AlmightyArjen Posted July 22, 2014 Since the RC-trains are released, Lego has stopped releasing side structures for cargo trains, probably due to the fact that "trains" isn't a main theme anymore. If I look back at the 9V and 12V themes, I love the side structure sets that are released in that time. According to you, is there any chance that TLG will release new side structures like cargo stations, level crossings et cetera in the (distant future)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jorrith Posted July 22, 2014 Nope, they probably wont. The side structures you get with the freight train set is one of the reasons, and they do have a train bus stop erm, i mean station.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rail Co Posted July 22, 2014 They most likely will not but a friend of mine is trying to get it out there on LEGOIdeas! (In signature) The reason is that lego trains are not as popular as they used to be plus they aim most of their trains at an age of 6. So Train side structures (I'm guessing) are not as popular with little kids so they don't make them even though many other older kids and AFOL's would love to see them. I wish they would make them but I do not think it will happen -RailCo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted July 22, 2014 Unless the market can't get enough of them, I don't think they'll make a come back. We are left to make our own. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlmightyArjen Posted July 22, 2014 It's too bad I think. Why did TLG release the side structures during the 12V and 9V era and stopped with it? Has the market changed? Or does TLG think more commercially than 15 years ago? I mean: maybe before it was important for TLG to have a complete train theme with the side structures, even though the side structure sets didn't make much profit and nowadays TLG is more profit-minded so they won't release sets with a low profit chance? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Murdoch17 Posted July 22, 2014 If you want inspirational pictures / plans of some LEGO train-related buildings, I suggest looking at these websites: Brickshelf, ( http://www.brickshelf.com/ ) MOCPages, ( http://www.mocpages.com/ ) Flickr, ( https://www.flickr.com/ ) here at the Eurobricks Train Techopedia, ( http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=54563 ) Railbricks ( http://railbricks.com/ ) or LGauge ( http://lgauge.com/ ). Some of these sites include instructions, LDD files and / or LDraw files of the model, but most are just pictures. Some sites let you post comments (Flickr, Eurobricks, & MOCpages) so you could ask for more pictures of tricky areas.... if the user responds to you request. Good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted July 22, 2014 You can chek in the train forum of this site the Moc section ....like you I love the train side structures! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peterab Posted July 23, 2014 It's too bad I think. Why did TLG release the side structures during the 12V and 9V era and stopped with it? Has the market changed? Or does TLG think more commercially than 15 years ago? I mean: maybe before it was important for TLG to have a complete train theme with the side structures, even though the side structure sets didn't make much profit and nowadays TLG is more profit-minded so they won't release sets with a low profit chance? This is all speculation, but consider how sales of LEGO have changed since the eighties. LEGO is now the second largest toy producer in the world according to credible reports. Back then it hardly had inroads to the US market and many other non-european markets. Now people actually talk about boys going through the LEGO phase as if this is vital in the development of all boys. Back then, as a smaller company it was less critical for LEGO if they made a less popular theme; their production volumes were less, so the potential loss was less, and retailers were re-stocking LEGO products far less often, so a slower selling item was a less visible problem. Now large retailers stock new LEGO several times a year, the sales of each set are far greater and LEGO is constrained by its production capacity, so in effect making any less popular set means loss in profits multiply many times in many ways. What does this mean for track side structures? To be a wise manufacturing choice a track side structure would need to have sales estimates higher than any other set they could think of making, which means they need to have the manufacturing capacity to saturate every more popular idea first. From the train projects on Cusoo/LEGO Ideas it's clear trains are nowhere near as popular as other stuff, so unless that changes, or LEGO expand their production facilities hugely, it's highly unlikely we'll see track side structure sets. Perhaps we could lobby for one of the 3 in 1 designs of creator sets be a track side structure. That way the other two models would need to provide the large sales figures, but an extra boost from train fans could be had because instead of three rather similar houses, one of the builds is a goods shed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlmightyArjen Posted July 23, 2014 Clear story Peterab, I think I'll have to agree with you! But why are the trains these days less popular? Is it because they are battery powered? Or is it simply because the kids these days are interested in other stuff? The best part of a lego train -according to me- is that it brings movement with it. And all kids love that, or don't they these days? When I look back at 1985 when I turned 6 years old, I got the 7727 as a birthday present. I was so happy about it: it still remains in my memory as the best birthday present ever. Can't the kids of today think the same way? Or is it so that the kids rarther get an Ipad as an expensive birthday present? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rogul Posted July 23, 2014 Perhaps we could lobby for one of the 3 in 1 designs of creator sets be a track side structure. That way the other two models would need to provide the large sales figures, but an extra boost from train fans could be had because instead of three rather similar houses, one of the builds is a goods shed. it would be much easier for to have the gurus that build MOCs make something and be willing to share the instructions on a few different track side buildings ;) Would love to be able to add a few more building to my oldschool 12V track Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peterab Posted July 23, 2014 But why are the trains these days less popular? Is it because they are battery powered? Or is it simply because the kids these days are interested in other stuff? I think they are interested in other stuff. Star Wars didn't exist when I got my first LEGO train. Trains don't seem to be huge in media for kids, when they do appear it seems to be aimed at younger DUPLO aged kids. The full train sets are quite expensive which doesn't help much either I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlmightyArjen Posted July 23, 2014 The full train sets are quite expensive which doesn't help much either I guess. That's what I meant with the fact that nowadays kids just want an Ipad, which is also an expensive birthday gift. In that point of view, Lego trains have more competition from other fields of interest, not just other toys... