Order Some Really Big Fun for the Holidays! Large Scale is the name garden railroaders give to trains that are made to be run in outdoor railroads. These trains are two to six times the size of trains people usually use indoors. They are sturdy, and they are big fun. Don't plan on setting a Large Scale railroad up on your coffee table, though.

The trains on this page are included simply because I've owned versions of each of them and think you would like them, too.

New! More Large Scale Christmas trains are now available from more suppliers! The Garden Train Store has negotiated with TrainDiscounts to offer our readers a special discount on many quality trains. This gives you an additional source for many trains, and makes others available here for the first time. Due to special agreements with various suppliers, you can't see the final price on "Garden Train Store/TrainDiscount" trains until you add them to the shopping cart, but I believe you'll find good value on every train. To learn more, look for the information that is listed under each train set description below.

Note about Availability and Pricing: Although I try to keep an eye on things and to recommend products that are reasonably available, the model train market does fluctuate, and any product on this page may change price or become unavailable without prior notice. (In fact, I've inadvertently caused a "rush" on several products just by listing them on these pages.) When I have access to more than one source, I have provided multiple supplier buttons to give you a better chance of getting the trains you want (as long as you don't wait until mid-December to make your choice, in which case all bets are off). For more detailed information about why Large Scale railroad products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices for certain products, please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."

December 17 Update: Between November 1 and December 8, 2006, one of the trains that was shown on this page has run completely out of stock and there is no sign that the manufacturer will be making another run. By December 17, another train was gone from all of my suppliers' shelves and will probably never be available again. This is just a reminder that the "check stock" buttons really mean just that, and if you have your eye on a particular train, you probably shouldn't wait too long.

Note about Suppliers: While we try to give you get the products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose to provide your trains or other purchases are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier should any problems occur. (They almost never do, but you want to be on the safe side.)

AristoCraft Christmas Trains AristoCraft Christmas Freight - the Family Garden Trains 2007 Bargain of the Year! - This cheerful, well-detailed and very solid little Christmas train is from AristoCraft, who makes more kinds of Large Scale railroad equipment than the next several manufacturers put together. In addition, AristoCraft has added a Crest Train Engineer remote control that you can use to speed up, slow down, or stop your train from across the room. No more crawling under the Christmas tree to adjust the power pack. And you can use this system to run ANY track-powered Large Scale train, even in the garden (providing you don't get over 30' or so away from your railroad. This train may look a tad too large to use with Department 56, Lemax, or Hawthorne Village structures, but it will look fine with most Dept. 56 or Lemax figures and accessories. It will really get attention around a Christmas tree. Note: - In 2007, AristoCraft is offering promotional pricing on these sets, which, combined with free remote control, makes them an unusually good value. In fact this train set was just rated the Family Garden Trains 2007 Bargain of the Year!. Click here for more details. The 0-4-0T locomotive is based on a real Pennsylvania Railroad prototype, the A-5. This version of the model has been reengineered to provide years of trouble-free service indoors and out. If it sounds like I'm a little prejudiced toward this train, you should know that I've owned several different versions of this locomotive, gondola, and caboose, and have been quite pleased with each of them. I am excited to be able to offer this product to you this year. Note: This set and the non-Christmas set shown on the AristoCraft Starter Set page have been among our best sellers for the 2006 holiday season. Our other best-selling Large Sale train set is the Lionel Classic Christmas Holiday Traditions Set, in case you wondered.

Lionel Large Scale Christmas Trains New for 2006! Lionel Classic Christmas Train - By a special agreement with Hammacher Schlemmer and other premium gift stores, Lionel has built a new Classic, one that approaches the big Standard Gauge trains of old in size, but surpasses them in charm. This train has so many features that it deserves its own web page, which you can access by clicking the picture on the right. To check on availability from the Garden Train Store, click the green button at the right. To see your final price for this train, you will need to add it to your "shopping cart." You can always remove it again if you decide not to buy. Bachmann Large Scale Christmas Trains Bachmann is one of the world's largest manufacturers of model railroad equipment. Their large scale line is relatively inexpensive, but provides excellent value, in terms of accuracy and reliability. Although the Christmas paint job may not be realistic, the trains themselves are accurate models of real railroad equipment of the past. Note: If you'd like a look at similar trains that aren't decorated for Christmas but would still look great around your tree or in the back yard, check out the Bachmann Garden Trains page. Bachmann Large Scale Christmas Street Car - Santa is driving the trolley on this accurate model of the short- wheelbase trolleys that were used in hundreds of North American cities and towns over 100 years ago. This car is certain to get attention outdoors, as well as indoors - it's over 15" long and nearly 7" tall. If you want a Christmas trolley to run indoors and you don't already have any Large Scale railroad equipment, you might consider an On30 set (it's smaller, so it won't take over your house.) For more information about this trolley or to check on pricing and availability through Amazon.com, please click on a button to the left. Bachmann G Night Before Christmas Train Set - This train is big and colorful. It is based on the Bachmann Big Hauler series of trains, whose slogan used to be "Any bigger and you'd have to buy a ticket." In spite of the Christmas lettering, the locomotive pulling this train is an accurate model of a Baldwin locomotive that ran on many American railroads between 70 and 140 years ago. For other information about this train, or to check on pricing or availability, please click on a "check stock" button below. Although the Bachmann track is best kept indoors, the trains themselves run reliably and look great inside or out. To check on pricing and availability, click one of the buttons below. Bachmann G North Pole Special - This train is even bigger and more colorful than the train above. In fact it's the largest train in the Big Christmas Trains(tm) catalog. This train adds an extra freight car and replaces the short caboose with a lighted passenger coach. This train is built solid enough to run in the rain and snow, and they have been used on public display layouts. It will look great around a Christmas Tree. In fact, you'll enjoy seeing your visitors' jaws drop when they see it running in your home. To check on pricing and availability please click on a button below. Note: If you like the idea of having a really big train, but you want something in a paint job that you can use all year round, you might consider other Bachmann Large Scale trains. Wonderland Flyer - This is a "Boscov's Exclusive." At Boscov's request, Bachmann has assembled a specially-priced set for the store chain. I've added it here just to give you a low-cost alternative that has excellent quality for the price. Mechanically and sizewise, this train is entirely interoperable with the other Bachmann trains on this page. This train set includes a 4-6-0 steam locomotive and tender with metal wheels, side rods and detail parts. Other features include operating headlights, realistic smoke, speed-synchronized steam sound, box car and gondola with presents. Passenger car with interior lights, six candy stripe crossbucks and santa figure. 32 running feet of track can build from 4'3" circle to giant 12'x6' oval. Power pack and speed controller. Illustrated instruction manual. DVD format video instructions. This train will be warranted by Bachmann and is interchangeable with all of the Bachmann trains on this page. To check on pricing and availability, please click on the Boscov's button. What if this stuff looks TOO big? If you don't already have any Large Scale equipment, and you are looking mainly for something to use with a Christmas Village, Bachmann On30 Christmas Trains may be a better choice - for one thing, they're half the size, and they're made especially to look good with Dept. 56 or Lemax buildings. Home Pages Reading Index Pages Buyer's Guide Pages Visit any of the links below to see quality collectible Christmas gifts and decorations that have been popular with our readers. Note: Family Garden Trains™, Garden Train Store™, Big Christmas Trains™, BIG Indoor Trains™, and BIG Train Store™ are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically For more information, please contact me