Review: 10233 Horizon Express

[Aanchir]

Great review. I loved the humorous tangent about the bubble wrap at the beginning-- that's the kind of thing that always alerts you to the fact that the reviewer knows what they're doing and wants to make this as fun for the readers as possible!

Anyway, I agree that this is an incredible set filled with new ideas. You went over all the assets and faults of this train in great detail.

One slight error I should note is that the nose slope is not new in orange-- I know because I happen to own the set it originally came in in that color. However, it is still exceedingly rare and I have no doubt it has been out of production for quite a long time.

[Redhead1982]

Thanks for this lengthy review! It's a nice model even for the non-experts in trains. I'm seriously considering getting it.

[mostlytechnic]

One slight error I should note is that the nose slope is not new in orange-- I know because I happen to own the set it originally came in in that color. However, it is still exceedingly rare and I have no doubt it has been out of production for quite a long time.

You are correct - I knew that when I was writing, but I didn't make it very clear what parts are truly new and what are just really rare or otherwise special.

[ShaydDeGrai]

Very good review. I agree that it's no Emerald Night, but it's a great model of the TGV.

I guess I know where my next batch of VIP points is going.

[PeteM]

Thanks for the review, will definitely be purchasing at least one of these on release - it'll be my first Lego train for 25 years (since I got the very similar 7745 for Christmas 1987)!

[TypoCorrecto]

Nice review. I'm even more amped up to get two of these things now...

[jonwil]

I am loving this set even more now.

But more so, I MUST get that new head with the glasses (on the green guy with the sweater). Lets hope its available in a smaller set :)

[Esurient]

Thanks for the preview. I am impressed by the building techniques, otherwise it looks pretty ok for me. I would buy 2 of those.

[dr_spock]

Thank you for the detailed review. You convinced me it is a buy.

[santob]

Great Review!

[Ferrik]

Thank you for this amazingly-detailed review, mostly technic. The nose of the train looks almost exactly like the TGV train. The SNOT arrows on the side are simple but add great detail to the sides of the train. It's excellent that the interiors of the different carriages vary. Overall, this is a must-have train set.

[Luke_likes_Lego]

Great review mostly technic....very detailed - you really brought it to life

LLL

[brickerik]

I have no doubt the LUGs will soon have long versions of this train running on their high-speed layouts.

That's already done ;)

(HD Video too)

Edited November 14, 2012 by brickerik

[The Dutch Guy]

Great review. Thank you for that. As soon as i saw the anouncement for this new set, i knew i had to have two of these, to make one trainset. Being European, where there are more passenger- than Freighttrains, i most definitely like this set more than the Mearsk train. The way the containers were stacked on the cars (2 on the first and 1 on the second car) always bugged me. The way the pantographs are build is great, maybe i use that idea on my other electric trains as well. Loved readingyour review

[cei]

The real train has two bogeys in the engine. That way it can be swapped out for maintenance and so forth. The cars are pretty much one permanent unit that doesn't get separated.

I checked on the clearance around the IR receiver - with two connections stacked like I have, you can't put the front pantograph all the way down. It gets close, but not quite. With a third stacked. the pantograph would have to be almost straight up (at least the lower section, where the 1x3 thin liftarms are).

There doesn't appear to be an easy way to fill in under the pantograph - the unit that the snot arrows are connected to is right there and the pantographs take up way more space when folded down than the real things would.

I also checked on the Jacobs bogey. There's the light grey section in the center. You can see that between the cars if you look. My first though was just stick a 2x2 black tile over it. That mostly works, but the cars do hit it in curves. They still make it around, but it's too tight. A better solution would be rebuilding the bogey with black instead of light grey parts. Shouldn't be too hard, though I haven't checked on availability of all the parts (there's some snot brackets involved).

Great, thank you. Think I may have to bite the bullet and accept the HE using both blue and red channels as it'll need three PF components at a minimum (front lights, dual motor). All that remains is either installing a switch, or doing your trick with reversed motors.

