who sells a reasonably priced ho set of Atheran, Atlas or kato.I dont want a over priced 300.00@ bachman set. I tried George and deb at wig wag but the HO sxcale page is broken. I tried Walthers but I was getting 200.00 LL or bachcrap. please help!!!!!
How about a Thomas the Tank train set. Bachmann has them and they can grow with your Son and yet hold his interest at the present time. And it's HO so large enough to allow him to develop his skills
Something here is sure to please your son...and you. http://www.some train store.com/Train-Sets-s/179.htm
Herre's the thing. 1) forget that whole Bachcrap thing. T'ain't true nomore. 2)likely, the 300 dollar sets your seeing are the ones with the 3 Spectrum coaches (that's $90 right there, the track another 65,) and the Spectrum locomotive, (and the engine for only 150? That's actually a deal) or the Amtrak eqwuivalent where the coaches aren't Spectrum but just as good. 3) Iw'm working at an Amazon Warehouse, and there's a goodly number of Lifelike sets going through, most of them Christmas trains, at $64 for a decent but not great trainset F unit (no frills, it just runs), plus 4 cars, a cheap plastic station thatcould be something, and the $64 worth (IEASILY) of Bachmann EZ track 4)Kato doesn't have that I know of an HO trainset. Just cars and engines. 5) All that said, the Athearn and Atlas sets are good things. I cannot reccomend good places as I haven't looked real hard, but Atlas does have them online. And Athearn does too, if you go through Horizon. Don't be hit with stickershock though, break the price down.
I bought a couple of Athern GP-38-2 TP&W for 145 dollars on ebay. Athearn - HO RTR GP38-2, TP&W #2002 Athearn - HO RTR GP38-2, TP&W #2008
Have you thought about putting together your own train set? That way you're not locked into what comes in the box, pick and choose quality stuff.
My grandsons loved some of the Athearn engines a few years ago, but now are looking at N or Z (and girls). I've got macular degeneration, so those are too small, but I love looking at the layouts.
A Bachmann DCC set price is not bad and your son will have a cheep DCC system to start on and learn. can't beat the price. Available at Hobby lobby and Michaels