Basic Train Set Recommendation

[smzapalac]

My soon to be 2 yo likes trains, but I don't want to purchase an elaborate set. I am looking for a beginner set that you can add on to. Please give me some recommendations as I am overwhelmed by the vast qty. of train sets out there. Thanks so much for your help.

[sste]

Thomas would not be my first choice on price or commercial-ness - - but it has been my DS's first choice.

We started with this set:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Friends-Wooden-Railway-Figure/dp/B00005BLMC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1256317790&sr=8-1

We added some individual trains and are going to be getting the figure 8 expansion set.

Also some fans of geotrax on this site!

[alirebco]

I like the Ikea set - nice and simple plus not MIC.

[slworld]

If he likes trains then geotrax may be fun. DS is just 15months old & still in the pulling-things-apart phase but I really love them :wink2: You can start with a simple set which usually come with a push vehicle or you can get an RC controlled vehicle separately. Then you can buy tracks/elevations to add on. All their items are compatible with each other. They have both trains & road vehicles & all the tracks work with each other. TRU has a buy 2 get 1 free offer valid until Oct 24th.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We love Geotrax here.

These are some possible starter sets:
$60- it looks like a really good starter set, lots of track, hills, accessories and a remote controlled train:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3515905 (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3515905)

The $30 On the Go set looks like fun. Nothing fancy but you can add on to the set easily. Good price.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3301918 (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3301918)

Track pack, flats and elevation; one push along train; $25:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2948641 (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2948641)

Beth

[vonfirmath]

We've got an assortment of stuff coming my parents got at garage sale.

But tehre are no people -- is this going to be a significant problem?

Will remote control trains work as push trains if we don't want to pay for all the batteries?

[kristac]

We've got an assortment of stuff coming my parents got at garage sale.

But tehre are no people -- is this going to be a significant problem?

Will remote control trains work as push trains if we don't want to pay for all the batteries?

Guessing you are talking about Geotrax?

Yes the remote trains work as push trains. No you don't have to have people but they make it more fun. You can order some from the fisherprice replacement part website if you really want some.

[brittone2]

Ikea has a very basic set that is inexpensive.

I've bumped into Heroes stuff at Tuesday Morning periodically in the past. They are nice and non-commercialized. We have a few trains from there.

I don't have the Brio/Thomas scale trains from this company, but we have a few of their other products and they are very nice. Again, since you aren't paying the licensing fees for characters, the price isn't too bad and they are made in the USA
http://www.maplelandmark.net/nametrains/nametrains_wrs.lasso

Most of DS's stuff was Thomas even though he didn't know who THomas was. We used 40% off coupons from AC Moore and Michaels to buy most of it 3-4 years ago.

[vonfirmath]

yes, I meant Geotrax. sorry. One-thought mind.

PS I've heard Brio is pulling out of the USA market (like Selecta did. Cause of the CSPCIA, or whatever those initials are), so maybe not a good choice if you think you'll want to add on later.

[ett]

I've bumped into Heroes stuff at Tuesday Morning periodically in the past. They are nice and non-commercialized. We have a few trains from there.



I just saw a Heroes train set at Homegoods last week. We don't have the train set but we have some other things from them and the quality is very good. They're made in Germany.

[jerigirl]

DS got this set for his bday http://tinyurl.com/yhc4ev5 along with a set similar to the Thomas figure 8 set linked above. So far I have bought alternate brands for the tracks and accessories and then got the Thomas trains. IMO all of the track is basically the same.