Newbie here. We enjoy Garden Trains and would like to get our family started in this hobby. Inside first though.
We are thinking of buying a couple year old Christmas Holiday Express/Trolley set. After doing our research it looks like it was sold at Sam's in 2006. Our goal is to have the train RUN. The set is handsome but we want it to work.
1. Are these sets as quality as the G sets like the Pennsylvania Flyer? Why would they be sold around $150 when the other sets retail in the $300-400's?
2. What are your opinions on steel alloy track? This track comes with the set---40 feet of it. Our concern is that Aristo-craft track is reported (by some people online) as being more usable. Will this steel alloy type of track require very gentle care indoors? (kid friendly?) Since we are going used would it be better to get the Bachmann garden Thomas (new online) and buy the Aristo-craft track.
3. What is the track that experienced individuals end up going with? Balancing cost and ease of use.
We have had some inexpensive ($50--60 on sale ) sets under the tree in the past. I think they were mostly plastic and the track would have linking pieces break off when trying to put together. Am I going to have the same problems?
Thanks for reading. I looked through the forums and found references to the train we are thinking about buying and learned a great deal, and that knowledge spurred the above questions.
We are thinking of buying a couple year old Christmas Holiday Express/Trolley set. After doing our research it looks like it was sold at Sam's in 2006. Our goal is to have the train RUN. The set is handsome but we want it to work.
1. Are these sets as quality as the G sets like the Pennsylvania Flyer? Why would they be sold around $150 when the other sets retail in the $300-400's?
2. What are your opinions on steel alloy track? This track comes with the set---40 feet of it. Our concern is that Aristo-craft track is reported (by some people online) as being more usable. Will this steel alloy type of track require very gentle care indoors? (kid friendly?) Since we are going used would it be better to get the Bachmann garden Thomas (new online) and buy the Aristo-craft track.
3. What is the track that experienced individuals end up going with? Balancing cost and ease of use.
We have had some inexpensive ($50--60 on sale ) sets under the tree in the past. I think they were mostly plastic and the track would have linking pieces break off when trying to put together. Am I going to have the same problems?
Thanks for reading. I looked through the forums and found references to the train we are thinking about buying and learned a great deal, and that knowledge spurred the above questions.