Advice needed for 5 year old running trains in "training"

Great photo. The look on his face says it all.

I think this is the shot where my son is directing me to add the caboose after the cut of cars are added.

And yes he has stated that all trains assembled on the layout will use his caboose...

 

J Daddy, I had my 4 year old grandson standing on a chair running a train using Cab 1.  I did however have the other cab 1 in my hand with my finger on the emergency shut off.  Speed is real enticing to a youngster!  Have fun.

LOL... I have a emergency cut off remote on me and stay next to him in case things get out of hand.

It would be nice to have, say a nice looking scale engine with background sounds with just the bell and whistle or horn / whistle.

 

Just buy items you don't mind if they break. Let them learn and you guide But recognize they may break allot a long the way. The best train we ever purchased for our kid was a Thomas the tank train that had no motor or sound. You just pushed it along the floor. He spent untold hours with that train. I spent them right along side of him laughing giggling and having the finest time in my life. Today we still have that old beat up train and it is a prized position. By the way, You kids are cute as a button! 

if it wasn't for the fact of wanting to use the legacy remote I would suggest a lionchief plus diesel.  They have slow speeds, sounds, and an easy remote.  And the videos I've seen show them pulling a lot of cars with out problem.

 

I'm not sure how inexpensive you are looking, but I've seen legacy diesels that are used go for under $300.

 

You could also get a sound board from ERR and add it to one of your older locos.

 

just ideas...

The Lionel chief was a candidate but lost due to having to have a unique remote, which will get misplaced,  I was looking for something in the way of Railsounds 2 or later... lots of stuff made between 2000 to now that Lionel made, which one had really good sounds?

What does Rail king have? Can he run it conventionally and have a bell and whistle to ring via the legacy or TMCC remote? How about proto-sounds?

 

If I upgrade a Weaver Brass or Williams Brass with TMCC, what is a good one to do?

 

Thanks for the ideas...

The new Lionel chief though is a real winner... I like the 2-8-2,

sound is great. Can it be upgraded with an R4 board? with a scale smoke box front and head lamp it would look great...

 

I read through all the way to the railking question. If you can run conventional, any PS2 loco has the same EXCELLENT slow speed control, as thier most expensive engine. They will creep along and pull pretty well. I forget if you mentioned steam or diesel, but if steam, any 2-8-0 starter set engine will definetly  work. I run the Rudolph RTR 2-8-0 for hours pulling 15 boxcars at 5smph. My diesel GP9 crept along all Christmas with 7 passenger cars, a box car and a Jordan spreader up front at 3 to 4 smph. Because of the inherent speed control, you get the same response in conventional mode. AND the starter set locos have serious heft to them.

Thanks Marty, what sound functions can I opperate via the Cab 1 and Cab2?

The Cab-1 is the ticket for simple... my grandson started that way and slowly progressed to the Cab-2 Legacy remote. Once he knew what the buttons on the Cab-1 did it was easier to show him the same function on the Legacy remote.
As far as remembering all the buttons on the Cab-2 ...
I have a problem with that also.

I would second what Marty said. Any starter set engine would work. Better if it had Trainsounds. That would give you chuff, whistle and bell plus a few announcements. I picked up a new starter set 0-8-0 with trainsounds for less than 100 bucks. If you wanted to use a Cab1 you would need a Powermaster or TPC or functioning ZW-C.

 

Pete

John,  I bought Jack a Lionchief Plus GP7.  The remote is smaller, less buttons and more intuitive for a little guy.  So far he is having a real blast with it.

 

 

 

 

Sorry J daddy. My thought was you could control the loco in conventional mode. That would give you chuff bell and whistle. The conventionally controlled other sounds on railking, are a function of timing bell and whistle taps. I have trouble with them, so for your needs they wont do much. The MTH remote (again something else to lose) would add to the sounds, but you would still need a ttack you could run conventionally

J Daddy I have an idea for an engine for you that would work with the Cab 1 or cab 2 I have a Weaver ( gear driven not the drive shaft that every one had problems with ) that I put tmcc in and railsounds it has coil couplers, crew talk, tower com, directional lighting, engine revs . If your interested contact me through my contact as it might be just what you need it is Burlington rd name. only problem I know about it is the long end the decal number boards are missing. other than that its a great runner. It's a sd40 nice looking engine. 

Thanks rtrain collector I will send you a note for some details... lots of questions.

 

 

I can't answer your questions to upgrades.

And I believe you would get whistle and bell with mth running it conventionally. I have legacy and a zw-l but no mth engine to test or I would. But I would think it to be the same as running any conventional engine through the remote using power from zwl

Lion chief plus engines can also be run conventionally. Then you would get sounds still also. (Long as it is a plus engine).

Charlie,

How old is your son again? He looks like he is having a ball.

What happens when you lose or break the remote? Cab 1 to the rescue?

