121 replies to this topic

[AFOL12v]

In mine opnion the best legotrain is this one, the 7740:

Those yellow en red colors, it's for me the lego train if you talk about lego trains.

A good second is this one:

[OnHiatus]

I know I risk the wrath of the hardcore train fans but I love the holiday train. It just brings a smile to my face every time I get it out.

[JopieK]

The 7760 is definately the best LEGO train ever made. It is very balanced.

[Holodoc]

Cyclone Breezerider, on Jul 9 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

Are we talking from an aesthetic view-point, a technical building view-point, or a nostalgia view-point?  
Aesthetic View:Santa Fe

Technical Building View: Emerald Night.  

Nostalgia View-Point:7720

Well written, Dave!
I agree to Santa Fe (wonderful and looooong train is you build some more cars to it - in contrast to the BNSF: wonderful engine, but no cars to it ) and Emerald Night (putting the building techniques and studlessness to a next level), but having started in the 9V era, I had no connection to the 12 V trains - until a month ago (more to that later). I can´t get anything from those 12V trains: Too blocky and the colors are sometimes weird (I know, they didn´t exist at that time).
For me the nostalgic set is: 10205 ,
the older "My Own Train" steam engine. I also love how you can change the colours of the train from black to blue/green/brown.

Zorbas, on Jul 9 2009, 10:59 PM, said:

7745 High-Speed City Express.



My all-time favorite and still in the top three of my wishlist.

I was able to get my hands on this set. I´m starting with 12V now, but I´m not going to expand it because of $$-reasons. Man, the remote controlled lights, points, crossings and decoupling are expensive!!!   
I don´t really know what makes this set so "adorable". Red and black, diagonally painted? The blocky silhouette? And it lacks another car, in my opinion.
Well, we have seen everything better already.

[Davey]

hewman, on Jul 10 2009, 03:26 AM, said:

I know I risk the wrath of the hardcore train fans but I love the holiday train. It just brings a smile to my face every time I get it out.

You'll find no wrath from this train fan.  I think the Holiday Train is a nice little set and looks wickedly cute going around a Christmas tree.  Absolutely nothing wrong with that set.  In fact...I wish I had bought more than one for the pieces if nothing else.  

-Dave
ToT-LUG

[Cavannus]

I prefer the recent Santa Fe, BNSF and Emerald Night because they figure real models and are very detailed.

I'm 33 and I could prefer the 80's trains but I don't. However the 12V system is the greatest in a functional point of view, and I hope PF will follow (but I'm not sure about what TLC want to do with: a real system or simply a remote control engine using Li-Ion batteries?).

[Zorbas]

Holodoc, on Jul 10 2009, 01:29 PM, said:

I was able to get my hands on this set. I´m starting with 12V now, but I´m not going to expand it because of $$-reasons. Man, the remote controlled lights, points, crossings and decoupling are expensive!!!   
I don´t really know what makes this set so "adorable". Red and black, diagonally painted? The blocky silhouette? And it lacks another car, in my opinion.
Well, we have seen everything better already.

As TheBrickster has already mentioned, the nostalgia factor plays a very important role on how you opinion and preferance is created.

This train was one of the first -probably the very first- that had this aerodynamic modern look. I think it was based on a french train (corrections welcomed) and when I first saw it, probably around 1989, I was really amazed. To tell you the truth Holodoc, one of the first things that I loved on this train was the colour combination.

One more thing that I really like is that it is almost completely brick-built, without the contribution of special "helping-a-set-to-look-more-beautiful" parts.

I can understand what you want to say, I can even agree to some extend that some newer trains are better looking. The thing is that I never got the chance to become familiar to those (blame the cloudy, moisted, long Dark Ages for that ).


Btw, enjoy it since you have bought it! (................you lucky doctor.... )

[paintballman413]

Can't you buy it on Bricklink for $50 or something like that. the guy above you. I like how he talk. the 80's train are cool. but I still will have to stick with the awesome Metroliner.   yaa

[Richie]

It's too hard, so I seperate my choices into different categories:

Freight:
1. 4564 Freight Rail Runner
2. 4563 Load N' Haul Railroad
3. 7735 12 Volt Cargo Train

Passenger:
1. 4558 or 10001 Metroliner with 4547 or 10002 Railroad Club Car
2. 10020 Santa Fe Super Chief (2x) with 10022 Santa Fe Cars Set II (3x) and 10025 Santa Fe Cars Set I (2x)
3. 10194 Emerald Night

Engines:
1. 10133 BNSF GP-38 Locomotive
2. 10183 Hobby Train Set (main model)
3. 4551 Crocodile Engine

Edited by Richie, 10 July 2009 - 06:13 PM.

