Model railways and train sets have made a major comeback in recent years, with a new generation climbing aboard to discover the joys of this classic hobby!
Things have come a long way since Märklin’s invention of the first model railroad in 1891, which was based on a clockwork system with locomotive cars and an expandable track. Today we have advanced digital systems complete with realistic lights, sounds, and detailed miniature models. The largest model railway – the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg – has a total track length of over 15 kilometres, almost 10 miles, and welcomes one million visitors each year to marvel at its exquisitely detailed miniature cities and traffic simulations!
This may all sound a bit advanced, but train sets come in all shapes and sizes, including simple wooden sets for toddlers and plastic replica models for kids. The truth is, your first train set is a rite of passage, like your first bicycle or your first Lego blocks!
Fancy constructing your own miniature wonderland? We have gathered everything you need to get started, so read on for everything you wanted to know about model railways. Full steam ahead!
The Benefits of Model Railways – 8 Reasons to Get Started!
1) Fun for all the family
Model railways are the ultimate multi-generational hobby, connecting children, parents, and grandparents. Bring your family together to build a model railway set! Not only will you have fun collaborating on the assembly, but you’ll create something you can all be proud of.
Most grandparents will have played with train sets as children, and the chance to reminisce and pass on their wisdom and enthusiasm to the younger generation can provide special moments of family bonding.
Making a model railway is the ideal project to share with your family and friends!
2) Develop a wide variety of transferrable skills
All hobbies can teach you something valuable, but model railways offer perhaps the widest variety of skills for new hobbyists.
Learn basic carpentry. Understand how electronics work. Learn how to make and lay tracks. Become an artist and create scenic views and beautiful vistas. The accomplished model railway builder is skilled in all these areas. Introduce your children to the hobby and watch them build confidence and develop a range of highly transferrable skills.
3) Take a break from the screen to create something tangible
Nowadays so much of what we experience is virtual, with our screens dominating our daily lives. So there is something different, and special, about constructing a tangible railway set.
Model railways are real, built by you, and the experience of taking some time away from screens and working with real objects can provide a boost for your mental health and wellbeing.
4) Go analogue
Whilst it is true that digital innovations have transformed model railways, many hobbyists still prefer the traditional analogue trains. They are cheaper, they are simpler, and they are easier to operate.
Analogue hobbies are making a comeback, with an increasing appreciation of the benefits of creative, hands-on, non-digital activities for mental health and wellbeing. If you’re interested in joining this movement, train sets are a great option!
5) Stimulate your creativity
Train sets provide a platform for children to express themselves. They get to decide which parts go where, how to decorate the different elements, and which scenery to add. As children get older, having that canvas upon which they can express their individuality and create something unique is vital for their development.
6) Develop your strategic thinking, and experience what it takes to accomplish a goal
You can’t build a miniature wonderland overnight! Building a model train set is often a long process, requiring planning, some strategic thinking, and a lot of patience!
These skills are essential for young children, who typically struggle with activities that don’t offer immediate gratification. Working towards the objective of a complete train set will teach them how to plan effectively, prioritise tasks, and persevere through challenges to reap the rewards!
7) Improve your fine motor skills
Vital for both early years development and in older age, fine motor skills are the intricate movements of the fingers and wrists that enable us to do so many important actions in our daily lives.
Assembling, painting, and playing with all the elements of a train set will stimulate and develop the fine motor skills. This can help school-age children improve the quality of their handwriting, while assisting older hobbyists in maintaining their manual dexterity and physical health.
8) Educate children about the value of money and good money management
Most model train sets require time and money to build. While your children learn to be patient during the construction phase, they might also learn about the value of money and good money management. The experience of identifying what they want to buy, saving up their birthday money or monthly allowance, and then budgeting to assess how long it will take for them to afford the purchase provides important life lessons.
It might take a while for your children to save up to afford a new train, but they should appreciate it even more because of the time and money spent on it!
“A Little Piece of a Perfect World”: The Lockdown Craze
With a worldwide network of modellers around the world, including over half a million enthusiasts in North America, the market for train sets and railways continues to expand, partly propelled by the lockdown.
Classic British model railway maker Hornby reported a jump of 28% in annual sales after people rediscovered their love of analogue hobbies during lockdown. Peco, a manufacturer of toy tracks and scenery, has seen a surge in demand for its products. Iconic Märklin German model railway company reported a 70% increase in monthly orders in November 2020, discovering a new audience through YouTube videos showcasing its latest trains and accessories.
Watch one of Märklin’s latest videos here.
Märklin’s embrace of YouTube and social media signals a new direction for the hobby. Richard Davies, Managing Director of Hatton’s Model Railways in Widnes, observed: “There are plenty of people showing off their model railways on Instagram. When I was 15, I was embarrassed by my model railway. I didn’t want anyone at school to know about it. But it seems like we’ve moved forward.”
