I model N scale. I recommend Kato and Fox Valley Models to start out. Kato has fantastic locomotives and passenger stock, Fox Valley Models have great freight stock. Kato unitrack is also fantastic for both N scale and HO scale.
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.
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 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 have been a model railroader for well... about 20 years now. I'm still young, but started trains at a young age. I personally believe in cheap model railroading. I buy a lot of used, but high quality equipment. For example, I bought and fixed a rejected bachmann DCC Sound berkshire for about $60 bucks. I had to fix it, but it's a huge savings. Local hobby shops are a very hand tool for building layouts and actually seeing the product. I admit, I work in a hobby shop. We are not always as cheap as online, but the main draw is that we can answer questions. I personally like stopping by other hobby shops on trips to see what they have. You never know what you'll come across.
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.
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
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
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.
I’ve been in the hobby for about a year and four months as of now, (particularly ho scale) but I don’t have many locomotives that are nice. Probably spent about $300 total for like 6 pretty nice locomotives (although most of those are over a decade old) Along with those, I’ve probably spent about $200 among 20 more locomotives that either ran badly or didn’t run, and fixed them. An interesting part of the hobby is seeing a 60 year old locomotive that probably hasn’t run for 30 years start going again, even if it’s not the most beautiful thing in existence. I’ve probably put only $50 into rolling stock because I had a decent amount of cars as well as 6 locomotives passed down to me by my grampy. A lot of the stuff I’ve got would be considered trash by most modelers, but I just like that i can go get a 70 year old steam engine that I purchased for $5 and brought back from the dead and it will run fine.
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
Factory Direct Hobbies is a great one, you accumulate points as you buy stuff which you then can use as discounts towards your future purchases, but always support your local hobby shop!
FDH is great but you gotta stay on top of them sometimes. They've missed a few of my preorders - in spite of putting the models in stock for general puropse, and will not tell you if they can't fulfill your order. At least their prices and deals tend to be quite good.
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.
Excellent video! Yes model trains are expensive, but it's also a hobby that can last decades. I still have model trains from the 1980's--a few are still running. Also, if you build a layout, realize it takes time to build. Start small, build as you can afford. Learn along the way. Model railroading is fun! It's also a fun hobby to share with family and friends.
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.
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.
@@LaneMphoto09it is in terms of money Some ho scale trains cost more with sound and dcc While it being just dcc with no sound causes a tiny bit less than what it would cost for a buget modeler
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.😅
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.
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.
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 an O gauge train that was passed down to me from my grandfather. I use it around the Christmas tree, and the train is either 29 or 30 years old because it was built in 1993. It's basically a gem to me.
1 some model train online shops have reward programs when you shop with them. 2 I mostly buy European models, and honestly if you want model trains, start with a budget set before going onto a scale model. It gives you alot of learning experience for a cheaper price. I recently picked up a decent size European starter set that included a larger 0-8-0 tender locomotive with 5 freight cars with metal wheels for only $120, an 0-4-0 Christmas locomotive with 3 festive cars ($85), and a decent sized industrial layout with curved turnouts. The track doesn't have roadbed though but it will be used on a semi permanent layout that is on hardwood so the gear trains don't pickup dust.
this is a great video for new people on model trains and you did it with H O trains i love the video keep it up im now subscribed hope to see more videos llike this
If you want to save hella cash you need to go to swap meets, they usually have insane deals (half off or more) on everything, i got 2 dcc locos for 60 each! i got a trailer car set for 25$ some boxcars for about 6$ each. i spent 200$ on 2 locos, a 5 car spline set, 8 box cars and 4 passenger cars. It is insanely important to do this if you want to save money. If you don't want to spend money on track make sure to join a club. They usually have huge layouts you cant make yourself for maybe 20$ a month or less. It helps to get to know people there as they usually know more than you and can help you fix issues that crop up. Auctions on ebay can be a way to get cheap trains but make sure to read the description so you don't end up with the wrong thing. Happy railroading
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 !!!👍
Model trains are so fun, I did grow up with them since I asked my parents for a set when I was young. One year I managed to get a Lionel Polar Express for $16 on a black friday deal. $16 brand new. That was insane, and I loved it. I watched O scale 3 rail stuff on TH-cam before but this was new to me in person. When I got into full scale models I went with the 3 rail O, but I still have a small table with 2 HO gauge tracks and 1 N gauge track, though I only have digital control for O gauge. My favorite online stores are Trainworld, Legacy Station & Mr. Muffins Trains.