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skystorm87 Posted July 23, 2014 Nobody pointed another big issue: trains require a lot of space which not so many people have in their kids room! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScotNick Posted July 23, 2014 What I think has to be done is to make references to trains in other sets. For example: make a modular railway station, some people might get into trains then. I also think that appealing train side structures would help to get more people into trains! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlmightyArjen Posted July 23, 2014 Nobody pointed another big issue: trains require a lot of space which not so many people have in their kids room! True, but a clever parent finds a solution for that. My father took two wooden boards of 1x1m and fixed the rails on them so you could put the whole thing away vertically... What I think has to be done is to make references to trains in other sets. For example: make a modular railway station, some people might get into trains then. I also think that appealing train side structures would help to get more people into trains! Yes indeed, something like that. Or maybe a cargo station wich can be used as a harbour or as a train station... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScotNick Posted July 23, 2014 Yes indeed, something like that. Or maybe a cargo station wich can be used as a harbour or as a train station... But the very important aspect would be that it comes with, say four tracks or so, that the kids can play with it and grow a desire Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redimus Posted July 23, 2014 I dunno about the US, but in the UK, I din't know *anybody* who didn't have a fair bit of Lego when I was a kid in the '80s and '90s, when Lego was still pumping out a lot of railway stuff. The main difference between Lego then and now is the design process seems to be a lot better and the discovery and perfecting of franchise lines. None of that particularly stands in the way of a railway system. Also, the idea that 'they were smaller, therefore they could afford to make less successful things' is frankly a bizarre piece of logic. It might be that their design and manufacturing capability hasn't grown enough over the years to include all the old areas plus all the new franchise areas, so the less popular ones have been set aside, and it may also be that they simply don't see a larger trains section as worth the effort any more, but to say they could get away with it before because they were making less money makes no financial sense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duq Posted July 23, 2014 Has the market changed? Yes. Children play with different toys. Regular trainsets are now much cheaper than they were 30 years ago. So are RC cars and slot racing tracks like Scalextric. Or does TLG think more commercially than 15 years ago? Yes. TLG works completely differently these days. Have a look for topics about releasing single train cars and different track pieces. According to you, is there any chance that TLG will release new side structures like cargo stations, level crossings et cetera in the (distant future)? Never say never but I think it's highly unlikely. I wouldn't rule out a level crossing, they've done one only a few years ago, but anything else.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MaineBrickFan Posted July 23, 2014 It seems like the rise of licensed sets has driven the minimization of the train theme, as well. The investment, production rrequirements and potential return from the licensed sets necessarily provides a smaller window for non-licensed themes (as well as direct market competition in some cases, see Pirates and Castle). And, as many inside and outside TLG have noted, train sets just do not register high on the target market demographics, which meansd LEGO prefers to direct it's non-licensed focus at CIty, Friends, etc. Frankly, I am glad we have 2 City trains, a Creator trian, and an alternate (non-motorozed) train in production on a regular basis right now. It's more than enough to keep part prices (relatively) low and quench our thirst for new designs and inspirations.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eurotrash Posted July 23, 2014 Perhaps it's time for a Eurobricks 'Build a Trackside structure' competition ? I'm sure there's plenty of ideas out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScotNick Posted July 23, 2014 Haha, that'd be a great one! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JopieK Posted July 23, 2014 That would be a great idea indeed!!! I think we should be able to pull that off! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pizzareno Posted July 23, 2014 But why are the trains these days less popular? Is it because they are battery powered? Or is it simply because the kids these days are interested in other stuff? The best part of a lego train -according to me- is that it brings movement with it. And all kids love that, or don't they these days? When I look back at 1985 when I turned 6 years old, I got the 7727 as a birthday present. I was so happy about it: it still remains in my memory as the best birthday present ever. Can't the kids of today think the same way? Or is it so that the kids rarther get an Ipad as an expensive birthday present? I work in IT and have actively withheld computers/tablets from my daughters. I know what having PCs and gadgets did for me and while I enjoy my work I hate how much of an obsession and time waster computers can be. My oldest who will be 4 before Christmas loves playing with trains. In fact my wife and I were discussing this this morning and wondering whether keeping her from the electronic gadgets and TV (we don't have one) has made her have more interest in other pursuits. As a result any time my trains come out she wants to play with them and watch them go around. I have shown her how to use the controllers and to shunt wagons carefully so they don't derail. I bought a couple of 7939 on half price a few months back. One for me and one for my daughter when I feel she is old enough to play with it responsibly. So I think this birthday or Christmas, looking at the way she has been playing with my trains the last few weeks, we will wrap this up and hopefully she has a reaction like you when she unwraps it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AlmightyArjen Posted July 23, 2014 I'd love to see the creations of other Eurobrickers in a competition indeed! I'm sure that there would be a bunch of structures that would be worth while to build! How do we arrange such a competition?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
