On30 Trains for Christmas Villages


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Written by Paul D. Race for Family Garden Trains(tm)

For many people, nothing brings interest and nostalgia to a Christmas village like a moving train. Now Bachmann's O-scale trains that run on two rail (HO-gauge) track have made the combination easy, fun, and affordable. In spite of the Christmas paint jobs, these are not toys; they are detailed, accurate models of real trains that once ran in real cities in North America. Even better, Bachmann chose to model trains and streetcars that look like they belong with most Christmas village structures such as those from Lemax and Dept. 56. The trains on this page mostly are decorated with Christmas colors. However, Bachmann also makes On30 trains in other color schemes that you would enjoy running all year 'round.

For those without enough room to put a circle of track around their Christmas villages, Bachman has made a streetcar set that has a reverse mechanism, so your Christmas trolley can go back and forth automatically. Note: As of November 2006, these are in extremely short supply, so check them out soon if you're interested.

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. (In fact, one train I listed about November 1, 2006 had become completely unavailable by November 20.) 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 model train products seem to come and go and why I have stopped listing prices in our "buyer's guides," please see my article "About Pricing and Availability."

Note about Suppliers: While we try to help 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.)

If you have any questions about any On30 train, collectible train, Large Scale train, or Christmas train, contact us and we'll try to help.

In the meantime, Happy Holidays! - Paul Race, Big Christmas Trains.

Bachmann On30 Northern Lights Limited Train Set. Click for bigger photo

Bachmann Northern Lights Limited - This Bachmann Christmas set was especially designed to look good with Christmas village buildings. (In fact, one version of this train, in black and dark red, was sold under the Dept. 56(tm) label.) That said, this train is also big enough to look good around your tree and great around your town. The set comes with a power supply and a loop of track. The engine is reliable, and the paint job and details are attractive.

You may notice a similarity between this train and the Hawthorne Village Subscription Trains. That's because all the designers start with the same basic kit, which they prize for its overall quality and reliability.

So even if you subscribe to a Hawthorne Village collectible series, there's a lot to be said for getting a whole, solid and charming train set (that you're not afraid to let the kids run) in one single box.

Note: In early 2007, I bought the predecessor to this train (North Pole Express) for a project. It was the first Bachmann On30 Christmas train I've owned for a while, and was very pleasantly surprised in a number of ways. This train had exceptionally sharp graphics, a flawless paint job, and other signs of close attention to detail. In other words, Bachmann's continuing commitment to quality improvement has made this a train that anyone would be pleased to own or display.

On the back of the box was a photo of the train running past some ceramic houses and other collectible pieces just to show how well it looks with them - Click on the image to see a bigger photo.

Update for January, 2008 In late 2007, the North Pole Express disappeared from the shelves and was replaced by the Northern Lights Limited; it seems to be identical to the train I own except for a few more color variations on the coaches. According to Bachmann's materials, the new version includes the ability to couple and uncouple the cars remotely for "operations."

For details, pricing, or availability, please click on the "check stock" button.

Bachmann On30 Spectrum Jingle Bell Express Train Set
Bachmann Jingle Bell Express - In late 2004, Bachmann also introduced a charming and reliable On30 Christmas Freight set, called the Jingle Bell Express. For details, pricing, or availability, please click on a "check stock" button.

About Extra Track - The train sets on this page come with an oval of track that is about 38" x 56", although if you order a subscription train, you don't receive all of the track and power supply right away. To get a jump start on your railroad, or to make your railroad a little larger, you may easily add additional track.

The Bachmann EZ Track #44501 is an exact replacement for the curves that come with the train sets.
Bachmann #44411 matches the straight pieces.

In addition you can easily convert any of the train sets on this page to remote control with the Crest Basic Train Engineer.

Click to visit Family Christmas Online(tm)

Bachmann On30 Christmas Village Street Car Set (United Traction) Bachmann Automated On30 Christmas Village Streetcar Set - Bachmann's On30 Street Car set is our best-selling solution for Christmas villages that aren't big enough for a loop of track. The weathered "car barn" hides a reversing mechanism, so your trolley can deliver passengers from one end of your village (or your fireplace mantle) to the other automatically. The Bachmann streetcars are models of real streetcars that graced US towns and villages a century ago.

For details, pricing, or availability, please click on the button to the right.

Note: To extend a "back-and-forth" railroad, you will need to use special track. (Regular HO track, even the EZ track that comes with the trains below, won't work, because of the extra wiring necessary to run the reversing mechanism.)

For straight pieces, use Bachmann #44548 track.
For curves, use Bachmann # 44549.

If you have questions about this, please contact me and I'll try to help you out.

Note: These sets have been bestsellers every year that we've been able to get them. This year we are using a supplier we don't usually use because all of our regular suppliers are out of stock and not likely to get any in between now and Christmas. In other words, if you are remotely interested in this set, don't wait too long to decide; the supply is definitely limited.

For details, pricing, or availability, please click on the button to the right.

Christmas Street Car - The Bachmann On30 Christmas Street Car is also available separately. It will run on any HO or On30 track, so many folks buy it to give to the model railroader in their family. Unlike some toy wooden streetcars you see in Christmas displays, these models derive their charm from accuracy, detail, and excellent (if not entirely realistic) paint jobs. For more information about this product or availability, please click on the "check stock" button.
Hershey's Street Car - The first time we linked to this product, all of our suppliers sold out almost immediately. At the moment, several vendors who go through Amazon seem to have it in stock, so we're relisting it. Like the street car above, this street car will run on any HO or On30 track, so many folks buy it to give to the model railroader in their family. For more information about this product or availability, please click on the "check stock" button.

Animated Crossing Gate - The $29.95 Hawthorne Village crossing gate adds charming action as the arms go up and down each time the train passes. This package includes four "block" signals that you may set around your mainline to give a little more detail, as well. This product is available from Collectibles Today. For more details, pricing, or availability, please click on the button.

On30 Trains and Display Villages - You may not really want to know that Bachmann makes On30 trains that aren't painted just for Christmas, and that there are several display villages by Thomas Kinkade and other designers that don't have snow on the roof. Everything on the On30 Trains and Display Villages page will look great with the Christmas Villages and Christmas trains in the rest of the catalog, of course. But many of these pieces are so charming and well made that you'll have serious trouble trying to put them back in the box on January second. Click on the image at the left for more information.

Note: The O-Scale Accessories page includes many relatively inexpensive details such as bridges, fencing, and stations, that will bring life to any O-Scale or O-Gauge railroad. Click on the button to the right for more information.

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Note: Family Garden Trains™, Garden Train Store™, Big Christmas Trains™, BIG Indoor Trains™, BIG Train Store™, and Trains and Towns™ 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 forbidden.

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Just for Christmas - Collectible Decorations and Gifts - Visit any of the links below
to see quality collectible Christmas gifts and decorations that have been popular with our
readers. Many are designed by Thomas Kinkade and other world-class artists and designers.

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