Toys Gifts Presents

Toy trains have long been one of the great childhood pastimes. The quintessential Christmas gift and boyhood hobby, trains are one of most involved and ultimately rewarding pastimes that you can introduce your children to. But why make tracks for toy trains, when there are so many other toys—and many of them educational—on the market? Constructing and playing with toy trains with your child can help your child develop their cognitive abilities, promote their critical thinking, and most importantly, can provide you with quality time with your child. Because building trains is inherently a time-consuming hobby, it demands much attention and care from you and your child. It can provide both of you with a long-term goal that you can work on intermittently. Your child will learn the value of making steady progress, of working hard and watching your hard work pay off.

What are some of the best ways to involve your child in toy trains? One of the best ways to become involved in building toy trains with your child is to start with one of the LEGO starter kits and put together a LEGO toy train. Blocky and static, the LEGO trains were nonetheless an immediate hit. But they have changed quite a bit since then. Now, most LEGO trains are powered by electricity and can be as complex and attractive as traditional toy train sets. They are also becoming quite popular, with LEGO train clubs sprouting up all over the country. The newer LEGO trains are popular because modelers have designed dozens of train models that can be constructed using the same blocks. LEGO enthusiasts meet on busy Internet forums and interchange design plans and ideas. LEGO trains are perfectly suited to hone you and your child’s sense of creativity and resourcefulness.

How can you get started building your very own LEGO train? Start by purchasing a basic LEGO set (available at the official LEGO party, www.lego.com.) You’ll need to purchase a locomotive. LEGO locomotives come in several sizes, including small, small with tender, large, and large with tender. The locomotives come in a variety of colors, including brown, black, green, gray, and blue. Most locomotives come with instructions on adding lights and an engine to your locomotive. A standard set containing 195 pieces to construct your LEGO locomotive retails for about $25.00.

Another basic addition to your toy train is the caboose. The caboose has traditionally been viewed as the “nerve center” of your train. The caboose is generally the last car on your train. In a real train, the caboose is where the conductor slept on overnight trips, conducted business, paperwork, and other official business. A 170-piece caboose LEGO set retails for about $15.00.

Once you’ve assembled the locomotive with engine and the caboose, you’ll want to purchase a hopper. A hopper is the workhorse of your toy train, the part of the train that carries bulk goods. A hopper is usually fitted with sliding doors. The doors slide in order to load your goods. A standard 228-piece LEGO hopper will cost you about $20.00.

After the locomotive, engine, caboose, and hopper, another standard piece of your train is the speed regulator. The speed regulator is the part of your train that allows your train to move long the train tracks. Most speed regulators will connect to any standard AC outlet. Speed regulators will usually send 9 volts of electricity to your train motor. Wire leads connected between your train motor and the track that moves the train along the tracks. Not surprisingly, the speed regulator is often one of the most expensive parts of your toy train. A standard LEGO speed regulator will retail for about $42.00.

Of course, the final basic part of your toy train is your train track. Your train tracks are usually pre-fabricated, although some advanced train hobbyists enjoy constructing them themselves. All LEGO toy trains run on pre-fabricated tracks that you can purchase through authorize sellers, hobby stores, or the official LEGO website. Most train tracks consist of numerous straight and curved pieces that you fit together and lay down. Prices depend on the size of the track you choose. A small 8 piece set retails for approximately $12.99. A standard complete oval train track costs about $40.00.