Need advice on purchase

When was "back in the day"?
I think the answer on gauge  would depend on what period you are trying to simulate.

As far as passenger versus freight:

While I think freight has more play value, I think illuminated passenger cars going around a Christmas tree in a dark room looks sharp. So, I'd go with illuminated passenger cars.

Thanks for the input CW.  "Back in the day" refers to the 1920s to 1940s.

-Greg

I like putting bigger trains under the tree, so I go with standard gauge.  I used LGB Christmas items in the past, before I discovered tinplate. This year I am putting a standard freight set around the tree, not Christmas themed. However, I will add some Christmas items to spruce it up. I may wrap the tanker in ribbon and add presents to the gondola, and I will add snow to the hopper and add a few figures like Santa.

I have seen some really cool Christmas tinplate. MTH had a Christmas colored 400e, and they have some nice Christmas box cars and sets too.

George

For 1920's to 1940's, I'd go with a standard gauge outfit.

O gauge came to prevalence in the 1910's and 1920's specifically because it was more affordable and its size meant that it used less space in small middle class homes. For the same reason OO and H0 became prevalent after WWII.

Themed or not themed looks good under the tree.

Middle class families generally couldn't afford standard gauge trains. I like to run Marx trains under the tree. I love the sound that they make running on tinplate track.

Doc Davis posted:

Middle class families generally couldn't afford standard gauge trains. I like to run Marx trains under the tree. I love the sound that they make running on tinplate track.

and the smell of ozone! 

I like O gauge for under the tree.  I agree with C.W. Burfle, passenger trains look the most nostalgic in my opinion.  Are you thinking of a newly manufactured tinplate set, or something vintage?  If you go with something red and green you can't go wrong.

This was my under the tree layout from 2013.  Its all American Flyer from the 20's-30's.  These are the Ambassador cars, but there are less expensive green and red sets available.

Greg          Northwoods Flyer

I also like the larger trains under the Christmas Tree, so Standard Gauge for me. I prefer the non-Christmas sets, but that is just a preference. However, I do like the flashy red sets like the 11-5013-1 set.

Greg, 

Since you are interested in the 1920's to 1930's as your period and since you are a wise Pennsy fan, why not consider a Lionel O gauge prewar Pennsy steam switcher or even the 1989 re-release? Slap on a few cars and a metal cabin car and you are all set.

Tom 

Greg,

I would recommend you start with a RTR Standard Gauge Christmas Freight set and add to it additional SG Christmas freight cars, which are sold separately.    I'd go with the Lionel Corporation (MTH) RTR Christmas Steam Engine freight set #11-5011-1 set with Proto-Sound 3.0 and puffing smoke.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a dealer with one for sale using MTH's online Product Locator.  However, the locator did find several dealers with a Lionel Corporation (MTH) RTR Christmas 318E freight set #11-5013-1 for sale as well as several dealers with additional  Standard Gauge Christmas freight cars for sale.  So I recommend using the MTH Product Locator to track down the dealers with the tinplate Christmas train cars you want.

Bob Nelson 

Greg Houser posted:

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to purchase a modern tinplate set for under the Christmas tree and am having some difficulty in making up my mind.  I thought perhaps some of you would be so kind as to let me know your preferences and perhaps why.   

I'm going for a feeling and look of Christmas mornings from bygone times - to wit:

1) Standard gauge vs Traditional O gauge - which was more prevalent for middle class families back in the proverbial day or what do you prefer?

2) Christmas themed set vs "normal" freight/passenger set?  I'm guessing a family back in the day wouldn't have had a Christmas themed set (but I like the look).   What are your thoughts on this?

This set will be strictly for under the tree.

Thanks in advance for your input.

-Greg

 

 

 

Greg: 

1)  I don't think Standard Gauge was very prevalent for middle class families.  SG was very expensive, and, generally required a larger house to own and operate. Additionally, if "back in the day", was pre-war, that is, before 1935 - 1941 ish, standard gauge, or, O gauge tinplate trains, would be the "standard".  In this regard, rather than standard gauge, which is BIG, you could use a "tinplate O gauge" set.  These tinplate O gauge sets were sold by Lionel before WW II, and are much smaller than standard gauge.  Both styles or gauges were still made of "old school" baked enamel tinplate.

If "back in the day" was postwar - post WW II,  I would go with a Lionel O gauge set, and not a Christmas themed set.  For example, when I woke up on Christmas morning in 1959, Santa had kindly granted my wish, and a small loop of Super "0" track circled the tree, with a die cast, black Lionel steamer pulling a freight consist.

2) For a classic, vintage tree layout, I don't believe a "themed" Christmas set would be typical, or, appropriate. That's generally based on my understanding of Lionel's history.  This is true unless, "back in the day", is more recent, say post 1980, when Lionel was regularly issuing an annual Christmas car - now an annual variety of Holiday themed cars, locos and sets.

__________________________

Here's the 2015 Lionel Corporation Tinplate  2015 catalog:

       http://mthtrains.com/sites/def...v_1/html5/index.html

As mentioned previously, most middle class families would not have had Standard Gauge trains due to large size and expense. Even O-Gauge Lionel was beyond most families "back in the day." Marx was the hot ticket for electric trains on a budget

O gauge. If you don't mind going with original trains, Ives 70 series passenger cars look pretty sweet under the tree, and are fairly cheap for tinplate; I got my 4 for $100. 

It depends on what YOU like?  And what you want to do with the "set" the rest of the year? If you like the traditional toy theme, and scale realism is unimportant, Marx is inexpensive and abundant; if your theme is nostalgia, Standard Gauge.  If the set is to be the basis for expansion into a year around layout, l would pick an all- purpose ten-wheeler or F unit , freight cars, and a lighted combine coach on the end, to cover all the bases. That if you want most bang for the buck not constrained by season.

 I am a (mostly) a standard gauge guy but both are great!  I like the bigger, heavier Christmas themed tinplate trains - freight or passenger.

Greg H,

   I recommend O Gauge Tin Plate to start out with, especially for the limited space most have for their Christmas layouts.  I like the 263E Work Train sets best, I also have the 249E now upgraded with TMCC, thanks to Gun Runner John, and the original 259E with conventional control.  Remember the Standard Gauge Tin Plate takes a lot of room and is more difficult to engineer when building a multi level layout.

Merry Christmans

PCRR/Dave

Personally I would stay away from Standard Gauge for a Christmas layout because of the size. Especially for an under the tree set up. There's plenty of great O gauge tinplate out there.

The very first tinplate set I bought was a Christmas set made by Lionel Corporation Tinplate (MTH) a number of years ago. Its has red and green loco/tender/rolling stock/caboose and is perfect for the season. Bonus is the rail sounds are Christmas-themed. I break it out every Christmas.

Wonder it it's still out there? Let me see if I can find the SKU#.

EDIT: Here it is: 11-5501-1. It's been out since 2009 so availability could be an issue. You never know. Sometimes a dealer will still have an older item sitting on the shelf. 

http://mthtrains.com/11-5501-1

Great points above.

If you go o-gauge you will need minimum of 27" - 36" diameter. 

Standard gauge will need minimum of 42"' diameter.