10233 Horizon Express

[Carrera124]

Great news !

[Lance]

THAT IS JUST :wub:

Wait, it says you can add a 10V DC......

Does that mean.......

[lightningtiger]

I it, I want it !

Expert eh ? Well this is a huge surprise.....the amount of detailing is similar to two other favourite trains in my opinion.

Is it possible from now on 16+ sets will be called Creator Expert ?

Actually there's too many AWESOME things about this set....I'll leave it as TOTALLY AWESOME !

[David Thomsen]

Is it new that they describe the gender of minifigs in the minifig list?

Maybe Lego feel they have been under fire for sexism lately, especially after the Friends sets, so want to emphasise how they are not actually sexist. I must admit that the thing that pleases me most about the set is the female conductor and the male host, they actually acknowledge that women can have careers outside of hospitality. I think this is the first time they've had a female in a traditional male occupation, in a set that does not also have a male in the same occupation (e.g. 4432 'Garbage Truck').

Since when was 'Creator: Expert' a thing? That's another thing I find exciting. Some of my favourite sets are Creator sets, they are somehow more true to what I think Lego means than any other theme, and the idea that there can be 'Expert' creator sets gives me something to look forward to in the future.

[1974]

THAT IS JUST :wub:

Wait, it says you can add a 10V DC......

Does that mean.......

There are no PF components included as far as I can tell. TLG just want you to buy the rechargeable box + charger

[fluffybunny]

this train looks great, I like the way they attached the two passenger cars, looks like it will have the cars a lot closer to each other than using the standard magnets. Can't wait for this and I will be getting 2 for sure.

[Aanchir]

Quite interesting to see a LEGO train as a Creator product, evidently part of a new "Expert" line. As always, the Creator line shows what can be done with a more basic brick selection than most themes, but having this as an AFOL-oriented D2C product allows that on an even more impressive level than usual. Those arrow shapes with the cheese slopes are simple enough, but I believe this is the first time we've seen cheese slopes used end-to-end like that in an official product. Obviously I'm sure they have some sort of structure underneath to hold them in place so they meet the demands of official products. Likewise the SNOTted windows on the passenger cars are very nice. And the interior, while simple and brightly-colored as a consequence of the vivid orange exterior, makes good use of its limited space to create a very comfy-looking space for passengers.

It diverges from typical Creator sets in that I see no signs of a B and C model, but at the same time the only good ones I could think of would be alternate building instructions for additional train cars, and it looks like instead they are doing like they did in the Kingdoms Joust and encouraging buyers to get just two sets for a full-length train.

My favorite detail on the interior is the cafe car, where the train conductor is serving... mineral water, of course, which doesn't at all resemble an alcoholic beverage, no-sirree! My favorite detail in the description, however, is where it says "Discover sideways building techniques!" This sort of thing would make perfect sense in a product like LEGO MBA that aims to educate builders, but it seems a bit silly on an "Expert" product aimed at ages 14+. Some of these techniques may be a bit unusual in official products, but is that really your sales pitch?

All in all, it's hard to say whether this is what LEGO train fans have been waiting for, but it'll surely add some nice diversity to the train layouts we see at LEGO events in the future!

[Ondra]

My maximum point of epicness now explode...

[1974]

Those arrow shapes with the cheese slopes are simple enough, but I believe this is the first time we've seen cheese slopes used end-to-end like that in an official product. Obviously I'm sure they have some sort of structure underneath to hold them in place so they meet the demands of official products. Likewise the SNOTted windows on the passenger cars are very nice.

You can see some of the white 1 x 1 plates with clips attached in one of the interior pics. The snotted windows are nice but unfortunally too low

[just2good]

Of course this stuff gets revealed the day that I play SSBB for 2 hours straight!

Seriously though, this looks phenomenal. I love the orange colors... Additionally, the box gives us a look on how the 2013 sets are going to look. There's that difficulty level 'Wout' told us about, and it seems like all none-theme D2C sets will be branded under the Creator logo.

Edited September 29, 2012 by just2good

[Gljukats]

Great train.