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 tend to collect vintage model railroad cars and run them behind modern dcc locomotives so I tend to use eBay for rolling stock and sometimes the locomotives, although usually I use hobby shops. Since I’m limited on the amount of money I tend to buy Bachmann products, usually keeping to the Spectrum models as those are usually dcc ready or equipped.
I love model train stuff, I live in Baltimore so I usually just drive up to their warehouse and pick up my order it's delightful and the staff there are so friendly! Also there a great tabletop game store less than a mile away with a fantastic selection of paints & supplies plus they even have painting stations for customers to use if you don't have an airbrush or specialty tool.
I don't own many model trains, but I do build models of tractor trailers in HO scale. I've flipped through the Pacific Fast Mail brochures from the 60's and I'm blown away with the detail in some of the brass models PFM imported. United and Tenshodo seemed to be the main brands they carried but I'm also aware of other PFM lines consisting of models from Sakura and Toby Kogyo, whose models were a part of the PFM "Crown" line. My mother has a model railroad in our basement and I've tried to interest her in buying some PFM locos. The only advice I can offer to model railroaders comes on the front of adding vehicles to your layout. It can really help if you go the extra mile to study the cars and trucks of the era that your layout depicts, as well as the location you model. For example, a 1950's Peterbilt would look out of place on a NY Central layout but would be perfectly at home on a Southern Pacific layout. Also, study the various options you have for vehicles, especially in HO. There are often companies who will sell more detailed versions of the same truck, for example, a CMC or Boley Peterbilt is far superior to a Promotex Peterbilt in the same scale. You can also buy special rims and other detail parts to make the vehicles just as realistic as the trains. But also look at cheaper vehicles you can buy for your layout. The Matchbox "convoy" trucks will look at home on an HO layout, and the new Micro Machines are close to HO scale too.
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
It's simple go to antique stores and Swap meets or as other may call them flee markets. I've bought plenty of trains for $20 or $40 bucks knowing there worth a lot more.
Something to keep in mind, if your looking for something custom be it a unique engine or rolling stock or something that's out of manufacture; you can reach out to a small 3D printing company. I've done a couple of custom orders for members of the Topeka Model Railroaders club where I designed and printed replacement parts for older rolling stock, and custom designed and printed 16 30ft long HO scale log cars with optional bunks so you could customize the placement of the bunks. All together it totaled 360 dollars, which works out to 22.50 per car for a custom designed car! If there's interest, feel free to reach out!
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.
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.
I've loved trains since I was like 2 or something and I still haven't gotten a proper layout in 17 years since. However there's a game called rolling line and it's been awesome to visualize and plan what I want to achieve and it's a superb way to get a similar feeling on a budget until I have the funds and space for a table
I've been model railroading ever since I was six or five years old and now I'm twelve years old my local train store is what has proved me with all my products except for two of my items which I got from online. All the freight car in the ho scale section are between 30 to 100 dollars depends on what your getting recently I went and got some athearn genesis tanker cars which were in a 3 pack it was $170 if I got them separately then I would have cost at least $200 because a single tanker car was $63 $64 dollar and locomotives are over $200 $300 dollars and steam locomotives are OVER $500 $600 I got my Union Pacific EMD SD90MAC-H2 in 2021 for $275 plus tax and and I saw a CSX ET44AH for $250 and I got the Union Pacific locomotive because the it had that bright livery unlike the CSX locomotive which its livery was very dark and in the night time I had a feeling that it would be camouflaged.
