What should i buy?

[THERIZE]

My birthday is coming soon and I really want to buy some LEGO trains. But i can't spend 500 euros on LEGO and trains are expensive. I'm looking forward to have a Maersk train on my layout but i don't have the feeling that im happy with only 2 container wagons. But i can't afford 2 sets and i don't need/want an extra locomotive. And it doesn't have motors. But the design is 10 out of 10. A city train is cheaper for what its got but the details are a non. I could wait for a new creator expert train. I won't buy the Horizon Express just because i would but two of it and my layout i to small for it.

So i can choose from this things:

Maersk train, i would need to buy extra wagons and power functions

Red lego city freight train (3677)

Emerald night, i would need to buy extra coaches and power functions

Where would you guys choose for?

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Id buy the Maersk train and brick link some more containers

I also like the current freight train 60052, but , again, you would need to bricklink more rollingstock

(and it comes with powerfunctions!)

[medib]

You got to start somewhere,

If you don't have any train sets, I recommend a starter set like the Red Cargo Train or the current City (Blue) Freight Train. The Maersk train is nice, and if you really, really want it, I'd buy it as soon as possible. Worst comes to worse, you can always buy rolling stock on Ebay or Bricklink or wait until the Heavy Haul train goes on sale and make your own rolling stock.

[dr_spock]

If you like the Maersk style but not the price and don't need to have Maersk blue, you could get the blue 60052 train set and modify the engine into the GP40 style of the Maersk engine. Zephyr1934 wrote up some excellent instructions: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=108434 60052 comes with tracks and power functions to get you started. Otherwise, you'll have to tack on the costs of those to the Maersk set to get running.

The container cars and containers build instructions can be found on lego.com. You could brinklink the parts in less expensive non-Maersk blue colors. Some parts can be found the Pick A Brick wall in the LEGO retail stores from time to time.

If you really want the Maersk blue, then prepare to pay a handsome amount.

[*thomas*]

It seems like to realy like the maersk, so, get the maersk. You'll be sorry if you don't because prices will only go up.

[THERIZE]

You got to start somewhere,

If you don't have any train sets, I recommend a starter set like the Red Cargo Train or the current City (Blue) Freight Train. The Maersk train is nice, and if you really, really want it, I'd buy it as soon as possible. Worst comes to worse, you can always buy rolling stock on Ebay or Bricklink or wait until the Heavy Haul train goes on sale and make your own rolling stock.

Well i aready have 3 trains. 2 freigh trains and a passenger train. But those are RC.

[Duq]

Buy 2 Maersk trains and sell one engine ;-)

[Redimus]

I built two extra wagons for the Maersk train in different colours to the original (and modified the design of the containers and built a couple more of those too). It works out cheaper than bricklinking the correct colour bits or buying two complete extra wagons, and adds a bit more colour.

In fact, if you want to really make the maersk train cheaper, find the instructions online (Lego let you access them for free), use them to build the train in LDD (or similar), recolour to your own tastes, then bricklink the parts. A more unique train, and almost certainly a cheaper one.

[peterab]

If I were in your position, I'd ask myself why each of the three possibilities you are considering appealed to you.

From the point of view of value for money 3677 would seem to be best. It also fits with your currently European focussed collection.

The Maersk train seems to be an intermediate point, you would need to buy the PF gear as well though, but you could buy it in stages to spread the cost, also to make it more affordable you could buy the parts for extra wagons and containers in other colours.

The EN will be the most expensive option. You'd have to really love this train to want to try and get it now.

[*thomas*]

Furthermore, buying PF components is not the most expensive thing to do. A lot of people part train sets out - including me sometimes - and a complete PF set (engine, receiver, batt.box and remote) can be found for sale for as little as 40-45 euro.

If the maersk engine appeals that much to you, just go for it. I'd rather spend that kind of money an a creator set than on 3677... But that's just me.

[zephyr1934]

Yes, if you like the Maersk I'd suggest just building a repaint, e.g., my Conrail design mentioned above is intended to be a much cheaper alternative to buying a Maersk. Of course you are not limited to Conrail, if you search the forums you will find a lot of repaints of the Maersk and even the BNSF set. As I was designing the Conrail locomotives I was looking through bricklink prices and I found that if you need all of the PF components and train components you will be hard pressed to get them individually for less than what you find in the sets. If you prefer dark gray over blue, wait for the new train to come out.

Then again, if you are more of a European train fan, you would likely be happy with 3677 (and it is still reasonably cheap for a discontinued train set)

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Personally I bought the Maersk train and an extra wagon with a gray container ...Maersk is the right choice!

[Princess Amy]

The Maersk is nice, but from a financial point of view if you're having difficulty justifying spending that much, consider how sought after it is and that the price is way over what it originally went for - I'd wait for the next special train to be released and buy that instead. The blue cargo train is a similar design to the Maersk engine although the cars are utter rubbish. The new red cargo train has nothing to make a good container wagon out of (nor does the blue).

The best option, IMO, is this. Buy the Maersk once, and any other train - even a cheap passenger one, for parts. Then buy the split height chassis bricks off bricklink, which look to be £2.18, and construct container cars out of that. You might even end up with more container cars afterwards, and spare bricks that you can sell on or use for other things. -and won't have the extra, expensive loco.

Or just buy two Maersks

[jabz10]

Is there a parts list for the Maersk Container, and Flat Bed separate from the rest of the set? Would like to add a couple more to mine.

[THERIZE]

Is there a parts list for the Maersk Container, and Flat Bed separate from the rest of the set? Would like to add a couple more to mine.

You could just buy a few from brinklink. Its also possible to get a Maersk train LDD file and delete the locomotive and the truck.

[engineermax]

If you are worried about cost you might as well forget the Emerald night, which, while possibly the best LEGO train ever made is really expensive now. I would get the Maersk and make your own additional cars using Bricklink.

[THERIZE]

If you are worried about cost you might as well forget the Emerald night, which, while possibly the best LEGO train ever made is really expensive now. I would get the Maersk and make your own additional cars using Bricklink.

I would never buy the emerald. Personally I dislike the boiler design (way to large) and the price of it well. If your rich you can buy it. If I had the money now I would buy the maersk but well I'm leaning against the MOC side of LEGO and have thus bought a complete Power Functions kit. And I'm now getting WALL-E so sadly I don't see a set coming. But if I would...

[davidmull]

The maersk isn't that expensive around €150 sealed. Emerald night is i payed €325 for mine a few months back.

[THERIZE]

The maersk isn't that expensive around €150 sealed. Emerald night is i payed €325 for mine a few months back.

only €150? the cheapest on 'marktplaats' (dutch version of eBay) is €240! and the cheapest on bricklink is also €200!