Trains, trains, and trains. Part 1

Part of my Superdad duties include entertaining my kids. To maintain peace, we look for activities that we all can enjoy together. Building train sets is one of them. Over the years, we've accumulated quite a large assortment of train sets. Often we would receive a small set as a gift. If I feel it's worth upgrading, then I would look on Craigslist or ebay for add-on pieces until it reaches a "sufficient" collection for maximum buildability.

We currently have four large sets. When I say large, I mean that it would completely cover our eight foot dining table. We also have at least two more smaller sets that gets lost along the side (because I have yet to upgrade them). I know many of my readers have young children that are just starting to get into trains. As a parent, there are so many choices. You want a set that is durable, easy to build and can expand without costing a fortune. So which set is right for your child? Seeing that we've experienced them all, let me share with you my thoughts and recommendations. Since we have so many sets, this will be a 3-part series.

Today I'll start with the standard wooden set. This was first made popular by Brio and Thomas the Tank Engine and only afforded by trendy parents with deep pockets. A small starter set costs around $40 and add-on trains cost about $10-$15 each! Today, these Thomas sets are losing it's popularity because there are many compatible sets that connect with the Thomas and Brio tracks that cost a third of the price. You can buy the cheap tracks and then "splurge" on a few authentic Thomas engines. The cheap tracks lack the decorative grooves/woodgrain and are a bit cruder, but for the price, who cares, as long as you don't get splinters. Dustin received a "big" Thomas set when he turned two. We returned it to Toys R Us for store credit of $175!! With that money, we bought an even larger "Made in China" set for about $65 and used the rest of the money for gifts for others (but don't tell him!). Because of that, Dustin was never "into" Thomas, and we saved a bunch of money. Colby though, is a totally different story...

Our boys love to play the wooden playsets at Toys R Us and Barnes and Noble. They're big, colorful, elevated, and have a bunch of buildings. It's no wonder kids get hooked after playing there. We don't have the space to have a permanent train table, so we make do on our coffee and dining tables. But at home you don't get the same "store display experience." That's because you realize that at the store, the tracks are glued down! Of course we would never glue or nail down our tracks, so therefore they keep coming apart or get knocked over by little hands that try to push the train through the bridges and tunnels. It can get downright frustrating! Furthermore, if you have colored buildings or Thomas character trains, they'll get beat up pretty quick. Wood easily dents. Paint easily chips. And before you know it, your happy Thomas face looks like a character from the Road Warrior. So the wooden sets are nice at first, but DO NOT hold up well in the hands of a 2 year-old.

So would I recommend a wooden set? Yes and no. Yes, they're simple, easy to build and a perfect starter train for the toddler, but they will quickly outgrow it by age 3. Ikea has a small set for around $10 or look on Craigslist for a used set for under $20 ($50 if it includes a table). While you're looking, you might notice a lot of wooden Thomas sets asking for several hundred dollars. Don't buy it. They're beat up and overpriced. Those are the over-loving parents trying to recoup their losses from spoiling their kids. If you really want Thomas trains, check back, I'll talk about other Thomas sets that are a much better value on a future post.