Need Info On Purchase

[Tennessee]

Hi Guys, Glad I found this forum. I am looking to purchase a train set to include with my Christmas Village. Wow, never dreamed it would be this difficult. Not sure what scale... What price range, don't want something that looks cheap. Found a "Nostalgic Heartland Express' on the net HO scale. Details were vaugue. Plastic? What kind of track, can I grow, expand it. Just don't know where to start. Wanted to ask the pro's. Any direction ya'll can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

[UP2CSX]

About what scale is your Christmas village? That sort of determines what scale train you'd want. If the buildings are near HO scale then an HO train makes s4ense. Most of the Christmas type buildings I've seen have been much larger then HO, more like G scale, which is pretty big. If you can provide measuremtns and a picture of one of your buildings, that would help.

 

[Tennessee]

Thanks Jim
My village building are about 8" in height. Don't think I nred the train to be to scale, really don't know. I read on the net that any of the train sets larger than HO look like toys? Is that true. Thanks for your help.

 

[mike8693]

98% of train sets are going to look like toys as thats what they are made to be, toys . Are you looking for something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Bachmann-G-Scale-Night-Before-Christmas-Train-Set_W0QQitemZ320300637869QQcmdZViewItem (G scale) to just circle the tree at Christmas or is this a normal train on a layout during Christmas? I definitely would go with S scale or larger if it is going under the tree or on the floor as the larger the scale generally the less its affected by uneven floors and crappy track.

 

[UP2CSX]

Eight inches is definitely closer to G scale the HO scale. A much smaller HO trains set running around a tree with buildings that big will be hardly noticeable. G scale will look much more appropriate and will really look good snaking its way between the village buildings and presents.

Bachmann actually makes some very well detailed G scale train sets. The Christmas theme sets are obviously more fantasy but they also make other sets that represent real railroads if you think you might want to expand or just like that look better. As Mike also said, the track is less affected by carpet and uneven floors and will run way better than an HO scale set.

 

[jayl1]

Would a Bachmann ON30 set fit the bill here?

 

[UP2CSX]

On30 is the right size in terms of rolling stock but it still uses HO track. The smaller the track, the bigger the rolling stock, and the more uneven the track surface, the more derailments you'll have. If you're going to spend the money on On30, I see no reason not to get G scale.

 

[Trussrod]

I would think that no matter what scale is decided upon that a piece of plywood our OSB about 1/2" thick board would be used to lay the track on, with the tree in the middle or there about, for a firm base to secure the track to. This would aleviate all the hassels of an uneven base.