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.
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
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.
Going to shout out my friend’s company Mario’s Trains. They specialize in O scale products but they have N and HO as well. No tax, free shipping, and located in Winchester VA.
hi, have you ever considered using a Tomix Power Unit? The Tomix Power Unit 5517 has what they call a CL (Constant Lighting) funtion, so you can have the trains headlights on while stationary, it even has delayed acceleration and deceleration, so its almost like running DCC 😀
I model ho scale I use a in person shop called the train shop In Santa Clara California They have G scale ho scale O scale and n scale The even have toy trains for little kids There is a massive glass box full of diesel and steam locomotives There was a ho scale f59 PH for $140 it was really cheap considering they are very popular and have expensive dcc sounds For steam locomotives the pricing depend on how much detail and working parts there are I’m up 4014 it’s $750 almost 800 because it’s a really popular locomotive It’s a 4 -8-8-4 steam locomotive with tons of detail That’s why they are so rare in the model train world I have been trying to get a steam locomotive for years but all I got were diesel locomotives from the southern pacific
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
Its a little late now but model trains are highly addictive, it starts small then the next thing you know your dropping 2k per locomotive on g scale,,,,run!
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.
Another good place to buy them is train shows, bring your little cousin or something and have him buy the trains, you can get pretty good deals from older vendors lmao
Another bonus to ebay is if you're locomotive brakes down you can always find replacement parts also some model trains aren't quite as expensive (some older models) and at train shows you can find them pretty cheap
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 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
Intermountain does have a “Value Line” fyi! Good info in this video. I would highly recommend the KATO track, wish I would have started with that over Bachmann.
I will also jump in and add that Model Train shows are awesome places to learn and get good deals on used, and even new models. Also, most trains that are new and just DC can easily be upgraded to DCC non sound by these locomotives coming equipped with a pin that the decoder plugs into. If not, you can hardwire decoders in, which is done in most models. A non sound dcc decoder can cost as little as $20 and a really nice sound decoder can cost $150. Also if you don't have the space for a layout, look for a local museum or model railroad club you can join.
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
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
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 model N scale. I recommend Kato and Fox Valley Models to start out. Kato has fantastic locomotives and passenger stock, Fox Valley Models have great freight stock. Kato unitrack is also fantastic for both N scale and HO scale.
I also model n scale. I usually buy locomotives from Kato. I buy rolling stock from Fox Valley Models.
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.
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 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 have been a model railroader for well... about 20 years now. I'm still young, but started trains at a young age. I personally believe in cheap model railroading. I buy a lot of used, but high quality equipment. For example, I bought and fixed a rejected bachmann DCC Sound berkshire for about $60 bucks. I had to fix it, but it's a huge savings.
Local hobby shops are a very hand tool for building layouts and actually seeing the product. I admit, I work in a hobby shop. We are not always as cheap as online, but the main draw is that we can answer questions. I personally like stopping by other hobby shops on trips to see what they have. You never know what you'll come across.
I modeling new Zealand railway in 1 64 scale on ho gange track and graymouth to rewanui in 1966 to 1980
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 got a ho scale southern pacific tunnel motor for $95 dallors
It was dcc but with the addition of a decoder it now has dcc
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
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
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.
I’ve been in the hobby for about a year and four months as of now, (particularly ho scale) but I don’t have many locomotives that are nice. Probably spent about $300 total for like 6 pretty nice locomotives (although most of those are over a decade old) Along with those, I’ve probably spent about $200 among 20 more locomotives that either ran badly or didn’t run, and fixed them. An interesting part of the hobby is seeing a 60 year old locomotive that probably hasn’t run for 30 years start going again, even if it’s not the most beautiful thing in existence. I’ve probably put only $50 into rolling stock because I had a decent amount of cars as well as 6 locomotives passed down to me by my grampy. A lot of the stuff I’ve got would be considered trash by most modelers, but I just like that i can go get a 70 year old steam engine that I purchased for $5 and brought back from the dead and it will run fine.