What happens when another GP7 is brought into the mix?

Thanks guys,

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Lion chief plus engines can also be run conventionally. Then you would get sounds still also. (Long as it is a plus engine)."

 

This  is good information to know... thanks jrmertz.

 

maybe lionchief is the way to go?

does have legacy speed steps or Tmcc?

 

I would agree with most of what has been said here.  It's been a struggle getting my 8 year old to wrap his brain around DCS.  I wish I would have started simple.  

 

My only other advice:  buy Tylenol- use judiciously.  

From my understanding it does not have speed steps like legacy or tmcc.

I do not have one to give more info, wish I did. I just know it would be one of the trains I would consider for my kid when I hopefilly have one so thought I'd share my thoughts. I'm sure more people here could tell more. Lots of forum members have purchased the lionchief plus engines.

Only LionChief+ can be run conventionally.  LionChief locomotives only work with the remote.  As for adding additional locomotives, if they are the same Lionel catalog number, then the remote is the same, as in both will respond to either remote.  This is fine for double heading if you don't mind that they have the same road number.  But if you want to run them independent, you have to get a different catalog number, which at this point would mean a different road name.

You can not control them with the Cab-1 or 2 remotes directly, only indirectly the LionChief+ units via track voltage when the locomotive is in conventional mode.  There are video showing that they have decent slow speed, but they do not have speed steps per say.

If you lose or break the remote, you can get a replacement from Lionel.

 

I do not own any LionChief or LionChief+ locomotives, and what I shared above could be wrong, but this is what I have learned trying to research these locomotives for my own little guy (2 year old now.) that really seems to like trains and remotes (If I leave my Cab-1 unattended for even one second, he's got it and is off like a flash pushing buttons and turning the big red knob.  He loves that big read knob.).

"(If I leave my Cab-1 unattended for even one second, he's got it and is off like a flash pushing buttons and turning the big red knob.  He loves that big read knob.)"

 

LOL... My son is pretty good about asking when it comes to running the trains. I even told him there certain cars that he can play with and certain cars that are "fragile", meaning he can only play with them if Dad is with him... tough to say no, but he has broken a few die cast vehicles that are getting expensive to replace.

 

I was looking at the Pennsylvania 2-8-2 LionChief, nice sound, effects and looks proportionally good. However I don't need a set. Price I thinking of paying is 100 to 150 max.  Can you buy just the engine and a remote?

 

Does this need a 'base' to communicate to the engine?

 

Thanks guys ... great info...

 

 

John, Jack is 5. 

 

I'm not too worried about another GP7 or losing the remote.  The engine is a great little runner!

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but if you lose or break the lionchief plus remote you have to buy another as cab 1 or cab 2 can not operate it. 

It's a great set up for a beginner but that is one of the draw back I believe I have heard and if you get other lionchief engines you have more remotes that run that type engine also and if you have two say GP-9's the one remote will operate both so you couldn't be running them at the same time unless I guess as a lash-up 

 

That photo is priceless! 

 

As a practical matter, simple is better. While we've had 3-year-olds actually run DCS, the better system for children under 7 would be something like Lionel used with the remote-controlled Thomas set (we have one at the club and use it at public displays). Simple direction control and horn.

 

We've run it on the layout with other command trains running and avoid mishaps by doing something we're not used to -- paying attention. The kids like it and I think your son would get a kick out of it. With a little practice, you two could run some two-train operations.

I just wish Lionel would have thought out the multiple remote thing... its already out of control.

Would be nice to keep it down to two remotes for the two of us...

 

If you don't need sound, what I do with my youngest (age 3) is let him play with the MPC GPs.  I have a GP9 and GP 20 that he really likes.  They are very durable.  When serviced, they run very well.  The have bright attractive paint schemes and a level of detail that permits kids to handle them.  And if you add a railsounds box car to the consist he can blow the horn and sound the whistle to his heart's content.  It won't take them too long to get the hang of the remotes, although I don't blame you for aversion to the LC+ approach of multiple remotes.  I would also have quality control concerns about LC+ given that Lee has had issues with two GP7s. 

 

As to the system remotes, my older son really likes the DCS remote because the thumbwheel gives easier speed control as compared to the TMCC remote's big red wheel, which spins freely as you know.  I would like him to be able to try the Legacy remote to see if he likes it before we upgrade to it.  I am at the point where I like to run conventionally.  The kids enjoy the sounds and the technology.  If left to my druthers, I would simplify and just enjoy running the trains. 

Yes, multiple remotes can be a pain!  So far, I only have one DCS remote, and a transformer for conventional engines.  I haven't graduated to running Via DCS in conventional mode.  I don't have an answer for your initial question, but was interested in your topic thinking I may have a grandchild I want to get involved with trains, since one of our daughters is now married.  When the girls were small there wasn't command control, so it wasn't an issue.

