Nelson 1865 Raintrain Traveling Sprinkler

Rain Train

These are great BUT......they have INTENTIONALLY, at Gilmour, made the main internal gear PLASTIC/NYLON that drives the rear wheels. This means that if this sprinkler runs into an obstruction for a short period of time IT WILL strip that gear. So why doesn't Gilmour make the gear metal? Answer, why should they put a metal gear in it when dummies like me know this and keep buying them anyway! The best alternative solution? ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS use the water shut off ramp that comes with the unit. Also don't expect it to do more than 75 feet and you should get consistent service over the long haul. The longer the hose run the greater the possibility of it jumping the hose and running into something not intended. It is a hearty piece of lawn equipment EXCEPT FOR THAT DAMN GEAR!!!!Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: acmetools

Solid but Slow

If you envision this model tractor sprinkler is just like the ones in use many years ago, you're going to be disappointed. The newer tractor sprinklers, like this one, no longer have metal wheels and weigh a country ton. That said, this is a solid tractor sprinkler, with the same, familiar cast iron body, and it works. But even on "fast" mode, it's terribly slow, and limited in its sprinkler pattern and options. If you need this sprinkler for a long patch of grass, it might just do the trick for you. If you hope it will eliminate your need to hand water trees or give your garden a good soaking, you'll be disappointed. It's a decent, solid sprinkler, just keep your expectations low.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: greatbrands

Second to none

So far so good, great color great price. This tractor will pull a 100 foot hose full of water with no problem. I got tired of dragging the hose myself, and now my Nelson tractor does it with ease and turns off at the shutoff attachment. It waters great and easy adjustment by rotating arms. Plain and simple it is great, just like the old ad, SET IT AND FORGET IT.
If you see one in a yard spraying, just ask them and I bet they love it. Oh yea it curves around and follows the hose. TanoRead full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: greatbrands

Excellent product! Not cheaply made. High quality.

I had a very old Nelson Raintrain. It was old and worn out. Pretty must lost all the treads on the wheels but I kept using it. Then it blew the big gasket and just wouldn't go anymore. I was panicking like oh my tractor sprinkler has officially died.. I took a chance thinking oh this new one will not be as heavy duty as my antique one. I was wrong! It is awesome. I am more than happy with this purchase! Thank you!Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: aobijia-02

"Have water, will travel..."

There's nothing new about the Nelson travelling sprinkler. It has been around for over 70 years. Ingenious simplicity. It travels along the hose, gets to the end of the pattern you have laid out, and rides up a stop ramp that shuts it off automatically--so you waste no water. It is the best way to make certain that every corner of your lawn is thoroughly watered. It literally is a tractor! Looks like a 19th century tractor with their solid wheels with tines. More people with fine lawns use these and some people prefer them to in ground systems which are prone to breakdown and broken pipes. I think a Nelson Rain Train sprinkler is the finest product available for watering your lawn and I highly recommend it.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: icydealtz

Great time saver in larger yards

Inherited one of these sprinkler tractors many many years ago and it finally broke, found they still sell them and purchased a new one, it looks just like the one I had and works great. Love being able to set the sprinkler and have it shut off when it gets done without me having to be there to babysit it! Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: greatbrands

works great on big lawns

easy to water my lawn with this. has no problem pulling my 175 foot hose, and shuts off automatically as it passes over the ramp, no need to keep an eye on it.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: kainosmdk

Great Travelling Sprinkler

If your yard needs this type of sprinkler, you know it. I like being able to set it up, let it run, and it shuts itself off when finished.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: riversedgestore14

Solid, functional tool

Easy and quick to set up, very heavy (which portends long life) and does the job of following the path of your hose while you do other chores. Two things require your vigilance: make sure the hose is free and can “follow” behind the sprinkler as it moves down the path you have set for it, and make sure the ground is sufficiently flat that the sprinkler doesn’t “tip over” in which case it will over water in that certain area. There are also a couple instructions to pay attention to: right before you turn on the water be sure and “pop out” the plug on the underside of the sprinkler (it looks kind of like those pop out thermometers on the turkey), and be sure you put the sprinkler gear in to the correct of three possible positions: fast, slow or neutral. Pull up on the gear knob to move from one gear to the next. I found that the faster setting is still pretty slow and appropriate for most of my watering needs.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: westhardwareco

Makes lawn watering a non chore job.

Really makes lawn watering easy. Works great. Great quality construction.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: max_warehouse

Works well but not so much as you might think ...

It's simplistic design works well. Using hydraulics to propel the device over the ground is appealing especially in contrast to the deluge of motorized plastic we're offerred in most appliances. However, the claim that it can drag as much hose it makes seems to be over-rated. Indeed, if you are watering the acclaimed football field I have no doubt it could do half the length (not width) of the field. In doing so, the hose would be straight at the beginning and would pull 75 feet into a curl behind it. Different story if they're any curves in the hose path, Curves misalign the pull and increase resistance to the pull. At that point the device stalls and starts to dig.Read full review