Brickviller

REVIEW: 7939 Cargo Train

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Well, this is my first review here and I thought let's begin with one of the best sets I've bought so far.

We begin with the front of the box. Ofcourse the general information about the set like with many Lego boxes. However the box is smaller than the previous Cargo train (7898),

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Back of the box,

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Side view of the box,

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What's in the box. Ofcourse the bigger parts are thrown in the box. One of my switches was bended so it doesn't stay flat on the ground, but there is more negative new.

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The instruction books were heavily bended, especially the one from the crane and the locomotive.

The rest of the books were okay.

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The small box insede consist of the PF devices. The new motor wich looks almost like the last one only with orange instead of white. Also the new one has a fixed wire on it.

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The remote control, looks on the box so much bigger than in real life, almost a (I hate to say this) a cute little remote.

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The previous controller with the new one.

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The batterybox. I haven't used it because I use the rechargable one for the train. I think it's really cool that Lego made the two of similar size so that it's easy to buildt it in the train without mayor modifications.

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Bag 1, for the lower part of the locomotive.

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The new part for the lights, I don't know what the excact name of it but I'm sure that many AFOLs will come up with a name.

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Like most Eaurobrickers already have seen is that this part is made to fit the PF lights (sold seperatly). It's not noted in the instructions or any other material I've seen from Lego. I would say this is a missed chance for Lego, but the lights are easy to build in. Like Lego intended to make the lights but later cancelled it.

bins0.jpg The two minifigs. I'm happy they kept the uniform the same.

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End of bag 1. The wires are a little messy because I made the lights directly into it. I like the second dummy engine because it looks almost identical to the real motor.

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Bag 2 for the rest of the locomotive. The IR reciever and batterybox are both in seperate bag

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Continuing building, the reciever and batterybox are already placed.

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The finished locomotive. The driver is easy to acces because the front of the train can open. At least it's not a prefab piece like the last passengertrain.

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Side of the locomotive. It contains many stickers but I don't mind. If I remember correclty 12 Volt trains also had many stickers. The building was easy because every every step adds only a few bricks. Which is the reason why the instructions contains so many pages. Also a new expirience for me was building with PF parts.

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Bag for the Octan tank car.

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Wagon finished. Building was not that hard. I think the scale is the best one we've had so far for Lego trains. I wish we could get this one seperate....

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The next bag.

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With this bag you can make the car transport wagon.

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When I was building I saw some kind of new mold for an old piece. A hole has been made for a technic pin. This set contains four of them.

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The two Smart cars. Apart from the windows and colors these are the same ones as the one in set 3177.

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Wagon finished. Buidling was not hard at all because it's just a flatbed with two cars on top of it. Still it's a good looking wagon.

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The bag for the container wagon.

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Wagon finished. Just like the tank car the build is different from the past trains.

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Without the big container, the small one is a little harder to take off.

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Bag for the truck

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Despite the fact that many people don't liek it I think Lego brought us a nice looking truck. Ofcourse they need to keep the cost down so we don't get a awesome looking truck but at least it looks like a truck.

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Trailer with the container. Sadly we did not get an extra container, and with only the small one on it, it looks a little out of place. But the building techniqe used here can also be found in the more recent trucks.

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Trailer and truck.

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With the big red container. Looks a lot better than with the small one.

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Last bags, the crane.

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Content of the bag. Handy that they can make with most of the same parts something entirely different.

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New mold for the poles (When I bhought the farm a while ago it also had these new poles)

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Finished crane. Easy to handle and also looks really good. The last ones for the trains didn't look as good as this one. But that's just my opinion.

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Roof opens for a minifig

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Spare parts, those are always welcome.

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And now the flex tracks. Despite I don't liked them I really find them useful for my layout.

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Set in my former city, I believe children and adult will enjoy this set very much.

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Train with PF lights

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With the reciever the lights of the train can be controlled independetly from the engine. So it does nog need to drive fast to make the lights visible.

I tested the train and it can pull much more than the last cargo train. Maybe even more than 9 volt trains but I don't know that because I don't own one.

I think it a really good set. A little pricey but it's still a great starter set which can be expanded with more track, signals, stations and much more. I think the new trains are the best ones released in years. The PF parts are welcome too because you can add more stuff to your train (rechargable batterybox and lights). I believe that if Lego continous this type of trains (PF) it'even possible that we get an era that's better than the 12 volt one. (just kidding...or am I?:P)

You will love it if you like City or trains, or both ofcourse:P.

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Exellent revue and I agree with your thoughts one fantastic set and I can see this being highly collectable in years to come :thumbup:

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Thanks for the great review 'Brickviller' - I still must try and get this set....this cargo train is better the last green croc one ! :wink:

I would MOD it in Pacfic National colours....anyway I'm a conformist! ! :sweet:

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Thanks for the review - I don't currently have any Lego Trains but want this one badly. One thing I really appreciated learning - from my quick look at the box in store the other day, I assumed that this came w/ the rechargeable battery box. Didn't realize they made a new box that takes normal batteries (I have several of the other style PF battery box, so I'm used to that look)

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Thanks for the great review 'Brickviller' - I still must try and get this set....this cargo train is better the last green croc one ! :wink:

I would MOD it in Pacfic National colours....anyway I'm a conformist! ! :sweet:

Thanks 'lightningtiger', and I also think this one is one of the best in years. But I also like the green one too. If you have it good luck with modding it :thumbup:

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I have this set and there is a problem with my PF motor.