Lockdown certainly seems to have added significant mileage to model train tracks in lofts around the world! With hobby shops booming once again, it is tempting to say that model railways are back. But the truth is, they never went away!
What is so special about this hobby? Steve Haynes, sales and export manager at Peco, described the broad appeal of model railways: “It appeals to people who have artistic flair, to people who have a technical mind because they like the electronics, to people who have an interest in history. It stimulates the mind.”
Many relish the chance to create their own miniature world in the living room or loft, with stunning scenery, tiny locomotives, and life-like communities of toy models. “Outside, there is total chaos, but inside, around my little train set, it is quiet, it is picturesque,” said Swedish school teacher Magnus Hellstrom. “It’s a little piece of a perfect world.”
Train Sets Today
Märklin trains now include real steam, and tiny speakers that reproduce scores of realistic digital noises and whistles (many recorded from the original). Interior and exterior lights can be controlled separately, while another new feature simulates how actual trains leave the station – very slowly, then gradually gathering speed, before decelerating to a stop.
Modern trains can be controlled remotely. Many hobbyists are now using JMRI (Java Model Railroad Interface) to control locomotives from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, enabling modellers to set up a control centre to conduct routes, programme itineraries, and run multiple trains on the same track going different speeds or traveling different circuits at the same time. Downloadable scale model buildings provide a powerful way to add photo-realistic settings alongside the track, opening up a world of new opportunities.
History
How did we get here? For a hobby so deeply connected with the past, it is important to take a look at the evolution of model-making from its invention in 1891 to today’s advanced digital age. So we compiled this timeline to take you back through the history of model railways.
- 1891 – Märklin releases the first model railroad system: a clockwork locomotive with cars and an expandable track
- 1896 – Carlisle and Finch develops electric trains that run on metal track
- 1901 – The first Lionel train goes on display
- 1930s – Accurately detailed O scale and smaller HO scale and 00 gauge trains become available
- 1940s – World War II halts production of electric train sets
- 1950s – Toy trains become the number one toy for boys, and many adults take it up as a hobby
- 1962 – N scale trains, nearly half the size of HO/OO, come into existence
- 1968 – LGB introduces large G scale trains for garden railroading
- 1972 – Märklin introduces the Z scale train, half the size of the N scale
- 1980s – Model trains go digital. The invention of Digital Command Control systems enables the operation of more than one train on the same track, and adds more realistic lighting and sound effects
- 2007 – T scale trains are launched, half the size of Z-scale
A Network of Celebrity Fans
Model railways are a popular hobby with celebrities, including a range of rock ‘n’ roll legends (Neil Young, Rod Stewart, and Johnny Cash to name just three!).
Rod Stewart proudly shared his extraordinary model reconstruction of New York to Railway Modeller magazine last year. The sprawling model metropolis of 1940s cars, trains, and skyscrapers is 125ft by 23ft!
Miniatur Wunderland!
The world’s largest model train set is located in Hamburg, Germany. Miniatur Wunderland is a popular resort and tourist destination, with its model railway attraction boasting over 1300 trains, 300 driving cars, 60 aeroplanes, and a total track length of 15,400m, or 50,525 ft!
The world’s most skilful modellers recreate everything in detail, as shown in their latest exhibit – Venice – which took two years to build and includes intricately detailed miniature replicas of the airport, the Rialto Bridge, Saint Mark’s Square, and even the pictures in the art galleries!
Take a tour through the record breaking model railway here.
And check out this Guinness World Record event organised by its creators, as the Miniatur Wonderland train set plays a melody with wine glasses!
How to Get Started
There is a train set for everyone, and you can start as small or as grand as you like!
Younger children might prefer the simplicity of a classic wooden train set like BRIO’s My First’ Railway Beginner Pack or ALDI’s Little Town Wooden Railway Set – both ideal for little conductors!
With bright colours and hardy construction, these sets promise hours of fun and active learning.
Ready for something a bit more challenging? Try the Hornby Family Fun Project – the perfect starter pack for young modellers!
The Hornby Family Fun Project This set has been created to make a model railway layout building as straightforward and as fun as possible, with a step-by-step video guide and tips for all the family to contribute. The railway is OO gauge, the most popular standard-gauge model railway standard in the UK.
From the same manufacturer, the “Flying Scotsman”, Hornby’s model of one of the world’s most famous trains, is a popular favourite!
Before you get started, check out this guide on the Model Railway Engineer, where an experienced modeller reflects on “What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting A Model Railway.”
Another popular source of tips is the Marklinofsweden YouTube account, which includes a series on how to build a beginner’s Model Railroad from start to finish in just 18 days.
Conclusion
Having captivated collectors for over a century, the popularity of model train sets shows no sign of slowing down.
And the recent craze is unlikely to just fade away. As most hobbyists will testify, model railway making is a hobby for a lifetime. Or, as the classic British model railway brand Hornby puts it – “more than just a hobby. A lifetime’s journey!”
Are you ready to begin your own journey with your family? Punch your ticket and hop aboard!
