This guide to electric trains and toy trains was reviewed prior to publication by: Vicki Anderson, M.Ed., Kelly Crockett, M.Ed., and Glenna W. Tabor, M.Ed.
Next Stop... Switching
Author's layout diagram.
Two turnouts that can divert a train on and off of a short parallel track is a siding. To introduce children to switching, I'd start by adding a siding to your child's continuous loop layout. In the real world, sidings are used for parking a train briefly so that another train can pass. This would be a good next step in your child's model railroading.
Turnouts are the most expensive track pieces in model railroading, particularly so if they can be switched electrically by remote control. What you choose for your child is up to you. Just be aware that remote controlled turnouts require additional wiring connections. This may be another educational opportunity for your child.
Turnouts are the most expensive track pieces in model railroading, particularly so if they can be switched electrically by remote control. What you choose for your child is up to you. Just be aware that remote controlled turnouts require additional wiring connections. This may be another educational opportunity for your child.
Oncoming Trains
Parking a train on a siding teaches a fundamental railroad operation. But unless you're running a three-rail system, making two trains approach from opposite directions on the same track requires Digital Command Control. At the time of this writing, it costs about a $150 to add DCC to a train layout. In the next few years I hope we'll see children's sets that come with DCC systems. But regardless, DCC is a worthwhile investment if your child takes their trains seriously.Another consideration when running trains in opposite directions is the overall length of your child's track. You will need a long continuous loop of track to run oncoming trains, or things will happen too fast for your child to control them.
Around Eight, Think About About Landscape
At eight, or maybe younger, you can introduce your child to landscape construction. I have read about a model railroad camp that starts kids as young as four building landscaped modules. Russell Straw, I salute you! Russell teaches kids this at the Rosenberg Museum.T-trak.org has a youth program for scouting groups and other children's organizations. The benefit of learning in a group is that each child makes their own small module, and when everyone is done the group can connect the modules together and run trains on them.
I wouldn't start building a permanent layout with your child unless you, the parent, are going to make a commitment to seeing the project through to completion. These projects can take years.
At Eleven 3-D Games Can Be Trains
A time saver layout is a puzzle game. Time savers are a fun way to keep older children interested in their railroads. Basically, a time saver is a small railroad yard layout. A switching locomotive is placed on the layout with a number of railroad cars. The cars are placed at diverse positions on the layout. The operator uses the locomotive to collect the cars from their different tracks and assemble them into a train in the proper order on a specified track. The goal is to build your train in the least "moves" and the shortest amount of time.The late John Allen originated the time saver. Adrian Wymann has built a great time saver site that will be useful to parents who want to introduce their children to the time saver.