have been in the hobby for about a year and a half, and I prefer to get my models from a hobby shop. Great video with good advice for beginners!
Highly recommend using Broadway Limited Imports for buying Steam Units. They have the best stuff as far as I have seen
I live in Canada/Québec and my fovarite store is MaxTrain or Walthers
I Actually Use Beckmann Trains The First Set Was A BNSF Set I Found From Menards It Was $200 And I Got A Beckmann Trains Railroad Crossing For Christmas Eve 2020 And I Save Some Older Cars From The 1950s or 60s or 70s With 2 Older ATSF Engines That Don't Run Anymore But The Original Cars Can Connect To The Bachmann Cars But They Sometimes Derail On The Track Switches
I have found that the way for me to afford this hobby is to buy used and stick to DC. I especially like Athearn's blue box series from the 90s, the motors are like butter and the detail is pretty good compared to basic Bachmann stuff from the same era.
Crafty u need to get another British train, i belive the only one u have is the terrier if I’m not mistaken, u should get like the flying Scotsman or an a4 or maybe even a merchant navy :D, if u do decide to get any of those I recommend Hornby bc they are the best for those
Whenever I buy model trains, I usually go for the older stuff online since you can buy a lot of models from the 1990’s or earlier for insanely cheap prices. The most I’ve ever payed for one is 50 bucks.
Oh god i bought an LB&SCR 0-6-0T for like $65
... Yes it was because of Thomas
Even newer trains can be found for really good prices on Ebay I bought a KATO R-2 for like 70 bucks without shipping it would've been 60. Recently got a Bachman Spectrum for like 35.
Got a rivarossi USRA Heavy mikado for $60. It's one of my favorite in my collection.
I buy from scaletrains and trainwotld. Scaletrains doesn’t have other brands like trainwotld does though. Trainworld has pretty much every HO scale brand, my personal favorites are athearn genesis. Very detailed(and loud), and addicting.
Train shows are also a good way to get model trains. I pretty much always find a good deal on something cool.
For anyone who wants to get into it I have to emphasize the fact that it is EXPENSIVE, I use the cheapest scale and in my 10 years of collecting I’ve probably spent 20-30+ thousand and if I bought my entire collection new I’d end up spending closer to 60-70+ thousand. My collection is on the larger scale tho (500-1000 rolling stock and trains
If you were to buy Bachmann I heard that we have to maintain every time because I used to have Chessie GP40-2 somehow the wires got disconnected
I am lucky and grateful to be a 25 minute transit ride from Charles Ro. I got my first model locomotive there for $100 and it really amazes me.
Right on! Ever been to a train show? They’re not the greatest place to buy brand new items but if you look in the right places you’ll find some real gems for cheap! Some of my best purchases came from train shows.
Thank you, you answer to my question!!!😊
My first dash 9 came from spring creek model trains it’s a Kato one however I planned on buying more from scale trains in the future
Me who i just create trains whit paper so i have them free and is fun makeing it. For moving them i use magnets
I was thinking of starting model trains as a hobby, I usually use the wooden ones, this video was really helpful, thanks!
That was enjoyable. You reached great beginner points some of us model train veterans would be so accustomed to that we would forget to mention them, things like batch productions and general pricing and detail quality differences. I live in Denmark and primarily run N scale. I do most of my shopping on model train meets, eBay and DMtoys, a German site specializing in N scale. I wish I could have said that I did more to support the brick and mortar shops for model trains that are out there, but sadly they don't really care that much for N scale here in Denmark so I pretty much only use them for paints, oils, micro-set for decals and other such tools and remedies. there are a few small manufacturers i call when i need sliding decals, which are really thin decals with lettering or graphics that you can see me use on a few videos.
Oh and I warn you about DCC. once you get into it. you get addicted to using sound and lighting functions. I keep finding myself wanting to toot the horn when i run regular DC.
