Help choosing Polar Express

I have to say, only you can decide if it's worth it to buy the other set.  Personally, I think I'd go with what you got for a spell and see if the interest is there before getting multiple similar train sets.

I agree with John.

Since you have one, a second one is not going to give you that much benefit.

Now Had you got my opinion prior to buying I'd recommend the 10th Anniversary one.

That's what I bought and the kids love it.

Total of 6 sound clips, 4 tom Hanks, 1 Santa and one of the Ghost.

Note, there is no Set with Lionchief Plus so far. those are separate sale engines.

And while I suppose you can run a Lionchief engine with a variable voltage transformer it is not required.

Personally, I think the LC Polar Express runs way too fast. I plan on doing some surgery on the engine to change that while keeping the smoke and headlight voltage maxed.

I do not expect anyone else to do so, I have the skills, gunrunnerjohn, GGG, and some others have them. Most folks do not.

I agree with GRJ (and Russell) on another purchase and also just using the one you have to see how things go with it. There are all kinds of accessories, more track, rolling stock, switches, etc. you can add to the one you already have to make things more interesting if need be.

In my opinion trains are becoming more like all other electronic equipment, cars, appliances, etc. Every few years an improved, better and more advanced one comes out leaving the one you have being obsolete and of little value. Everyone wants the newer models with the latest features. Purchase trains because you like them or think your kids will like them and enjoy playing with them. Don't worry about the future values.

I have the standard Lionchief version and love it. However, that was the version I waited on. Found a great deal at the Lionel Warehouse sale before Christmas. It pulls all eight of my passenger cars(three with the set and five I picked up last year from Lionel) with no problems at all.

I would stay in a hold pattern and as your son's interest increases in O-Gauge trains, I would buy a different set to continue his interest. The new Lion Chief equipment is exciting with many different road names to choose from.

I started out with the conventional set.  I'm not into electronics but I wanted sound.  So, I spent $100 for the PE tender with chug and sound.  I then bought the Tom Hanks car that talked.  It doesn't work well with the trainsound tender.  So, I'm now into this the price of the conventional + $200.  So, I sold it all and last year bought the Lionchief version.  Spent $300 when it 1st came out and I believe right after Christmas it was closer to $200.  I decided I was out of the bizz (didn't last by the way) and I sold the Lionchief Thanksgiving week for $310.  I also don't like the fact that if the remote goes bad you can't run the Lionchief engine.  So, until they come out with the Lionchief Plus PE set, I'm holding off.  You know it's coming soon.  I'd hang on to the set you have.  If he loses interest, sell it late November.  If you want to upgrade to a new PE version in the future, keep your transformer and track and sell the rest late November and then not be in a hurry with the new one...prices will go down.   Jeff

Yes, I kind of have the same feeling with the Polar Express.  There have been so many versions out that it's creating confusion for the consumer.  I think Lionel should really make a page on their site detailing each set and what the differences are.

My advice is don't think of any train set purchase as final and that you'll keep each set forever.  You can sell used Christmas train sets for great prices in Nov/Dec on eBay or Craigslist and get the bulk of your money back. 

Just as a background, I have the conventional (with the add-on tender and talking car), bought the first LionChief set last year, and have been wondering about the 10th anniversary as well now that it's out.  I'm trying to figure out what I want to do.  In all likelihood, I will sell the conventional set next year.

I'm with gunrunnerjohn on this.  See if your son is still as enthusiastic at this time next year.  If he is, then you can do as others have suggested, sell your current set and upgrade to whatever set is the latest from Lionel.  As chinatrain99 suggested, it may be a Lionchief Plus.  If you can shop early, you might find better prices.  Prices increase as you get closer to the holidays, then drop after.  Last year, I found a Lionchief PE on Amazon for $169 after Christmas.  So I bought it.  

Hmmm.  I may be a bad one to take advice from as we now have the original conventional set (converted to TMCC), the smoking whistle loco, the Lionchief set and a scale set.  Jeez!   Good luck.  Glad to hear a young want likes trains!

I've been running the LionChief set on the double spiral since August and am very happy with it. I'll probably try to buy a 10th anniversary set in February if there are any available. I to am looking forward to Lionel producing a LionChief + version of the Engine and tender; hopefully with all the announcements included in the anniversary set.

D-n-Tyke

what caught my eye was this you mention

I am new to the model train world. My son is head over heals for model trains so for Christmas we got him his first train set, a conventional O-Gauge Polar Express. Santa left it for him under the tree and he has been on cloud nine since.

I would never sell it let him enjoy it and see if his interest stays in the hobby if not pack it away after all how many of us came back to the hobby years later.

Dad never saw me coming back to the hobby years later but recall fondly that first train set under the tree parents bought me in the early 60s and wish i still had it .

Creating childhood memories are priceless and having that very first train set that started it

no matter what its worth or how banged up along the way it may have get the times with Dad

will always be remembered .

You know, after reading Dieseler's response, I have to change my opinion.  If that is your son's first train, never sell it.  Dieseler's response made me think about my first Lionel set bought by my dad for what was then about a week's salary (1952).  It's still here.  If we had sold it, it would not have been around for me to give to my son!  It doesn't run much but it is a pleasure to see and handle, even with all of the dents, cracks and scratches I subjected it to.  Thanks Dieseler!

Thanks for all the great responses guys. Still mulling over exactly what I am going to do. If I do end up going to the 10th anniversary right now I was just going to tell him that I bought an mod/upgrade addition that added the announcements. That way it is still his first train from Santa. I don't want to take that memory from him. 

Follow on question:

Do you guys think they will go back to (or really just continue with) just the two announcements on the standard LC like it was this year, keeping it so the only way to get all the announcements is with the 10th annv. Or do you think they will add those additional announcements to the standard LC next year?  

All we can do is speculate here, who knows what they will come up with? Lionel is the only one that can answer this one correctly.