In regards to the Jacobs, if you're replacing all the bogies on the train (well, passenger cars) you'll be needing to order new parts anyway, so replacing for black shouldn't be an issue, as long as the SNOT parts can be found, whatever they are. By my reckoning:

2 trainsets = 3 Jacobs

3 trainsets = 5 Jacobs

You'd then have to take a look at the under-car unit, as they possibly won't be the right length any more. That means buying orange tiles...

Edited November 14, 2012 by cei

[alainneke]

Thanks for the extensive (p)review and the very nice pictures!

The hole in the roof near the pantographs doesn't really bug me: I'm going to run this train on DCC, and it seems to be a perfect place to mount a miniature speaker...

[Dan-147]

I may sound like a parrot, but I have to agree with everyone else, great review! I already knew when it came out that I wuld have to buy at least two but your review made that painfully clear.

Great, thank you. Think I may have to bite the bullet and accept the HE using both blue and red channels as it'll need three PF components at a minimum (front lights, dual motor). All that remains is either installing a switch, or doing your trick with reversed motors.

Or you can run an extension wire from the reciever to some out-of-the-way place (behind the driver?) where you can stack the PF connectors. That way, you use only one channel.

Dan-147

[Axis600]

Oh, wow. Well done, mostlytechnic! Wow, good ol' TLC really outdid themselves this time. The last three trains have really impressed me. Thank you for the review, I think I might try getting one of these.

[cei]

Or you can run an extension wire from the reciever to some out-of-the-way place (behind the driver?) where you can stack the PF connectors. That way, you use only one channel.

Dan-147

Interesting idea, another one to add to the pile of things to do! That would however be the spot where a switch would possibly go, mandating the motor switch. Need to obtain a soldering iron I think...

[mostlytechnic]

Interesting idea, another one to add to the pile of things to do! That would however be the spot where a switch would possibly go, mandating the motor switch. Need to obtain a soldering iron I think...

I'm not sure how much room there is for a switch, but perhaps you could wire like this:

IR receiver has 2 stacked connections, one motor and the switch. On the switch, stack 2 connections - the other motor and the lights, since the lights don't care about direction. That'd keep the IR stack at 2 but let you run all 3 things.

[WesternOutlaw]

Wonderful review MT! Your pictures are crisp and clear adding to the enjoyment of looking at this train in a more detailed manner. I love that windshield piece. It looks like there's some nice elements and initially, I wasn't big on the black & orange color scheme, but seeing it in your review makes it look really nice. Suppose I have to pick one of these up. Very nice!

EDIT: Oh, and I love that image with the Emerald and Maersk - a trio of fantastic trains!

EDIT: Mostlytechnic: for this fantastic review, I proudly pin the first ever, Eurobricks Train Tech Horizon Express Train Tag.

[mostlytechnic]

Aw, thanks. Now I have a matching set of tags. I don't remember what I got the red one for though - my Airport Shuttle review maybe?

[Andy D]

Excellent review, excellent set! I like this set as much as the EN (and that's saying a lot). I may have to get 1 or 2. I shouldn't have read the review, now my credit card is going to suffer.

Thanks,

Andy D

[WhiteFang]

Outstanding review, mostlytechnic!

I love this reviewing coverage which you have done and you have certainly nailed down the facts and different building techniques that had been used in this new train. Furthermore, I particularly enjoyed when you have attempted to evaluate and compare the most recent 2 other LEGO train sets with the new Horizon Express and taking into consideration with the real model.

That is excellent research work which you have put together within a short period. It is no easy feat to do up such excellent detailed review and for your efforts to put this together, I give my biggest thanks!

p.s: Finally, you got an avatar for yourself!

[snefroe]

this is a great review!!

i like the train, really. it looks better than when i first saw it a while back. the only thing that's bugging me, is the roof just on top of the windscreen. and ah yes... the price will be bugging me too... i'm afraid...