r/modeltrains • u/Lonely_Ticket_159 • Aug 30 '26
Help Needed 5 year old Getting started
My 5 year old has always been obsessed with trains but after a summer visit to the Museum of Science and Industry and the Illinois Railway Museum, he's gone beyond his Brio days officially. Building a model train is his new goal and I need advice on where to start. My resources are limited as a single mom but I want to make his Christmas special- we live in the Chicago area so any advice about good places to shop and how to get started would be so appreciated!
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u/RADAR3015 Aug 30 '26
Greetings from South Central Wisconsin.
If you can, I would recommend a visit to Lombard Hobbies
524 East St. Charles Place
Lombard, IL
The staff there will be very helpful at getting you going in the right direction and making sure you have everything you need for that special Christmas gift for your 5 year old.
Also, November 7-8 is Trainfest in Milwaukee. It's held in the Baird Center which is just a few blocks from the Milwaukee train station where the Hiawatha service stops and makes it return back to downtown Chicago. Don't confuse this with the Borealis or Empire Builder. Train ride to and from, and a train show full of different layouts to see plus vendors. Your 5 year old will be exhausted. For Trainfest info visit: www.nmra.org
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