 

Your son son really looks like he enjoys the trains in the first photo!

Not to sidetrack, as ever since seeing the first post, I want your son running trains.
IMO, having had a year to digest lionchief, Lionel did the right thing with the unique remote, in all but one aspect. They should allow for conventional control, once that darn remote gets demised. I'd listen to the other side of the conventional point, but doubt I'd change my mind.
Why am I a fan of the LC model? Because it is truly designed to bring people into the hobby, with sound and easy control of a small kit and to run kitchy novel trains. If you fall in love and the hobby grows, you can run your LC set on anyones system anywhere. As long as you can put 14 to 18 volts on a track, you can bring your toy to a friends house. You could bring your set to a huge club and your up and going. I was convinced of this, this Christmas, when a friends sons brought thier LC loco over. They loved the remote. They loved the loco, we took it through its paces on 3 loops and I didnt need to teach them anything about DCS.

It would be cool, if these things could be controlled by LC+ or cabx, but most of these sets seem to be just that, stand alone starters. They are aimed at growing the market, not experienced modelers. This is why I wish MTH got the marketing deals, or Lionel put a little more, in thier starter kits, because any MTH starter set can be controlled conventionally, with thier DCS, or in the case of PS3, by DCC.  But a few years in , I know the MTH rudolph locos will be displaced as the kids grow. So will the novel locos Lionel is selling and so probably will the more prototypical LC locos, if people grow in the hobby.

Having read the thread again, you are most likely going the route of another controller, or looking at a used loco with tmcc to get affordability and cabx control.

J Daddy,

   I know you do not want an additional remote but Mich actually has the best way for the younger children to start into remote control, the cost is decent and maybe it's time for him not to loose the remote control if he wants to run his trains all the time, course if you are the one loosing them that is a different problem all together.  Heck I have 2 DCS remote controls a Cab2 and I am thinking about a Cab1 for young visitors. 

My daughter who is deaf in both ears, never lost a remote control permanently, even at a very young age.

PCRR/Dave

 

My 4 year old and 7 year old both operate MTH and Legacy train remotes without a problem.   My 4 year old is also legally blind and cannot see the buttons.   He does operate a bit better with the PS/2 as the bell and whistle are colored and he can see that.   The Legacy remote is some what a fail for vision impaired.   However, the MTH screen is fairly impossible to read as well.   ANYWAY my 4 year old cannot read yet anyway so reading the screen isn't an issue.   He's figured it out anyway.   My 7 year old has been running trains since age 4.   He has no problem with Legacy, MTH and even operates Grandpa's HO DCC layout.

 

They're kids!   In a month he'll be showing you features on the remote you didn't know you had.

 

 

My 6 year old uses Legacy and DCS. A good Williams engine for upgrade is the GG1. I put TMCC and sound in a scale one for my sons Birthday and that cost less than a LionChief+

engine.

 

What surprised me is his taste in trains. In that I have never pushed or tried to influence him. He has seen stuff at train shows or on TM videos and magazines and decided that's what he would like for his Birthday or Christmas.

 

 

This last Christmas was a case in point. I asked him what he was going to ask Santa for. His reply was a Blue Comet. On asking a few more questions it turned out it was a O gauge tinplate version. Now I don't own any tinplate so he has obviously picked up his interest for the set from elsewhere. 

 You would think the novelty trains would catch their imagination but in my experience.

Apart from the Polar Express set, it's the Acela, Hiawatha, Big Boy and above all of them his top favourite the Santa Fe F3.  

 

Nick

 

LionChief+ locomotives are stand alone, but are out of your desired price range.  LionChief locomotives (Except for Thomas the Tank Engine locomotives.) are RTR set only.  But I'm sure you could find a store that would do a break up if you called around.

 

LionChief and LionChief+ locomotives have no base, they are direct remote to engine.

Have Train Wreck teach him!!!!

J Daddy the engine I was telling you about was at the lower end of what you want to spend, just make sure you understand Lionchief you need that remote to run the engine can not be run in conventional.  Lionchief plus you can run in remote or conventional. at Charli Ro your looking over $300 for a LionChief + for a lion chief set your looking just shy of $280 for the who set ( well begining price) Now you may come across some deal somewhere that can do better but thats will be close to what your looking at. and as stated by sinclair you probably can get some dealer to break the set up it's worth a try also 

 

That was my first thought, Spence. We can see the boy's thirst for the adventure of it all. That will never go away (though it may take a hiatus somewhere around adolescence, huh.) A priceless photo of a perfect moment. A wonderful personality comes across instantly, too.

FrankM

P.S. Sorry I have no locomotive advice for you, though, J. Daddy, just joy at your sharing that.

J Daddy,

The only button you need to worry about pushing is the button on your camera. Push it a lot.

MTH protosound 2.0 engines have nice speed control and you can operate the whistle/horn and Bell conventionally.