Copyright 2000 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved
The All Gauge Model Railroading Page Presents
What to do if your child has the
Hwo to keep your little railfans happy without breaking the bank
The neighbors' three year old nephew is an endearing little fellow. He's interested in everything. Any time he sees me working in the garage, he rushes over to watch. One of the things that he likes most is my garden railway. To James, it is the best thing in the world. Trains are something that James knows. He's a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine. It turns out that he is learning his alphabet from a book that shows letters on flat cars, to be hooked behind a locomotive.
My wife's cousin was visiting, and we arranged to meet her at a parade. She had her son, Robert, in tow. Robert wanted to see the fire trucks. He wore a plastic toy fireman's helmet. In his pocket were his favorite things: two diecast "Thomas" trains and a Matchbox fire truck. Like most boys, Robert's was fascinated with two thing: trains and fire engines.
Children are fascinated by big, loud, powerful things. Trains, fire trucks, army tanks, heavy construction vehicles and dinosaurs are awesome to the little ones. Take a small child to watch an excavation, and he will stand enthralled at the parade of front-loaders, landscapers and graders rumbling across the bare earth. Bring him to a train station and he will be thrilled as each train rumbles along the platform. And for those in the New York area, the American Museum of Natural History still wows them with its dinosaur collection.
There's a little boy who loves our website, but in a very specific way. He has seen all the train pictures and videos. They are "okay," but for him, a short clip of a Rock Island E7 running on our club's layout is the best thing. The boy doesn't know how to use the computer - his parents have to get him to the website - but once here, he will constantly replay that one clip. That's his favorite train. Since it's an old Marx, his parents had a tough time finding something comparable to run under the Yule tree.
An old trick on Staten Island was for a parent to take the wee ones on a "train ride." They'd hop on the SIRT, ride two or three stops, and then debark to catch the train coming the other way. Kids loved it. My friends used to do the old "bounceback" ride on NJ Transit, riding out from Hoboken to either Secaucus or Rutherford, timing it to catch the next inbound in a few minutes. For a small child, a train ride is magical.
What do you do if your child has been bitten by the train bug? If you're of my generation, it's no problem. We had trains as toys back then. Lionel, American Flyer and Marx were the biggest thing going. Real trains were more common sights, too. Our parents, whose generation also had toy trains, knew what to do with us. If you're from the generation that missed out on electric trains and real railroads, your child's interest might baffle you. What do you do to satisfy their interest in trains?
Children love trains. Boys and girls find them fascinating. To that end, several of the toymakers specializing in small children have made cute, battery-operated choo choos. Made by those specializing in baby toys, they are safe and fun. Another source of amusement are the Brio-type wooden train sets. Indeed, they are expensive. However, kids have hours of fun with them. The wooden and diecast Thomas the Tank Engine trains are very popular with kids age three and up. They are based on the "Shining Time Station" series, which intersperses scenes in a train station with clips of Thomas the Tank Engine trains. The trains themselves are large scale models. If you didn't know, Mr. Conductor has been played by Ringo Starr and George Carlin! William Baldwin played the role in a recent Thomas the Tank Engine movie. Children know all the ins and outs of the series. They know every character, every locomotive, every car and every other thing. Don't feel foolish if you cannot keep up with them. There are over fifty of them. Each one has a name and personality. And believe me, if your child is a serious fan of the show, he will want every one! They run about $5 apiece in diecast.
Since both the wood and diecast trains are made with safety in mind, you needn't worry too much. Children tend to treat their Tank Engine toys respectfully.
If your little ones pester you about train rides, there are some options. Local commuter lines are good for short trips or "bouncebacks" during the off-peak hours. Get a schedule and plan a short run where you can switch to a train coming the other way, after a short wait. It may seem plain to you, but to the kids, riding on a train is a fascinating experience.
Should there be no commuter lines, check out the railroad sites for any museum or tourist lines in your area. These specialty railroads are built to "show off their stuff," and they usually have regular rides in rebuilt passenger coaches. It is a place where the rug rats can get up close and personal with trains. (Our favorite is the Pine Creek Railway at Allaire State Park in NJ.) Many museum / tourist lines are associated with state parks, so check your state's tourist board for information. You can further amuse the kids by purchasing an engineer's cap for them in the museum shop. I'd caution about buying whistles......those things can drive a parent crazy after a while.
There's always the little train ride at the amusement park or carnival. Little kids love them, even if they only go around in a circle. To a small child, a train ride is a train ride, plain and simple.
If you have a safe place to watch local freight trains, it would be a good day out. However, freight roads are the most dangerous. Stay out of railroad property, and keep off the tracks. Modern trains can approach so swiftly and quietly that you don't hear them until it is too late. With a little one, stand off a minimum of fifty feet from tracks. If they decide to bolt toward the train, you have time to react. Kids don't always recognize the dangers. They think trains can stop on a dime.
One good place for kids to see trains is when you're stopped at a crossing. The little ones love watching the train pass, as well as the flashing lights and bells of crossing signals. Another good reason not to attempt to "beat the train."
There are several T.V. series about trains. The Discovery Channel's "Trains Unlimited" is one of the best. They use plenty of action footage, which kids enjoy immensely. Several other series are on various cable and PBS channels.
Train videos are abundant. Thomas the Tank Engine videos are available. You can also find excellent, entertaining videos of real trains. They are sold in hobby shops, railroad museum shops and over the Internet. Some are priced quite low. Since kids generally don't know one railroad from another - they only know colors and any unusual logos - videos of almost any railroad will suffice.
Model railroad clubs usually have shows two or three times a year. For a small entry fee, you get to see large model train layouts running several trains. Kids love them. They get to see trains at close range, in the safest place. The fellows running the trains are expert at what they do, so your little ones are assured of a good show. HO trains fascinate, but the ones that really wow children are the larger scales. O, O27 and G scale trains are big enough to look impressive. Kids love them. Add that most O Gauge clubs will usually put up one train with whimsical, animated action cars. The animated cars are not realistic, per se, but they are something that kids really love to see.
If you have a relative or friend who belongs to a club, you might be able to get a personal visit. The child may even get to operate a train, under the guidance of an experienced toy train operator. Of course, there might be a relative who has a train layout in his home. I hear many stories of kids being thrilled when they get to see "Grandpa's train set." The "train set" is usually a layout filled with action accessories.
For those whose children have the train bug, there are ways to amuse the kids. Museum and tourist lines and model railroad clubs are but one very affordable way. Real railroads also provide a thrill - just approach them with due caution! TV shows and videos allow children to enjoy railroad action at home. And then there are the many toy trains out there. Alas, the toys are what can put a crimp in your pocketbook!
If you are considering electric trains, please check our "Trains for Children" article in the Children's Section. For kids too young for full-blown electric trains, however, the many suggestions mentioned above can provide a convenient, cheap outlet for your child's case of the "train bug."