I’m a 3rd generation railroader and I’m lucky enough to model my old line of Chicago Northwestern, since my grandpa collected all of their models kits from the 70’s to the 90’s
Literally a dream of mine to have what you have. I’m just a kid so I don’t have enough money to buy model trains. Watching your Channel is all i need for now tho :)
4:35 Hey! I didn't know my reddit comment got featured! Thanks!
eBay will be your friend if you want New York Stuff like P32s, Shoreliners, and Mafersas.
Midwest Model Railroad is awesome and the shipping turn around is so fast! Also, the owner lives in New York City as well.
i'd love to see much more diverse content (such as this!) from you, it's way different than usual but very nicely packaged and informative to be interesting
You can also buy DCC ready locomotives and add in DCC yourself for cheaper than already made dcc and sound locomotives.
Interesting to see the American H0 scale. im only used to european H0 (Märklin, Trix...) with 3 contacts called "Dreileitersystem" working on AC Power here in Germany. i´d love an ac 4400cw running on my rails but i havent found one with Dreileitersystem-compatibility sadly.
I have HO, personally prefer Bachmann tho
I recently scored a 27-car eBay lot of covered hoppers for about $600 plus shipping. If you check regularly to see if you can find lots like that. I also talked to the Saler to negotiate a price. Tank cars will for the most part are hard to get in eBay in lots. Crafty Fox is spot on with what he said about starting. A little bit here and there will get you your railroad.
I might add, in your area there might be local flea markets where you can get excellent prices. I live in Europe but love Americans trains. Getting American locos (I love EMD F7 or EMD GP35) is extremely difficult (if you search for a very specific model) and you usually pay a premium because they have to be imported. However I got a DCC GP35 from Bachmann in excellent condition for 60€ on one of those markets. A steal in my opinion.
A father of mine told me when I was a boy “once you get to that hobby it will be addictive” and good lord I did.
My best advice for starting it in model trains is too find local hobby shops and see what they have. A lot of times you can find great deals and really unique vintage models. Next look for model train shows your can get amazing deals on great models as well as new connections to shops that you might not find as easily online. I spent $290 this year at a train show and got 7 locos, 2 of which were Athearn, and a bunch of rolling stock. I easily could've spent more and gotten some incredible models. Train shows are the best for great deals. Lastly you can always casually check eBay for specific models you want but I would only buy from there if you haven't found it anywhere else, if it's a great deal, or if you're looking for vintage or broken models you want to fix up
Appreciate the NJ transit set you got! Used to ride it all the time in highschool/college
I have O scale trains and they are so cool I have had them since I was a kid I steam engines to diesel trains and I like Lionel for the O scale
I buy o scale, and Lionel’s tiers are, VisionLine, Legacy, and LionChief
I like to go to a model train store. They will have new and used trains also the people working there can show you what's up with every model. You can send locomotives there to get repaired as well.
As many model train you buy, how much total money you use for buying model trains.
The thumbnail craftyfoxe staring at computer for knowing what is the model trains Lmao
If you have a local hobby shop buy from them mostly. Eff online shopping support your local community. I DO use Amazon but only for smaller kinda disposables or items that get used up.
If you are live by or are near one there is almost always a used locomotive and rolling stock/ cars and I recommend the used section.
I have trains from most scales by this point, and almost all of them I got used. If you're not looking for modern model trains with advanced features, I would highly recommend looking in antique shops and model train shows. There are some really good deals, and if you get lucky you can find an HO set for $20-$30.
Man I WISH O scale had the insane options that HO has in terms of manufacturers. With O we just have 3 MTH, Lionel, and Atlas. I do believe that in O scale we have hands down the best sounds and features. Really great video even for someone who's been in this hobby forever. As far as favorite store? Gotta be Trainworld and Trainz, trainz is basically eBay but only for model trains, alot of great deals!
And dont forget that floor-vibrating weight :D . I have a few steam locomotives that weigh 14-16 pounds (6.3-7.2 kg).
