LEGO #21344 - Orient Express

[Train of Thought Creations]

@R0Sch & @ToledoRails, both of your mods look super cool! I'm glad that there will be so many options for both different motor types and different speeds for folks to choose from on release day. There's 3 already, and we've still got over a week until release. Like @Lyichir said, the ingenuity is really shining!
R0Sch, I really like the way use used the gray bevel gears with the middle axle passing through. It's super satisfying to picture the motion of them in my head.
Toledo, I like your subtle exterior mod with the steps as well.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Train of Thought Creations
edited for grammatical clarity

[RedBrick1]

I was holding out a small bit of hope that this set would go on pre-order for Black Friday. It doesn't look like that will be the case at the moment. 

[Space78]

39 minutes ago, R0Sch said:

Cheers! It's not like LEGO didn't do it before, splitting the building steps into two or more sections, where one part would be up to page X without motorization (or main body color) and from page Y onward with motorization (or alternative color choice). The problems start when they don't include all the parts necessary for the add-on and people having to buy them separately (as opposed to the upgrade kits sold in the PF era). Pretty certain it was just a cost cutting measure to allow more details in the coaches without making the set more expensive than it already is, hence the plastic axles, regular windows and frames, etc.

Another possibility is that Lego has given up on powered "advanced" train models.  Yet another possibility is that they decided not to consider a power option since the original Ideas submission was not designed with power in mind. 

[zephyr1934]

4 hours ago, ToledoRails said:

So I only have 100kb to work with on EuroBricks so I'm posting a couple Flickr Links

The EB storage is meant for your avatar and maybe footer graphics. You should host your photos on flickr (or similar) and then link to them from your posts.

 

4 hours ago, ToledoRails said:

there's no way those coaches are worse than any 8 Wide cars made by fans.

Well... one way... the plastic axles (grin), but seriously though, yes, still in the same ballpark

[Vilhelm22]

I’ve seen people with LAN membership got the set several days ago; any clue why we’ve got no reviews yet?

[kbalage]

32 minutes ago, Vilhelm22 said:

I’ve seen people with LAN membership got the set several days ago; any clue why we’ve got no reviews yet?

Because they are waiting for the embargo to be lifted :) 

[lego3057]

10 hours ago, kbalage said:

 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by lego3057

[ToledoRails]

Further thoughts on the subject leading up to the set

[Selander]

Nice video and summary 👏👍🙌

[Fingolfin]

6 hours ago, ToledoRails said:

Further thoughts on the subject leading up to the set

There are several good points made in this video (and a handful of bad ones), but the spiteful and sarcastic tone that creeps up throughout the video completely sinks any effective arguments that get made.

I think you'd have a much more compelling video if you took a more moderate approach to folks who had differing opinions to yours.

Edited November 25, 2023 by Fingolfin

[ToledoRails]

42 minutes ago, Fingolfin said:

There are several good points made in this video (and a handful of bad ones), but the spiteful and sarcastic tone that creeps up throughout the video completely sinks any effective arguments that get made.

I think you'd have a much more compelling video if you took a more moderate approach to folks who had differing opinions to yours.

Suffering from a bad cough doesn’t help but at this point its a follow up to a video that cracked more views than expected. I got sucked into this storm and I’m trying to find a way out of this with the comparison of this set to the Mould King one. I utterly hate the toxicity this set has created with the amount of people moaning how betrayed they are by Lego ideas, how it’s not the emerald night, how this isn’t what they wanted. You can’t step back, you have to moderate and curate the forum you created and it’s draining. Honestly I could have a video saying, “this is what we’re getting, either shut up and don’t buy it, or buy it and be happy TLG has decided to bless us with a new set.”

I couldn’t imagine being the guy who created this set or on the Lego team who made the changes daring to check the reaction from the consumers. The crocodile’s “meh” reaction was what I assumed would happen, but the way the Orient Express set was met that sickens me. The Lego train community who invents track, makes amazing scale models, and puts together modular layouts is the welcoming community that is the shining beacon of this gauge. Reviewing silly bootleg models from china is one thing since nobody cares, but throwing my hat into the ring for an official release is something I may NEVER do again after this.

[dtomsen]

@ToledoRails Let me just say that you have been of of the most open-minded and level-headed people in this whole debacle.
To me the tone was just that in the video. Fine and definitely not spiteful in any way.  
Never change. Keep reviewing all things interesting in our niche hobby with that inquiring drive of yours.

