I model HO scale, but my 10 yr. old daughter wants to switch to N scale. Any suggestions for products to STAY AWAY FROM??She doesn't need to deal wity junky equipment.
I would say avoid Bachmann stuff, I myself have never had a good Bachmann engine of any kind. However, some say that their current line of steam engines are decent, but I have no direct experience with them. Try before you buy, I would say.
Model Power has, of late released, a couple of steam engines, but I wasn't too happy with their 4-6-2, but I understand that they've fixed alot of the problems with them, but again, I'd have to say try before you buy, if you can.
You can't go wrong with any Kato or Atlas release from 1990-ish on (Atlas' FM Trainmaster is incredible, as is the Kato SD70MAC), and Life-Like's releases (the Alco C424 they just released is fabulous) from the past two or three years are very good as well.
If you've got loads of $$$$$ and are keen on European prototypes, many of Minitrix's post-Marklin merger items are awe-inspiring (their DB ET87 and the Rheingold set are far and away my favorite N scale models), as are releases by Fleischmann. You must beware of old Minitrix, however, which are usually OK, but not particularly inspiring.