"Reasonably priced old west train options 28mm" Topic

Title says it all. I have seen the Lionel N guage but $300+ bucks is WAAAAAAYYYY too rich for me. what are people using? Is there something in 1:48 kit form? or a cheap kids toy that will work? My google-fu has failed me.

Usually around Christmas time there are sets in various toy and even grocery stores that work.

Yep – cheap sets around Christmas…

You can also check Toys'R Us and similar stores for the China Built train sets. I generally try to hit their once a week or so. There was a generic late 1800s train set there a few months back that was selling for about $50. USD Wasn't specific on the scale, though from eye balling it – things looked to be around 1:48ish.

link

It was the same company…but I think a different model of the train in the link. You might be able to find one on eBay or something like that. As far as I can tell, they do a single production run of those craptastic toys and then stop producing them before the rug rats break them. Makes it easy to say no to exchanges.

You might try searching for GoldLok trains. They are the ones that Toys R Us usually sell.

Agreed, the Christmas sets are the way to go.

I found mine at the local tip!

It was obviously a post-xmas clear out victim:

I echo the others. They appear around Christmas, even earlier in November. I usually find them at Walgreens drug stores (US) for $10. USD The last few years the sets have had fewer cars and less track, but a deal nonetheless. The set TrU carries is bigger and more expensive.

Look for GoldLok or FastLane brands.

I have never heard of Lionel making N. Or anything but O and G, for the last decade or so.
Do not get the Fastlane Golden creek set, it looks ridiculous, but they have another set I think I may get. I have started my 28mm collection with On30, by Bachmann with some Slimrails and Ozsteam rollingstock, but would like more variety, since I can't decide what faction to get for Deadlands Great Rail Wars. I suppose I can spray my On30 loco black and use magnetic sheet to apply removable roadnames for some but I just think Wasatch and Iron Dragon should have something special.
Toyworld also have a similar set to fastlane, Classic Train, rather a bigger set.
As for kits, there are the Redoubt and Dixon trains, but I doubt it's worth all that money just for a loco alone, before you get any rollingstock.
They're not going to convice me if they refuse to clean the parts before painting, paint too thick, and the drivewheel coupling rods aren't horizontal enough.
Sadly none of the toys look terribly Western.
There is one papercraft by Microtactix but I hear the RPGNow entry showing a coloured version is an error, and there actually isn't a coloured one.
I don't know if the Dover Cut and Assemble an Old Fashion Train is still in publication, but the story goes that it is close enough, though not heroic scaled. Hard to get one to find out, though.

Thanks guys, I forgot to mention one thing, i am in jolly old blighty!!!

It is $29.99 USD in TRU if this is what you guys are all talking about (this is fast lane, cant find gold lok as a brand in TRU)

link
link
link

I have relies in the USA so may hit them up for a shopping trip.

Boggler, that is EXACTLY what I want a train to look like.

Chironex, the golden creek set does indeed look a bit silly

link

But the train might be ok with a re-paint. Any links to the toyword set?

Further question, what do you guys do for track, not sure I have much use for a toy train set style oval track set up on my gaming table. The 2 straights in the bigger sets, how long are these? Is a matching track availble any other way?

Forgot to add…

Scale is 1/48. Uses standard *US* O-gauge track.

Great, now I will just need to work out where to get that in jolly old blighty!!! It is mainly HO/OO and smaller over here.

The gauge is the same, but the track is plastic toy track and only compatible with itself, fortunately the track is commonly ripped off/rebadged around all these sets so getting a few of those sets means much track is available.
I wonder if these are available anywhere:
link
Can't find the set seen in Toyworld, it is not on their site and they do not put up many products on the site, all I can tell is it is one of these designs with 8- wheeled rollingstock but for some reason the bogies do not rotate…

chironex, that looks nice, depends how big it is I guess.

Question for Boggler.

What is the width of the tracks that runs on? 45mm?

Cheers
Brian

Stew … Boggler's train is exactly like either one from your first two links. I do not recognize the train from your third link.

I know some of these trains are "close" to the scale you want, and reasonably priced, so close enough. But some are way off "scale" because these are not your typical trains that must follow a certain gauge.

If you search TMP for threads with western and train in the title, you should find a thread or two where I've provided more info on trains for western gaming.

(EDIT)
What the heck, here's a link:
TMP link

Yeah, the customer reviews are not great are they!!!!

Those reviews are harsh! Of course, I have no interest in actually running it on the tracks… For gaming purposes, it's a pretty neat addition to my collection.

Me thinks that lots of people do not realise what a bad combo thick pile carpet and train tracks are…..