Edited November 25, 2023 by dtomsen

[Space78]

@ToledoRails well done video and lots of good points.  Understand that Lego tried to motorize their model and it did not meet their expectations.  However, that doesn't change my disappointment at it not being "plug and play" motorization.  I think the set looks fantastic.  However, since it is not easily motorized, I will be waiting before purchasing this one, especially at $300.  I also agree with your statement to vote with your wallet.  I'll wait to decide to purchase this after the actual model is revealed and we see what people do with the set. 

[kbalage]

Aaand the embargo is lifted. Here is my review with all the building details and some comparison, motorization tests will come in the next one:

 

[ToledoRails]

Any word on when the pre-order window is open?

[kbalage]

1 minute ago, ToledoRails said:

Any word on when the pre-order window is open?

As far as I know there's no preorder for this set, it'll be available from December 1st 

[Vilhelm22]

Alex Nunes’s review is also up now.

[Bensch55]

14 hours ago, Fingolfin said:

There are several good points made in this video (and a handful of bad ones), but the spiteful and sarcastic tone that creeps up throughout the video completely sinks any effective arguments that get made.

I think you'd have a much more compelling video if you took a more moderate approach to folks who had differing opinions to yours.

Only thing I could really take away from this video is that the background music was way too loud and I had a hard time listening to what was actually said.

Regarding the whole topic: I think this model has shown the true issues of the lego train system, mainly the R40 radii and bad switch designs. If we had a variety of curves (or the standard ones being R56 or bigger) we could have a much more realistic steam engine with more complex chassis that still perform well, even with long coaches like the one from OE.  

[Murdoch17]

Brickset's review of the Orient Express is up as of earlier today.

Edited November 25, 2023 by Murdoch17

[R0Sch]

6 hours ago, kbalage said:

Aaand the embargo is lifted. Here is my review with all the building details and some comparison, motorization tests will come in the next one:

Thanks for a more critical review this time. Looking forward for the motorization video. Also thanks for confirming the fact that the rails are really bent from production. This must be a molding quality issue due to the new mixture (adding metallic pigments to the mix) or decreased cooling time to increase production cycle time. Why on earth did they change the perfectly good dbg pieces which were always straight until now? Surely another cost saving measure.
Wrong colored stickers aside, it's inexcusable to not do a proof-read and misprint a European city capital and the city name where their own German office is located. I can't believe nobody opened the O-E homepage to take a look at the names written on the carriages they put their whole focus and licensing on.

So whoever is buying this set on December 1st instead of waiting patiently for an updated production run, clearly has too much money. It also sets a bad example that TLG can get away with sloppy quality and people still buy it.

[Toastie]

What really kills the set for me: The lazy way of attaching the side and connecting rods, using these "pins" in whatever color they are; tan? Who cares. And that microphone in color X. Yes I know, you can 3D print them, you can buy them from wonderful people here on EB, but honestly: They simply kill the looks of the engine. For me, this set "is" the carriages; the engine seems to be an add-on, which really got on the nerves of the designers. And with X-Mas on the horizon: Screw the motorization; with these fantastic plastic axles, it won't work anyway - so box'em up and crank'em out.

So, good savings here - on to other avenues.

And with regard to the microphone - OK, I can see that:

Best,
Thorsten

 

[El Garfio]

It's not worth 300 bucks

But you are paying the Orient Express License and I heart that is one of the more expensive licenses 

Add that the set, even at a more affordable price has a very limited amount of possible buyers

[ivanlan9]

I'm gonna get two.  Won't be able to run the resulting engine on my layout, due to clearance issues (6-wide clearances don't play well with an 8-wide engine), but I have just the right display space for a longer engine and four cars.  Plus, I might use a diesel or electric engine instead of the OE teakettle.

[R0Sch]

Left: wrong sticker sheet, right: correct gold foil sticker (notice the mirrors also changed). At least bother Lego CS and ask for replacement (10110027 / 6511051) if you get the wrong one in the box.

[Kalahari134]

9 hours ago, kbalage said:

Aaand the embargo is lifted. Here is my review with all the building details and some comparison, motorization tests will come in the next one:

Good review. When you were trying to propel it with the city locomotive, were the coaches on straight or curved track?