[Aanchir]

So new parts that stand out to me are the transparent green bottle piece (very useful), some of these in Dark Stone Grey to connect the pantograph, and a brand-new 4x6 train slope piece above the cab (like the old 6x6 train roof slope which made its most recent appearance in the Ninjago set 9450 Epic Dragon Battle, but truncated). Also I can't tell if the windscreen is printed or stickered, but it looks printed to me. which is very nice.

[lightningtiger]

Has anyone noticed the huge amount of SNOT building in this wonderful set.....oh, by the way can anyone see the bathroom with sliding door in the train ?

[locoworks]

the price seems a bit steep when you can get a train set with track and power functions for not that much more?? that said, i need a set. does it come with instructions for motorising???

[JopieK]

Very, very nice!!! They did a great job on this... Though I would have preferred the colors of the Thalys (gray and dark red).

@locoworks, just READ before you post your message! No motor: "• Upgrade your model by adding LEGO Power Functions 8878 Rechargeable Battery Box, 8887 Transformer 10V DC, 8884 IR Receiver, 8879 IR Speed Remote Control, 88002 Train Motor and 8870 Lights" I guess no tracks either.

The original one:

[flagellodidio]

Nice

Edit : Doors? Strange bogie configuration

Well, they were trying to show the typical Jakobs bogie of the french TGV (cf. the orange color of the original TGV south-east until 1989). Correctly, the power car M1 and the first passenger car R1 with the aerodynamic connection to the higher roof of the power car are separated classically with separate bogies. The following passenger cars (R1 connecting to R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 connecting to R8, the last passenger car) are all linked with a Jakobs bogie in between. Because there are only 2 passenger cars in this set, the second car has to end with a standard 2-axle-car after only one Jakobs bogie between the first and the second. This ending could correspond to the Eurostar version, but this has never existed in this early orange colour. In turn, you could attach another power car (M2) to finish the train.

[David Thomsen]

There are no PF components included as far as I can tell. TLG just want you to buy the rechargeable box + charger

Why include the face? I think this is a good thing. I have been put of by quite a few trains that are super-expensive because they have all the electronic parts with them, I might actually buy this set.

[______]

Why include the face? I think this is a good thing. I have been put of by quite a few trains that are super-expensive because they have all the electronic parts with them, I might actually buy this set.

Also LEGO are bound to sell this in a bundle set for Christmas with track and PF, like when the Emerald Night came out.

[locoworks]

Very, very nice!!! They did a great job on this... Though I would have preferred the colors of the Thalys (gray and dark red).

@locoworks, just READ before you post your message! No motor: "• Upgrade your model by adding LEGO Power Functions 8878 Rechargeable Battery Box, 8887 Transformer 10V DC, 8884 IR Receiver, 8879 IR Speed Remote Control, 88002 Train Motor and 8870 Lights" I guess no tracks either.

telling you can motorise it and actually showing you how with instructions are 2 different things JopieK, upon reflection though i do now expect instructions on how to motorise it to be included. as to cost though i think it will cost a lot more than a current set with track and power functions to end up with a powered model with track to run it on. it would be nice if lego produced a 'train motorising' kit with everything in one little box to motorise a train. i guess we all have enough track?? especially curves.

[drdesignz]

It's very nice! This might just be my first train set. The Creator Expert theme sounds very interesting as well.

[Tantalus]

Thanks for posting the picture of the original one - makes me like it a little more.

But, am I the only one who's not so super crazy about this? So much orange (isn't the most common TGV color blue and silver?), and the nose of the engine isn't the most attractive - it's too staggered, and not aerodynamic looking enough. The real trains are sooo sleak. Hate to rain on the parade, and sorry to be such a downer, but am I alone in this?

[lightningtiger]

I see your point 'Tantalus', but it's a Creator set which usually has a lot of brick building in it and doesn't rely on special moulded front end parts like the 2006 high speed train did.

[Piranha]

Sweet new Train!

I wonder if this will be replacing the Maersk Train?

[patje]

very nice train

i love it

buth,

The trees will be cut down

on my layout

The turning circle of the nose is probably large

front wheels are far back

Edited September 29, 2012 by patje

[Kristel]

This is beautiful!

I have been able to resist the trains to date because I know that will be the end of the dining room table once and for all. I don't think I'll be able to resist this one. I need a bigger house.