No big deal- but a recent "warm my heart" experience:
I have introduced grandchildren to model trains (O Gauge) for some 16 years, through six grandchildren in three families. I bought each family Pennsylvania Flyer Lion Chief starter sets.
Thursday, two (brother and sister) grandchildren requested to "run trains" near the end of a day together with Grandma and I. That's a first- after (in their case, 8 years of having their own "Christmas train set").
Both (8 YO boy and 6 YO girl) wanted to run steam engines. They ran for probably 45 minutes (a long time given their attention spans) using Lion Chief remotes, and ran them perfectly, smoking up the basement, honking the horns, ringing the bells, and running cab talk features on LC Plus engines. We had a great time- them running my trains over a fully-sceniced layout. Then we played "hide the Muscleman" - see below.
This was a change. Normally, these two are no more than somewhat interested (three of the other four could not care less about trains at all). I was, of course, more delighted than they were.
Observations after these 16 years:
- The starter sets are great- generally good quality (we have had one engine fail- motor)- otherwise perfect but just run for three weeks at Christmas. None of the 3 families has had any inclination toward a permanent layout. One family still sets the circle of track around the tree each year- the others do not.
- the Lion Chief remotes are the key for kids. The Grandson ran his at age 1-1/2- backwards and at full tilt- but he ran it. It never derailed from the speed. By age 2 he was saying "Grandpa's trains run slow" and running his at prototypical speeds as well. He's 8 now. I have not attempted for them to run using TMCC remotes.
- All three families turned off the smoke and sound after jst a day or so when the sets were new. They lost the "play value" in my opinion.
- Having the ability to dim layout light is important- they like to make it "night", to see all the city and train lights. It's a "play value" too.
- "Hide the Muscleman"- addresses the attention span issue. It's a hide and seek game using a 2-1/2" tall plastic wrestler figure bought at a local discount store for $1.99. One child hides it anywhere on the layout, BUT in full view, then the other (or Grandpa) has to try and find it. Against the rules to put him inside a building, or off of or under the tables, but OK to make you have to look hard to find him. They will play this game for two times as long as they run the trains, and usually have to be forced to stop for time reasons. This involves the layout, as Grandpa has to go into an adjacent room while they hide the toy, then reverse roles.
I don't have any working accessories- might have to change that. Maybe a coal loader.
