Can't let the little guy be disappointed.
I'm new to Lionel. Had a killer HO setup when I was a teenager. Started out as a 4x8 on top of the pool table and quickly became most of the family room. Lost a little interest when I got my license at 16 (I wonder why?) and when we moved right after high school there was no room for it at the new place so I gave it all away to a friend.
When my girls were younger I dabbled with a small N-scale setup but never finished it. Parts of it are still in the basement. We went to a local toy & hobby shop on Thankgiving weekend and they had a huge Lionel setup on display (the whole basement of the store... layout is 12x24) and were running this Polar Express. The engine is gloss black and the cars are metalized... it's really sharp looking ( I'll try to get some better pics). The set was on sale and I couldn't be denied!
Now I'm researching a modest layout I can build. I found some plans for a 5x9 layout modeled after the set from The Addams Family
that I think I'll start collecting parts for.
This hobby might rival my chainsaw addiction in terms of dollars...