[paintballman413]

Richie, on Jul 10 2009, 02:09 PM, said:

It's too hard, so I seperate my choices into different categories:

Freight:
1. 4564 Freight Rail Runner
2. 4563 Load N' Haul Railroad
3. 7735 12 Volt Cargo Train

Passenger:
1. 4558 or 10001 Metroliner with 4547 or 10002 Railroad Club Car
2. 10020 Santa Fe Super Chief (2x) with 10022 Santa Fe Cars Set II (3x) and 10025 Santa Fe Cars Set I (2x)
3. 10194 Emerald Night

Me, I just pick my most favorite. and if you haven't read it already my top 5 are old and new trains.

[legotrainfan]

The Santa Fe Super Chief is the best LEGO train in my opinion. By the way, this topic feels so familiar. Haven't we had one like this before? Maybe combined with a poll?

[paintballman413]

legotrainfan, on Jul 10 2009, 02:12 PM, said:

The Santa Fe Super Chief is the best LEGO train in my opinion. By the way, this topic feels so familiar. Haven't we had one like this before? Maybe combined with a poll?

ok. my poll is that the santa fe is number 3 on my top 5. it's so cool. to bad it was discontinued

[CP5670]

Quote

As TheBrickster has already mentioned, the nostalgia factor plays a very important role on how you opinion and preferance is created.

This train was one of the first -probably the very first- that had this aerodynamic modern look. I think it was based on a french train (corrections welcomed) and when I first saw it, probably around 1989, I was really amazed. To tell you the truth Holodoc, one of the first things that I loved on this train was the colour combination.

One more thing that I really like is that it is almost completely brick-built, without the contribution of special "helping-a-set-to-look-more-beautiful" parts.

That train was a little before my time, but it still looks very good to me for the same reasons you described. It's almost like a Metroliner prototype and I like its colors and shape far better than 7740, the other major 12V train.

[paintballman413]

CP5670, on Jul 10 2009, 02:23 PM, said:

That train was a little before my time, but it still looks very good to me for the same reasons you described. It's almost like a Metroliner prototype and I like its colors and shape far better than 7740, the other major 12V train.

I still have to go with the Metroliner. it is way better than the Railway Express

[Eilif]

I really don't think the Hobby Train has gotten enough props here. If I had to choose, I would put Emerald Night at the top, but I would put Hobby train at a close second. It allowed you to build a modern diesel engine that was just as detailed as the BSNF, a crocodile that is every bit as eye catching as the Super Chief, and little steam engines and cars every bit as charming as the Christmas train.

Go here and scroll through the various models and see what I mean.

[paintballman413]

the good ol hobby train. a classic and a train that will never be forgotten. the onl bad thing was that it was only white, black, and red. the BNSF had 5 colors. so the hobby train is number 7 in my top 10. Metroliner and cargo railway, and Emerald night are my top three.

[Hinckley]

paintballman413, on Jul 10 2009, 07:39 PM, said:

the good ol hobby train. a classic and a train that will never be forgotten. the onl bad thing was that it was only white, black, and red. the BNSF had 5 colors. so the hobby train is number 7 in my top 10. Metroliner and cargo railway, and Emerald night are my top three.

Please stop repeating your list. You've already posted it so there's no reason to keep re-iterating it. This is a great topic you've started but please make sure you're adding to the conversation when you post and not cluttering up the conversation by repeating yourself. Thanks.

[paintballman413]

no problem david. make sure it doesn't happen often...

[AMuller396]

Im a bit biased since im a huge 12V fan, however I do own a lot of 9V trains too.

So here is my Top 5

1.) 7750
2.) 7730
3.) 7727
4.) 7740
5.) Santa Fe (whole set)

and just for kicks:

6.) Emerald Night
7.) BNSF
8.) 7710 or 7722 with red 12V motor
9.) 7760
10.) 4558

And here is my top 5 rolling stock:

1.) 7815
2.) 7819
3.) 4536
4.) 7816
5.) 7820

Great post by the way

[JopieK]

paintballman413, on Jul 10 2009, 08:19 PM, said:

ok. my poll is that the santa fe is number 3 on my top 5. it's so cool. to bad it was discontinued

Well, the Santa Fe is to heavy in my opinion. It is a nice train and we have some of them (including a limited numbered one). The waggons have wheel problems etc.

[legotrainfan]

JopieK, on Jul 11 2009, 10:24 AM, said:

Well, the Santa Fe is to heavy in my opinion. It is a nice train and we have some of them (including a limited numbered one). The waggons have wheel problems etc.

I wouldn't overrate the bad wheels of the Santa Fe series. In case you don't know yet, the bad wheels were a production error. There are other threads where this problem has been discussed. I substituted all my bad wheels with wheels that work nicely.

[paintballman413]

well you gotta admit the BNSF and santa fe are good trains.

[paintballman413]

i'm sorry. the best trains made. other tan the Emerald night and Metroliner.  

[Commander Red Hat]

paintballman413, on Jul 11 2009, 08:57 PM, said:

i'm sorry. the best trains made. other tan the Emerald night and Metroliner.  

Can you please use the edit button next time, instead of double posting?
You can find it under your mesaage to the right.

[paintballman413]

ok. got it