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
Factory Direct Hobbies is a great one, you accumulate points as you buy stuff which you then can use as discounts towards your future purchases, but always support your local hobby shop!
FDH is great but you gotta stay on top of them sometimes. They've missed a few of my preorders - in spite of putting the models in stock for general puropse, and will not tell you if they can't fulfill your order. At least their prices and deals tend to be quite good.
I been in this hobby since I was 12 and living in Chicago and going to Lombard hobbies never disappoints
7:09 my favorite one is just amazon there isnt the best stuff but its still good they have kato, bachmann, athearn, walthers, and lionel
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 live close to Lombard Hobbies and I have gotten a few things for there and I think they are a great store.
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.
Excellent video! Yes model trains are expensive, but it's also a hobby that can last decades. I still have model trains from the 1980's--a few are still running. Also, if you build a layout, realize it takes time to build. Start small, build as you can afford. Learn along the way. Model railroading is fun! It's also a fun hobby to share with family and friends.
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.
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 😂😂😂
@@LaneMphoto09it is in terms of money
Some ho scale trains cost more with sound and dcc
While it being just dcc with no sound causes a tiny bit less than what it would cost for a buget modeler
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.😅
You can also buy DCC ready locomotives and add in DCC yourself for cheaper than already made dcc and sound locomotives.
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.
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.
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
Midwest Model RR is one of my favorite model train stores since it happens to be located in my hometown. I do like their selection.
You should do a video of you visiting trainworld in New York
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
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 an O gauge train that was passed down to me from my grandfather. I use it around the Christmas tree, and the train is either 29 or 30 years old because it was built in 1993. It's basically a gem to me.
Hello fellow model railroader and Wings of fire fan.
@@believeinthelostengine3326 hello!
I live in Canada/Québec and my fovarite store is MaxTrain or Walthers
1 some model train online shops have reward programs when you shop with them.
2 I mostly buy European models, and honestly if you want model trains, start with a budget set before going onto a scale model. It gives you alot of learning experience for a cheaper price. I recently picked up a decent size European starter set that included a larger 0-8-0 tender locomotive with 5 freight cars with metal wheels for only $120, an 0-4-0 Christmas locomotive with 3 festive cars ($85), and a decent sized industrial layout with curved turnouts. The track doesn't have roadbed though but it will be used on a semi permanent layout that is on hardwood so the gear trains don't pickup dust.
this is a great video for new people on model trains and you did it with H O trains i love the video keep it up im now subscribed hope to see more videos llike this
I buy o scale, and Lionel’s tiers are, VisionLine, Legacy, and LionChief
I would recommend train show I got a 300$ A AND B unit from KATO for only 80$ it was a huge steal
If you want to save hella cash you need to go to swap meets, they usually have insane deals (half off or more) on everything, i got 2 dcc locos for 60 each! i got a trailer car set for 25$ some boxcars for about 6$ each. i spent 200$ on 2 locos, a 5 car spline set, 8 box cars and 4 passenger cars. It is insanely important to do this if you want to save money. If you don't want to spend money on track make sure to join a club. They usually have huge layouts you cant make yourself for maybe 20$ a month or less. It helps to get to know people there as they usually know more than you and can help you fix issues that crop up. Auctions on ebay can be a way to get cheap trains but make sure to read the description so you don't end up with the wrong thing. Happy railroading
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 !!!👍
Model trains are so fun, I did grow up with them since I asked my parents for a set when I was young. One year I managed to get a Lionel Polar Express for $16 on a black friday deal. $16 brand new. That was insane, and I loved it. I watched O scale 3 rail stuff on TH-cam before but this was new to me in person. When I got into full scale models I went with the 3 rail O, but I still have a small table with 2 HO gauge tracks and 1 N gauge track, though I only have digital control for O gauge. My favorite online stores are Trainworld, Legacy Station & Mr. Muffins Trains.