At low speed settings train motor produces very unpleasant continuous peep. It is less noticeable at higher speed setting, but still exists.

Has anyone encountered the same problem?

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I have this set and there is a problem with my PF motor.

At low speed settings train motor produces very unpleasant continuous peep. It is less noticeable at higher speed setting, but still exists.

Has anyone encountered the same problem?

Yes I've had the same problem, default_oh3.gif

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I have the low speed whine as well. RC train motors I have don't do this :o

My RC train (I have the white passenger train) does make a high-pitch sound on all but the fastest settings.

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My RC train (I have the white passenger train) does make a high-pitch sound on all but the fastest settings.

I think it has to do with the battery box / rechargeable battery box and IR receiver combo. As even 9V motor whine when powered this way.

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I think it has to do with the battery box / rechargeable battery box and IR receiver combo. As even 9V motor whine when powered this way.

If you replace a radio speaker by a DC motor, you'll actually hear the radio sounds coming out of the DC motor.

The controller in the RC train, as well as the PF receiver, the way it makes motors run at less than full speed is by quickly switching between on and off (a higher speed setting simply means that the percentage of the time that it is on "on" is larger). This switching between on/off produces something that on an oscilloscope will look like a block signal, and on a speaker it would produce a sound. The pitch of that sound is simply the frequency of the on/off switching.

But if a speaker makes a sound, then so will a DC motor, for essentially the same reason (they both have magnets that are moved by the electrical current). The difference is that a sound speaker contains parts to amplify that sound while a DC motor does not, that's why the sound from the DC motor is not as loud as it would have been if the signal had been connected to a speaker.

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I do love this set I just have one complaint/suggestion I would like to see more rolling stock in sets the passenger train in my opinion is a waste of money with one car? who would get on a train that short? I am yet to build it yet it is going to be a build a thon for the seven sets I just purchased, Damn them for opening a store in Troy, MI.

Edited by bullet8542

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If you replace a radio speaker by a DC motor, you'll actually hear the radio sounds coming out of the DC motor.

The controller in the RC train, as well as the PF receiver, the way it makes motors run at less than full speed is by quickly switching between on and off (a higher speed setting simply means that the percentage of the time that it is on "on" is larger). This switching between on/off produces something that on an oscilloscope will look like a block signal, and on a speaker it would produce a sound. The pitch of that sound is simply the frequency of the on/off switching.

But if a speaker makes a sound, then so will a DC motor, for essentially the same reason (they both have magnets that are moved by the electrical current). The difference is that a sound speaker contains parts to amplify that sound while a DC motor does not, that's why the sound from the DC motor is not as loud as it would have been if the signal had been connected to a speaker.

what he said, this will because it will have a cheap low frequency speed controller. the same could be found in much older 'normal' train sets running DCC. there are now so called 'silent drives' where the power is chopped at a much higher frequency and so the motor doesn't get to sing to you at slow speeds.

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My set also contained one (heavily) bent switch. Lego customer service sent me a new one without any problems.

About the low whiny noise: I actually like it - it adds some realism, especially to electric trains. For diesels it's a different story..

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What is the minimum space required to make a circle or a curve (180 degrees)?

A full circle of track sits on 9 baseplates (3x3 square), with a four stud border between track and edge of plate.

A baseplate is approx 25 cm or about 10 inches on a side.

You can lay a simple circle of track in an area about 70 cm or 28 inches in diameter.

Best way to figure it out? Get some track out and lay down some rails!

HTH!

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A full circle of track sits on 9 baseplates (3x3 square), with a four stud border between track and edge of plate.

A baseplate is approx 25 cm or about 10 inches on a side.

You can lay a simple circle of track in an area about 70 cm or 28 inches in diameter.

Best way to figure it out? Get some track out and lay down some rails!

HTH!

Hi, thanks for your fast reply! :laugh:. It's very nice to know how much space is needed. We have bought this set already for my son, but it's wrapped for his birthday and won't be opended until the end of december. So we cannot test with the tracks, Lol. But we have to build a second lego table for the train and didn't know how wide it should be. So, at least 75 centimeters, holding 3 baseplates of 32x32 studs for the curve (= 3x 25 cm right?). Then we can have some straigt tracks and at the other side another 75 centimeters to make a curve that closes the loop. We are going to have a table of 2.50 meters X 0.75 centimeters for the train. That should do it then, right? If I miss understoud, would you please tell me? Thank's again :laugh::wink:

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75cm will just about hold a circle. However to make the suggested layout on the box you will need 96x124. There's a hi-res image of the front of the box here.

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75cm will just about hold a circle. However to make the suggested layout on the box you will need 96x124. There's a hi-res image of the front of the box here.

Hey, thanks for the link! Now I know that I need 1 meter for the layout on the box. However, I also searched for the passenger train and saw that the minimum space required for a turn is 71 cm. I can use the straight parts to make the track wider instead of deeper. Great that I have the exact measurements now!

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