With two young kids, I was inspired this year to do the traditional “model train around the Christmas tree” thing. I did some research, and Lionel’s Winter Wonderland seemed to check all the boxes. I’m not into model trains (this is my first model train purchase and, other than this Christmas train, I don’t expect to ever have any interest in model trains), but my dad briefly had a Lionel model train when I was a kid so I knew that Lionel was a reputable brand name. And Lionel did not disappoint: this train was *exactly* what I was looking for. In fact, I’m impressed how they pretty much nailed everything. First: the quality is high. The train, especially the engine, looks and feels high quality. This train is good enough for a serious model train hobbyist yet the ready-to-run package makes this perfect for somebody like me who just wants to open it up and get it running. I only plan on pulling this out of the box every Christmas so I want something easy to setup. And everything you need is in the box (except batteries for the remote, and a Phillips screwdriver to install said batteries) and takes 30-45 minute to setup. The track is Lionel standard O-gauge white Fastrack which is quality stuff (it stays together so you don’t have to worry about loose connections) and is easy to connect together and which can easily be expanded by adding extra track. The sounds are great. There are three sound buttons on the remote: horn, sleigh bells, and music/conductor announcements. The horn is exactly that stereotypical, comforting train horn sound we all know and love. I swear, just pressing the horn button is half the fun since I love that sound (and the remote is responsive, i.e. you can hold it down or just press it quickly and it responds in kind). The button for the sleigh bells sounds exactly like those stereotypical Santa’s sleigh bells. Finally, the music button alternates between a couple Christmas carols (and the full carol, not just a clip …which it repeats until you stop it) and an announcer (who sounds very much like Tom Hanks’ character in Polar Express … coincidence? Hmmm) alternating between a couple announcements like “All aboard” (it’s not exactly that, but you get the idea). There is also a switch on the engine to turn the “chuff” sound on and off. The chuff sound actually sounds pretty good, so I usually keep it on. I found the Lion Chief app, which is an alternative way to control the train instead of using the included remote, to work great. I know some have complained about this, but you have to turn the included remote off first. That’s because you don’t want to devices controlling the train at once. With the included remote off, I found the app connected via Bluetooth very easy. The app provides extra controls which the included remote does not, like the ability to set the train’s momentum (i.e. how fast it speeds up/slows down), the pitch of the horn, setting a speed limit, and individually controlling the volume of the different sound effects (including turning them off entirely). The engine smoke was not something I had expected and is surprisingly good, though it does stink. Apparently you can get smoke fluid that doesn’t stink though? Anyway, there is a switch on the engine to the turn the smoke on/off. There aren’t any major cons to this train, but a few minor issues. Some of the couplers between cars seem to randomly disconnect. I think they are just a bit touchy. If it gets worst, I may just use something like twist tie to keep them together. Also, the set should really have a switch to turn power to the track on and off. As it comes, once you plug it in, the track is “live”. It’s not enough voltage to shock you, but it can be a little startling when fixing a derailed train, for example. You can always unplug the power (which Lionel recommends you do), but it seems like this will wear out the plug. Why not just have a switch? Overall, I’m impressed that Lionel seemed to nail everything with this train: it’s perfectly Christmas-y yet they didn’t skimp on quality or features. I thought I was paying too much for what is effectively a Christmas decoration, but it was totally worth it. And though the kids grew bored of controlling the train after not even a week (I have to admit: driving a train around in circles isn’t that exciting), it will still be a perfect addition to our Christmas tree for years to come. Who knows, I may even buy some more track, some switches, an accessory or two, or even a second train to make it a little more fun to operate.
