Garden Trains for Kids


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Written by Paul D. Race for Garden Train Store(tm)

This page lists sturdy, kid-friendly garden trains and accessories you can use to get and keep the kids involved. I have raised my children with trains, including toy trains, model trains that were sturdy enough to be handled by children, and "real" model trains. This buyer's guide page is a supplement to the "Garden Train Store" buyer's guide and the article "Getting and Keeping the Kids Involved." These trains can be used indoors or out. They are all made by companies that build trains to be used outside in garden railroads. If you don't know what Garden Railroading is, my article "Go Outside and Run Your Trains," on the Family Garden Trains Primer page will give you some idea.

Note about Availability and Pricing: Although I try to keep an eye on things and to recommend products that are reasonably available, the model train market does fluctuate, and any product on this page may change price or become unavailable without prior notice. When I have access to more than one source, I have provided multiple supplier buttons to give you a better chance of getting the product you want (as long as you don't wait until mid-December to order something, in which case all bets are off). For more detailed information about why garden train products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices for most products, please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."

Update for April, 2012 - Many of the best garden trains for kids have been, sadly, discontinued. That said, if you can get any of the Lionel G gauge battery-powered sets for a good price, they're better made than many similar toys. The remote control also means that kids without the coordination to put trains on the track can still run them once "your parents put it together."

AristoCraft Trains for Kids

AristoCraft makes all kinds of garden trains: here are two sets that I would recommend for kids, based on how well they seem to hold up to abuse, er, use.

AristoCraft "Li'l Critter" Diesel Train With Remote Control - The locomotive hauling this train represents thousands of little "industrial" diesel-electrics that are serving large industries and small railroads all over the country today. Called a "Critter," this model is a favorite of people who need something sturdy and reliable that can run for hours or even (in display railroads) weeks with no special attention. This train is available in several road names, including Pennsylvania, Union Pacific (shown), and Christmas.

Ages: Someone has told me that this set is said to be "safe" for ages 8 and up; however, I believe it is actually "safer" than the Lehmann Toy Train sets, since the remote control keeps the kids from ever having to touch the power supply once you have it hooked up. I have certainly seen many 5 and 6-year-olds operate these sets with no problems, and only minimal supervision. (You weren't really planning on your 5-year-old putting the track circle together and putting the train on the tracks herself anyway, were you?) To check on availability, please click on the button on the right.

AristoCraft Eggliner - If you need something even smaller, check out the "Eggliner." The Eggliner is a four-wheeled self-powered "passenger car" that wasn't really modeled after anything, but is cute as a bug. In fact, it is available painted as a lady-bug. Note: In December, 2008, I used the "Christmas Present" eggliner as our Christmas tree around the train. It pulled an AristoCraft gondola and Christmas caboose very nicely.

AristoCraft has sold a bunch of these in all different colors. The Eggliner set comes with a loop of weatherproof track and a power supply. Eggliner sets are available in Santa Fe (shown), Ladybug, and Christmas colors. To check availability, please click the button at the right.

If you already have a track and power supply, you should know that the Eggliner is also available separately. Road names of individual Eggliners include Undecorated, Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Atlantic Coast Line, Southern, Southern Pacific Daylight, Pennsylvania, Ladybug and Christmas. To check availability, please click the button at the right.

Lionel Battery-Powered Trains - At the other end of the cost spectrum are the Lionel battery-powered trains that run on Large Scale track. I especially like them if you can get them at reduced cost after Christmas. The main thing you need to know if you get a set is that the batteries that come with them have almost always completely drained long before the train went on the shelf. A new set of Alkalines will give you a good start, though, and plenty of time to decide if the train will meet your child's needs. (Typically, they love it, especially the remote control.)

For a detailed review of these trains, please visit our article: Lionel's Toy "G" trains. If these look like they'll be available this fall, I'll try to add some links to this page. In the meantime, try super-discount chains selling last year's stock. The batteries will be dead, but the trains will be cheap.