*the bots are coming for modelers now too*
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 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 tend to collect vintage model railroad cars and run them behind modern dcc locomotives so I tend to use eBay for rolling stock and sometimes the locomotives, although usually I use hobby shops. Since I’m limited on the amount of money I tend to buy Bachmann products, usually keeping to the Spectrum models as those are usually dcc ready or equipped.
I love model train stuff, I live in Baltimore so I usually just drive up to their warehouse and pick up my order it's delightful and the staff there are so friendly! Also there a great tabletop game store less than a mile away with a fantastic selection of paints & supplies plus they even have painting stations for customers to use if you don't have an airbrush or specialty tool.
note: this is the american version, if you're british, (like me) just go to hornby, hornby railroads or Bachmann mainline
This is really good if your looking for model trains
I don't own many model trains, but I do build models of tractor trailers in HO scale. I've flipped through the Pacific Fast Mail brochures from the 60's and I'm blown away with the detail in some of the brass models PFM imported. United and Tenshodo seemed to be the main brands they carried but I'm also aware of other PFM lines consisting of models from Sakura and Toby Kogyo, whose models were a part of the PFM "Crown" line. My mother has a model railroad in our basement and I've tried to interest her in buying some PFM locos.
The only advice I can offer to model railroaders comes on the front of adding vehicles to your layout. It can really help if you go the extra mile to study the cars and trucks of the era that your layout depicts, as well as the location you model. For example, a 1950's Peterbilt would look out of place on a NY Central layout but would be perfectly at home on a Southern Pacific layout. Also, study the various options you have for vehicles, especially in HO. There are often companies who will sell more detailed versions of the same truck, for example, a CMC or Boley Peterbilt is far superior to a Promotex Peterbilt in the same scale. You can also buy special rims and other detail parts to make the vehicles just as realistic as the trains. But also look at cheaper vehicles you can buy for your layout. The Matchbox "convoy" trucks will look at home on an HO layout, and the new Micro Machines are close to HO scale too.
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
It's simple go to antique stores and Swap meets or as other may call them flee markets. I've bought plenty of trains for $20 or $40 bucks knowing there worth a lot more.
Something to keep in mind, if your looking for something custom be it a unique engine or rolling stock or something that's out of manufacture; you can reach out to a small 3D printing company. I've done a couple of custom orders for members of the Topeka Model Railroaders club where I designed and printed replacement parts for older rolling stock, and custom designed and printed 16 30ft long HO scale log cars with optional bunks so you could customize the placement of the bunks. All together it totaled 360 dollars, which works out to 22.50 per car for a custom designed car! If there's interest, feel free to reach out!
I was thinking of starting model trains as a hobby, I usually use the wooden ones, this video was really helpful, thanks!
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.
Were I live, we do not have stores that sale model trains. So every thing is on line or train shows.
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.
I just got my first model yesterday at a thrift store it’s an athearn drgw gp40-2
I've loved trains since I was like 2 or something and I still haven't gotten a proper layout in 17 years since. However there's a game called rolling line and it's been awesome to visualize and plan what I want to achieve and it's a superb way to get a similar feeling on a budget until I have the funds and space for a table
I've been model railroading ever since I was six or five years old and now I'm twelve years old my local train store is what has proved me with all my products except for two of my items which I got from online. All the freight car in the ho scale section are between 30 to 100 dollars depends on what your getting recently I went and got some athearn genesis tanker cars which were in a 3 pack it was $170 if I got them separately then I would have cost at least $200 because a single tanker car was $63 $64 dollar and locomotives are over $200 $300 dollars and steam locomotives are OVER $500 $600 I got my Union Pacific EMD SD90MAC-H2 in 2021 for $275 plus tax and and I saw a CSX ET44AH for $250 and I got the Union Pacific locomotive because the it had that bright livery unlike the CSX locomotive which its livery was very dark and in the night time I had a feeling that it would be camouflaged.
