Hey everyone, Im new here but not to trains. Since my childhood, I have recieved several sets from my parents/grandparents and also puchased a few with my own money. The issue is they are from different companys and on different scales. I feel that once I live on my own and when I have the time and money to really get into this, I will want to have a guage and a company chosen to move forward with. Here is what I have
1) LGB Amtrak Started Set (2 power cars (one actually has a motor), 1 first class cabin, 1 second class cabin, and one dining car)
2) Lionel New York Central Freight Set with Railsounds-complete with track and transformer
3) K-Line (Lionel) Empire Builder (1 locomotive, 1 baggage/first class car, 1 domed car, one streamlined end paasenger car)
And here is the big thing...my Grandfather is a HUGE lionel train collector and is giving away all of his sets...and me one! The problem is...they are Standard Guage...which I probobly wont be able to run. I am getting his Hiawatha set...which is worth a lot of money. It is cool to be able to show but I wont be able to run it.
So what do you guys think? What should I stick with? I have a decent amount of track for both LGB and Lionel. Since LGB has had huge financial problems...should I bet on Lionel expecting it to last a lot longer?
One possiblility I am considering is selling all my LGB products...Trains...transformers...and tracks while they are still worth somethign....AND, maybe even sell my Hiawatha and buy it in O Guage with the metel cars. As long as it is basicly the same train in a different guage, I will still be able to remember my Grandfather with it but if it is only increasing in value both sentimental and financial, maybe I should just keep it for show. So then with all the LGB gone, I can use that money towards buying the Lionel Amtrak Acela Express that I have allways wanted. So give me your thoughts on what you would do if you were me.
Which one should I pick? Should I consider HO or G instead? Is lionel a bad choice? I do consider Garden Railroading would be fun but outdorr sets get old and need to be replaced so it may be impractical for me even with G Guage...
But yes, I would really appreciate your feedback
1) LGB Amtrak Started Set (2 power cars (one actually has a motor), 1 first class cabin, 1 second class cabin, and one dining car)
2) Lionel New York Central Freight Set with Railsounds-complete with track and transformer
3) K-Line (Lionel) Empire Builder (1 locomotive, 1 baggage/first class car, 1 domed car, one streamlined end paasenger car)
And here is the big thing...my Grandfather is a HUGE lionel train collector and is giving away all of his sets...and me one! The problem is...they are Standard Guage...which I probobly wont be able to run. I am getting his Hiawatha set...which is worth a lot of money. It is cool to be able to show but I wont be able to run it.
So what do you guys think? What should I stick with? I have a decent amount of track for both LGB and Lionel. Since LGB has had huge financial problems...should I bet on Lionel expecting it to last a lot longer?
One possiblility I am considering is selling all my LGB products...Trains...transformers...and tracks while they are still worth somethign....AND, maybe even sell my Hiawatha and buy it in O Guage with the metel cars. As long as it is basicly the same train in a different guage, I will still be able to remember my Grandfather with it but if it is only increasing in value both sentimental and financial, maybe I should just keep it for show. So then with all the LGB gone, I can use that money towards buying the Lionel Amtrak Acela Express that I have allways wanted. So give me your thoughts on what you would do if you were me.
Which one should I pick? Should I consider HO or G instead? Is lionel a bad choice? I do consider Garden Railroading would be fun but outdorr sets get old and need to be replaced so it may be impractical for me even with G Guage...
But yes, I would really appreciate your feedback