AristoCraft Structures for Kids

AristoCraft makes many kinds of buildings for garden trains: here are two sets that I would recommend for kids, based on how well they seem to hold up to abuse, er, use. They come completely assembled in the box, so all you have to do is get them out of the box and set them in place to give your kid's train a "reason" to stop and go.

AristoCraft Built-Up Passenger Station - This station is one of the best values in Large Scale. It represents thousands of small country stations that once served communities all over North America. I repainted mine in a more conservative color scheme, but I have seen at least one real Ohio train station that was the same yellow. This station is about 1:24; it is proportioned to fit well with any large scale train. Althought it may not have exactly the same level of detail as some of the expensive kits, it is extremely sturdy, and the fact that it comes on its own platform (unlike most kit stations) makes it easy to add accessories such as benches and streetlights to give it more character. So, if your Large Scale train needs a reason to get from point A to point B, click on the "check stock" button for price and purchasing details.

AristoCraft Pre-Built Crossing Shanty - Keep your busy railroad crossing safe with this set that includes a crossing guard, a shanty for the guard to take shelter in, and two "crossbuck" Railroad Crossing signs to warn motorists. To purchase, or to check on price and availability, please click on the button.

Discontinued, but Great for Kids
The following section lists kid-friendly trains big enough for garden railroads that have been discontinued. Sadly, I don't have any access to these, or know anyone who does, but I wanted you to be aware of them in case you stumble across them.
Lehmann Toy Trains - Lehmann is the German toy company that created LGB trains, the trains that resurrected Garden Railroading as a worldwide hobby a few decades back. In 2002, Lehmann introduced the "Toy Train" line to identify Though discontinued, Lehmann Toy Trains are great starter sets for kids, if you can find one. sets that are specifically targeted to young people. Then the company fell on hard times. The Toy Train line was more-or-less discontinued by 2005. In late 2007, the company was purchased by another company which hopes to have LGB trains back in manufacture by mid 2008. Unfortunately, we don't know how long it will be before the Toy Train line is resurrected, if it ever is. Labels claim that Lehmann Toy Trains are safe for Ages 6 and up. However, if you plan on putting the track together, putting the trains on the track, and plugging the electrical control in, children younger than six can operate the train successfully with minimal supervision.
Occasionally a Lehmann locomotive will turn up by itself. Most small Lehmann or LGB locomotives are useful for children 6 and up, too, although they are not quite as child-resistant as the "Toy Train" line.
PlaySkool has made a very solid child's train that was battery powered, and had a nice figure-eight track setup. Best of all, the train itself would run on Large Scale (45mm) track, although it wouldn't run over turnouts (switches), rerailers, or crossovers. So at open houses, I can put it on a simple garden railroad, let the kid hit the switch (on the smokestack) and let-er-rip around the track, without worrying about little kids doing any damage to a model. Unfortunately it is out of production now, but if you see one at a garage sale, it's the perfect "bridge" from kiddie toy trains to Large Scale trains.
Though discontinued, Lionel's Large Scale Thomas set finds its way to many demonstration railroads. Lionel Large Scale Thomas and James also once made a Large Scale Thomas set and a few other pieces to go along with it. Thomas and his Large Scale Friends negotiated ordinary garden railroads just fine. Many folks who still have them use them for "kids's layouts" at open houses. Lionel has made two separate production runs of these; the most recent was about three years ago. Last year I listed them in this catalog, but every vendor I linked to sold out immediately, and I haven't found anybody with a good stock. Again, if you come across one, I recommend it highly. Lionel still makes an O gauge Thomas Set (runs on three-rail track on indoor railroads). It is child-friendly except for that dangerous track (which a big person should put together). But if you're going for an O gauge train for your kids, and they are over, say, six, consider getting a Polar Express - it's far better model and will be more rewarding in the long run.
By the way, since I posted this, Bachmann has started making Large Scale Thomas the Tank trains. They're very nice, though a tad less rugged than the Lionel version - I'd recommend adult supervision for kids under seven.

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