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.
my son his favorite train in the world is a CSX 5293 ES44DC
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.
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!
I don't think you mentioned Broadway Limited
Train shows are also a good way to get model trains. I pretty much always find a good deal on something cool.
Highly recommend using Broadway Limited Imports for buying Steam Units. They have the best stuff as far as I have seen
Hey Craftyfoxe how's going? I noticed that your not uploading minecraft Tutorials in this channel anymore.
Hey, here’s a suggestion for a build; New Zealand railways number 949. I would love to see it!
I work at a modeltrain store in the Netherlands. But we have other brands like: Märklin/Trix, Roco/Fleischmann, Piko and Artitec.
I found that train shows can also be a good place to find good prices on some things
I use HO and my time I am runing is around early 2000's brilingtun northern santa fe
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
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.
“Model trains are expensive” *laughs in L gauge* I need help....
I've been hoping for a brand to build some Metro-North M-7's and M-8's. I'm hoping for some more Metro-North P32's to be built too
Going to shout out my friend’s company Mario’s Trains. They specialize in O scale products but they have N and HO as well.
No tax, free shipping, and located in Winchester VA.
I get most of my stuff on eBay or buy from friends at train meets
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.
hi, have you ever considered using a Tomix Power Unit?
The Tomix Power Unit 5517 has what they call a CL (Constant Lighting) funtion, so you can have the trains headlights on while stationary,
it even has delayed acceleration and deceleration, so its almost like running DCC 😀
I model ho scale
I use a in person shop called the train shop
In Santa Clara California
They have G scale ho scale O scale and n scale
The even have toy trains for little kids
There is a massive glass box full of diesel and steam locomotives
There was a ho scale f59 PH for $140 it was really cheap considering they are very popular and have expensive dcc sounds
For steam locomotives the pricing depend on how much detail and working parts there are
I’m up 4014 it’s $750 almost 800 because it’s a really popular locomotive
It’s a 4 -8-8-4 steam locomotive with tons of detail
That’s why they are so rare in the model train world
I have been trying to get a steam locomotive for years but all I got were diesel locomotives from the southern pacific
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
I have a HO scale layout inside of a O scale layout and I buy 90% of my stuff used on eBay and it usually always works out great! awesome video
Its a little late now but model trains are highly addictive, it starts small then the next thing you know your dropping 2k per locomotive on g scale,,,,run!
as a person who actually has gone to lombard hobbies, they have the widest selection ive seen. there is a ton of HO and N scale
I bought a septa Kawasaki Trolley for 150 however the manufacturer lowered the price a week later
This is so many model trains you have!
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.
Another good place to buy them is train shows, bring your little cousin or something and have him buy the trains, you can get pretty good deals from older vendors lmao
Another bonus to ebay is if you're locomotive brakes down you can always find replacement parts also some model trains aren't quite as expensive (some older models) and at train shows you can find them pretty cheap
Appreciate the NJ transit set you got! Used to ride it all the time in highschool/college
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 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
Intermountain does have a “Value Line” fyi! Good info in this video. I would highly recommend the KATO track, wish I would have started with that over Bachmann.
I will also jump in and add that Model Train shows are awesome places to learn and get good deals on used, and even new models. Also, most trains that are new and just DC can easily be upgraded to DCC non sound by these locomotives coming equipped with a pin that the decoder plugs into. If not, you can hardwire decoders in, which is done in most models. A non sound dcc decoder can cost as little as $20 and a really nice sound decoder can cost $150. Also if you don't have the space for a layout, look for a local museum or model railroad club you can join.
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
Scaletrains & athearn genesis are the best places to buy model trains that's were I get mine from
First, nice vid
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
Are you going to get any more British models?
I have been in the hobby for a while now and the app/website I use the most is Lombard hobbies.
I live somewhat close to a physical model train shop. I assume I can get good model trains there to?
So n scale 1067mm track is 1:150 and 1435mm track is 1:160