(disclaimer, it took many, _many years_ before I was in a position to afford articulated steamers in O, and each one _still_ involves saving for the better part of a year)
Retailers are the best way to buy them because you can generally find what you're looking for and see what you're buying to make sure you get what you want
Just got my model train yesterday. (Dec 25) I am definitely going to be using these sites. Thank you. (Got a Bachmann starter set)
You should get a Proto 2000 there great quality and Nicely detailed
Here are some of my tips. I have been collecting HO trains since 2014. I have built 3 layouts and currently planning the 4th layout
1. NEVER buy trains at full MSRP. You are just wasting money.
2. Purchase from reputable and established online retail stores.
3. Never buy trains from Amazon. They are just over priced junk.
4. Use a layout planning software before you spend on tracks.
5. Steam Locomotives are always more expensive than diesels.
6. Try to get DCC Ready. So adding a DCC decoder will be easy.
7. Do not get into the FOMO, some trains will have their prices reduced over time.
8. Road Numbers and Road Name plays a huge part in pricing.
9. Some brands have different versions of the same thing in terms of build quality and detail.
10. Not all brands are created equal. Some will have or lack features.
11. eBay is a great place for secondhand trains. But make sure you know the seller.
12. European is 1:76, Japanese is 1/80, and American is 1/87
13. KATO HO Unitrack is the most reliable and robust. But it is also very limited.
14. Startout with sectional track before you get into flex track.
15. An engine can look nice, but it does not matter if it cannot run properly.
16. Price compare from diffrent stores. One store will sell it cheaper than the other.
17. Train sets are good for starting out, but they are not high quality and have cheap rolling stock.
18. Do not run DC engines on a DCC layout, you will blow up the engine.
19. Wait for sales and use coupons offers. They will help a lot.
20. Know your worth. Is this locomotive or rolling really worth this much money?
I prefer eBay and Hattons model trains since in from Europe. I like American trains.
If you want to start off make sure you save up by doing chores to get a starter set and save up to get new tracks, cars, and locomotives.
Great video
I mainly focus on N and O scales:
For N scale, I prefer Japanese models, and it's usually cheaper to import from Japan than buy locally, most of the time; the places I recommend are Plaza Japan, Model Trains Plus, and Suruga-ya. Trainz, eBay, and Amazon may have good deals as well if you know where to look. I typically go with KATO locomotives with TOMIX rolling stock, unless it's something that only one particular manufacturer offers such as themed trains. For track; I use both KATO Unitrack and TOMIX (both their old style, and the current 'Fine Track').
And for O gaue (not always technically O scale), I collect mostly vintage models from Lionel, American Flyer, Ives, Marx, Hornby, etc... Most of my O gauge stuff was made between the 1920's to the 1960's, with a few modern stuff mixed in. There's several places to buy from, but for starters, I recommend Trainz, eBay, or even local second-hand/antique shops. I use traditional tubular 3 rail O gauge track; obviously not very prototypical, but it's cheap and the customability options are limitless (plus that's what they were designed to be ran on).
I really enjoyed your video, it was very informative👍🤘💙
Im Also From NYC And This Will be cool if they made a NYC SUBWAY TRAIN
I do H0 scale, for any fans of european trains i reccomened Piko Hobby locomotives, they're very cheap and run very nicely.
Well done. Lots of useful info, good video etc.
This is so many model trains you have!
I don’t know if it’s just a problem that I’m having but here is a tip do not use cabooses because whenever I use them they don’t stay coupled forever I have one that will put my other one will immediately detach and I have no idea why cause it’s perfectly fine yeah it doesn’t stay shut
I highly reccomend buying used from hattons if you're within the eu, always great deals on locomotives and rolling stock
Also buying used in general is way cheaper, bit iffy with locomotives buy almost always a safe bet with rolling stock
You should make a Minecraft 53' Domestic Container Train tutorial carrying the containers that Union Pacific carries (EMP, UMAX, CSX intermodal, Pacer Stacktrain)!
Hey Craftyfoxe how's going? I noticed that your not uploading minecraft Tutorials in this channel anymore.
Wow they are really expensive...
Those who say that Gunpla or Warhammer 40K miniatures are plastic crack have never laid eyes on a ScaleTrains package.
