How to start collecting model railways as a hobby

Collecting model railways and train sets has been a beloved passion of both the young and young at heart for over 100 years. From the first fully-working steam engine train in the early 1800s to the present-day technological developments, men and women worldwide are enamoured by collecting miniature keepsakes of locomotive history.

Most model railroaders collect to build and create. Recreating railroad memories, emulating model railway layouts or simply continuing a joyful childhood passion are a few of the many reasons so many commit to this lifetime hobby. If you’re looking for hobby ideas that will capture your heart, ignite your creativity, bond you with a wholesome community and develop some practical skills, then you sound like a model railroader already.

Collecting model railways is a classic and time-honoured hobby. In a psychological study by researchers from Randolph-Macon College in the USA, studies have even shown that traditional creative hobbies such as this can improve mental health. This is in comparison to the same time being spent on social media. Collecting model railways allows you to use problem-solving skills and is a fantastic activity to ground oneself amongst modern times.

What should my first model train be?

The trains you will appreciate and want to buy will greatly depend on your reasons for starting a model railway collection. If you are following up a forgotten childhood hobby then perhaps you will like some more historically significant model trains to match the older train model you may already have or miss. If you are starting a new hobby, you may be drawn to the more modern models, or recently released models because you have seen them advertised somewhere.

The rule is there are no rules. Your first train model should be significant to you, but really you should choose whichever model train speaks to you. And this is unique to every person. However, it is worth comparing analogue train sets and digital train sets.