Trains - Thoroughbred Ready To Run Electric Train Set - HO Scale

This train set is great for our 6yo as an entry level set! He’s already asking for more tracks to expand the line lol. Very well made, and the tracks are easy enough for him to work with by himself. Keep in mind, our kid isn’t a rough kid with his toys—so others might be wary of that. If you bend the metal on the track pieces, it can interfere with putting the tracks together. Also a really cool feature that I didn’t even know about, the set has one piece of track that auto-aligns the cars onto the track for smooth operation. You just slide the car back and forth over the track and it automatically gets it seated, so no frustration with the train being “on” the tracks.

Train came well packaged with full, easy to follow instructions. We took our time and carefully set up the tracks, knowing this isn't a "TOY." I was careful to make sure we didn't bend the parts on the track or the links between the cars because they are fine and possibly fragile. I bought this train last minute for my 2 year old daughter who surprised us all by asking Santa for a train three days before Christmas. Thanks to Santa's amazon prime membership, it got here right on time so we could set it up under our tree Christmas Eve. Growing up, I had a train similar to this one under our tree, so I had the brilliant idea to bring back some memories by buying a model train rather than a toy train for her. I was a little nervous about her wanting to touch the train and the small pieces breaking, but I showed her how to operate the train with the controls and she was more interested in that rather than picking up the train itself. I think this is a great product and if you want to purchase this to use with a small toddler, then you should take the time to play with them. We took some of her foam blocks and were building bridges for the train to go under. We built a station so we can stop the train and pick up imaginary people. I think if you take the time with your child and use your imagination, you can make this train interactive enough for them to leave it on the tracks! The original track that comes in the box is a perfect size to fit under our tree. We have a 7.5' tree and the tracks are slightly bigger in circumference. The power connection from the control box to the tracks does not have a tight fit so if it is bumped too much it does lose its connection. But that is a super easy fix. Overall I am super happy with this train. My husband wanted her to have one so she could pick it up and not break it, but I like the fact this train moves on it's own and is more realistic. My daughter loves this train too. Even if she can't pick it up and throw it around!

I've dreamed of adding a train to our Christmas village for years, and the Bachmann Thoroughbred Train Set has finally made it happen! This set is amazing—compact, beautifully detailed, and reliable. It’s like stepping back into my youth when I first had an HO train set. My wife and I couldn’t be happier seeing it circle around our village, and it’s the perfect touch to our holiday tradition that’s over a decade old. The village folk seem thrilled, too! I even picked up the track expansion kit, so there's plenty of room for holiday cheer. I might seem early as we are just getting to Halloween, yet setting up the village early is part of the setting of the beginning of the Holiday Season and the foundation for all the other decorations that will start to appear throughout the house as that ever so anticipated day grows closer. That, and it takes a minute to unpack all those people and cottages and stuff and get it all set up. Added now to the yearly tradition will be Train Accessories expansion. Which mean the Village will need to expand... Now, the first part of the village construction is the laying of track! Awesome! All Aboard!

i really love this train it works just fine i know its just a cheap train but the ho train is a lot of fun.. just be careful of the ez track clips they will break easily. will buy another 1 latter just to have 2. thanks,

Pro: Affordable, easy to set up, easy to operate, decently detailed locomotive, a time waster. Con: Freight cars & caboose feels cheap. Runs a bit loud at full speed. A time waster. Verdict: Good starter set for newbie like myself. Just got this set for myself and set it up under Christmas tree. Set up was a breeze. The train was up and running in 20 minutes. Make sure to read the manual on track assembly. The tiny metal tracks and connectors need to line up and putting tracks together requires minimal efforts. If you are using more forces than closing a cooler lid to push tracks together, then track connectors are not lined up properly. Use your fingers or needle-nose plier to make small adjustments until they line-up, and push them together. It's a firm push, but does not require much force. Manual also stated setting up tracks where you want to lay them. This is to avoid twisting assembled tracks and un-align the connectors. With my setup, I was able to run the train at full speed foward and reverse without derailments. And this is on short pile carpet. Tracks and train stability probably would be better on hard surfaces like a plywood board, but on carpet I can feel the light rumbles as the train makes its way around the oval. Talking about the oval, it's about a 4' x 3' in size. For us it's perfect underneath a tree. But I'm already feeling the need to expand tracks for more variety. Even though I spent 3 hours just watching the train going around the oval last night, with no other track decorations. I guess this is how model trains get people to hook up. Once you have a taste, you just keep wanting more. Overall a good starter set that provides hours of entertainment at a very affordable price. One note: not sure if the locomotive is DCC-compatible so might run into some issues later when expanding. Bachmann's DCC controller supposedly is able to connect with the basic controller that come with this set. I will see when I get to that point.

I recently purchased the Bachmann Trains Thoroughbred Ready-To-Run set and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed. The set comes with everything you need to get started - locomotive, freight cars, track, and power pack. The quality of the components is top-notch, with attention to detail evident in the design of the locomotive and cars. Setting up the track was a breeze, and the locomotive ran smoothly right out of the box. The train operates quietly and pulls the cars along steadily, creating a realistic and enjoyable train experience. The track pieces are sturdy and connect easily, allowing for various layouts to be created. I appreciate the attention to detail Bachmann has put into this set, from the realistic design of the train cars to the smooth operation of the locomotive. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned model train enthusiast, the Bachmann Trains Thoroughbred Ready-To-Run set is a fantastic choice that provides hours of entertainment. I highly recommend this set for anyone looking to start or expand their model train collection.

its nice and all that. having constant dead spots that require reconnecting track pieces. those dead spots move, so it's not just one section. end of the day its ok, looks great. these things sure have gotten expensive for what you get, no wonder its failing as a hobby.

I bought this Bachmann train set to put under the Christmas tree this year. I was thinking of getting the bigger O or G scale train, but the HO is the perfect size and I'm really glad I went with it. The HO size has a perfectly sized track that fits under the Christmas tree without needing the typical 4'X 8' space that most larger trains need for the track. The Locomotive is the heaviest of the train pieces and most well built piece, but that's because the other train pieces just need to roll behind it. Overall I'm really happy with the build quality, and the track was super easy to snap together. The conductor controls are also really easy to use and my 2 year old quickly learned how to move the train forward and in reverse in a manner of minutes. I would recommend this train to anyone looking for a train set for under the Christmas tree. Great Price, fairly quiet, and great size! **Here is some video I took of the train to help you see how it looks and operates. I was running the train at about 1/3 of the full speed. The train operates and stays on the track at full speed as long as the track is completely level on the floor, or on a table.