Question: can i still order the models while i live in other countries like brazil, germany, thailand, poland?
EBAY, im from Argentina and im buy models in Ebay....
Same here in Australia
If you are in the Milwaukee area I would best recommend going to South Side Trains.
I have mainly 3 rail o gauge (Lionel) and also have some standard gauge, HO, N, G, and On30. I always liked MTH trains a lot. Very high quality and they are built like tanks.
You forgot about BLI, and also, everyone should start with DC just to understand operations and maintenance, then purchase a good DCC system. I use the NCE powercab and digitrax is good too
I was overjoyed to see it
First, nice vid
So i like Japanese trains. I made the mistake of liking HO stuff and it's very expensive from Japan.
The N scale over there is great and they constantly pump out like every prototype. It's kind of cool really
1:22 go to the big train show in Springfield at the end of January, there’s a guy that 3D prints body M8 body shells and I think he might be there. If not you might still be able to find someone else, or get contact info
IMO best place to buy model trains are local train shows. You can often get really good deals there
Idk if they have but, a would love if they have the legends AWVR 777 and 767, but i know it's hard for maybe copyright but atleast you can make your own AWVR locomotoves (7375 and the other one, 1206, 777, 767) i love ur vids
Most of my ho trains are Bachmann or tyco
I love model trains and have many happy HO purchases. I just wish i had more room to run them. 10% of a 10x12 apartment bedroom doesn't quite cut it.
A few years ago I started ho scale and I agree that it's the perfect size
Would love more videos like this
Great video how long did it take To make the video
I dont have much experience, but from that which I Do Have I'd say buying in person is my personal favorite thing to do if that is available to you. I buy from the Marklin Store in my cit and I always get good deals cause they have used items in good shape which tend to be cheaper than what I've seen online. I bought an old Märklin Br 103 for 70 Euros when a straight from the Production line one would have cost me 300 Euros.
Thats my mustard at least.
Were I live, we do not have stores that sale model trains. So every thing is on line or train shows.
Australian modeller is the best model train shop in Australia
If they don’t have something in store it’ll definitely be in their online shop which will arrive very quickly
In my area, there is only one shop that specializes primarily in HO called Engine House in Green Bay, Wi. it's a very small shop but there is so much stuff crammed inside, very dangerous for your wallet!. Other than that, Ebay has been very reliable for used locomotives along with the local club im a part of which is how I got my HO Rivarossi Union Pacific 4005 Big Boy for 50 bucks. Reason why it was so cheap is that it had some issues, that being all it needed was some new oil and grease in the gearboxes.
If you want a locomotive or rolling stock that doesn't exist you can ask scaletrains to make it and in a few months they might reply back to you that it will be considered.
Next make the casselton crash minecraft animation
The engines are bnsf 4934 C44-9W bnsf 5958 ES44AC bnsf 6684 ES44C4 bnsf 6990 ES44C4 bnsf 6833 ES44C4 and bnsf 6745 ES44C4
If you have a small space but want an intricate track set up, n scale is good. The bad thing is that their harder to handle, because of the fact that their smaller. I have more Ho scale than n scale, but I’m growing my n scale collection. Ho scale is great for a starter, and a model train enthusiast.
I have spent $1,478 (I think) dollars on HO scale trains and tracks my most expensive one was the V/line vlocity which was $600 my least expensive was the freight Australia P class Locomotives with Pacific national logos was $285 plus I got two NR class Locomotives a ex CFCLA C class Locomotives and 6 wagons three from SSR and the other three from PN/QUBE, yeah HO scale is really fun to have
I get most of my stuff on eBay or buy from friends at train meets
Here my advice to beginners
1. DCC consisting isn’t easy
A lot of people think that
Oh dcc should be easy if it’s the same locomotive
Well no
It has to be the same brand for it to work
I tried running my u28c and ac6000 both from southern pacific to run together at my model railroad club (Silicon Valley lines ) in San Jose
They both didn’t run well together
So I had to uncouple the lead locomotive and have my u28c #7155 drive the rest of the manifest train they were hauling the rest of the way