Is the Horizon Express Kit worth the price?

[nana]

I am going to buy Horizon Express and just saw the Horizon Express Kit at S@H:

http://shop.lego.com...ess-Kit-5003540

As stated there, "this kit includes the Horizon Express train and everything you need to add bright LED headlights, rechargeable batteries with charger, an electric motor, infrared remote control and infrared receiver".

Do you think it is worth to buy this kit ($253) instead of the train alone ($130)?

Currently I only have two trains: 4841 Hogwarts Express and 10194 Emerald Night with two cars. I guess it will be hard to motorize 4841 if it is possible. For 10194 Emerald Night, can the PF accessories in the Horizon Express Kit motorize 10194?

One more newbie question, where do you usually buy rails? S@H or bricklink?

I just need some general advice to help me to decide motorizing or not. These PF accessories are more expensive than I thought. Maybe I should just collect trains without ever motorizing them... Thank you!!!

Edited June 12, 2014 by nana

[AgentRick]

If you're going to use it mainly for light usage, I'd say skip the rechargable battery box (Lego's LiPo battery is pretty expensive for what it is, and you need to purchase the charger separately) and get the AAA battery box instead. For the price of the rechargeable battery and the charger, you can buy the AAA battery box along with other Power Functions parts to motorize/light it up, and have enough leftover money to buy a pack of AAA batteries.

Motorizing the Hogwarts Express will probably take a little tinkering around the existing model, but any brick fan should figure out a way to fit a reciever, a battery box, and a motor between the engine and the tender. The Emerald Night on the other hand was designed to be motorized, but uses some stuff that isn't in the HE Kit. Instead of the Train Motor it uses an XL motor which goes inside the Cab. If you still have the Emerald Night's instructions it shows how to install the motor, battery box, and sensor.

As for track, picking up straights will probably be easier on S@H, while curves will be found aplenty on Bricklink. Switches/points are probably better off being purchased from S@H as well.

And definitely motorize the trains, sitting back and watching them glide across the table, floor, desk, or whatever setup you have is part of the fun!

[Aaron]

Currently the most cost-effective way to obtain straight rails is by purchasing the straight/flex track pack directly from LEGO, in bulk amounts that give you free shipping, and re-selling the flex track components while keeping the 8 sections of straight rails per pack. If you don't mind waiting a few month, though, a company called ME Models will be releasing awesome custom track including larger radii curves and your choice of either plastic or metal straight track, which will by far be the best way to obtain straight track.

[gifinim]

With regards to motorizing them, it really depends on what you want out of your trains. I've got the Constitution on display and it's not motorised but something like the HE or EN is designed to move! Picking up what you need from BrickLink can be cheaper than S@H but shop around and watch out for shipping prices.

And be warned - you will never ever have enough track

[codefox421]

I've always found BrickLink's or eBay's prices for straight track are higher per section than S@H. Curved track you can usually find fairly cheap, but it's often the case to have an abundance of curves and not enough straights. YMMV.

...a company called ME Models will be releasing awesome custom track....which will by far be the best way to obtain straight track.

Here's a link to the topic with more information about the ME track: http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=94625

[Redimus]

And be warned - you will never ever have enough track

True.dat

[grymg]

I keep the straight track pieces on my bricklink wanted list. So when browsing for other stuff, sometimes I pickup a few from a seller and tack it onto my existing order if he is selling those for $2 or less. I've accumulated much track that way for cheap, slowly but surely.

And yeah, my recent ME models kickstarter order added to that significantly.

My layout now easily trespasses into my hallway!

To the OP's point, I love my HE. But it's expensive because you have to buy two, and you have to buy two motors to pull the entire thing (and also mod the other trucks to remove the high friction technic wheels). There's really no way around the sheer price of the thing. But it's the best electric passenger train Lego has made so far, and I doubt there will be another one made within the next two Creator Expert Train design cycles because they will probably revisit a steam and diesel engine for the next ones.

Edited June 12, 2014 by grymg

[nana]

To the OP's point, I love my HE. But it's expensive because you have to buy two, and you have to buy two motors to pull the entire thing (and also mod the other trucks to remove the high friction technic wheels). There's really no way around the sheer price of the thing. But it's the best electric passenger train Lego has made so far, and I doubt there will be another one made within the next two Creator Expert Train design cycles because they will probably revisit a steam and diesel engine for the next ones.

After I looked at your signature, I know what you mean by buying two HE. I guess a modern electric train always has two heads and two motors? What a bummer. Two HE, two motors and tons of rails... this will cost a fortune! I am more into the steam and diesel engine. Can't imagine there could be a better looking train than EN. I will hesitate to spending so much on HE...

If you're going to use it mainly for light usage, I'd say skip the rechargable battery box (Lego's LiPo battery is pretty expensive for what it is, and you need to purchase the charger separately) and get the AAA battery box instead. For the price of the rechargeable battery and the charger, you can buy the AAA battery box along with other Power Functions parts to motorize/light it up, and have enough leftover money to buy a pack of AAA batteries.

Motorizing the Hogwarts Express will probably take a little tinkering around the existing model, but any brick fan should figure out a way to fit a reciever, a battery box, and a motor between the engine and the tender. The Emerald Night on the other hand was designed to be motorized, but uses some stuff that isn't in the HE Kit. Instead of the Train Motor it uses an XL motor which goes inside the Cab. If you still have the Emerald Night's instructions it shows how to install the motor, battery box, and sensor.

Thank you for your clear explanation. I may skip this kit then. I could always use rechargeable AAA batteries and their charger is cheap, too. Good to know that HE and EN use different motors. Now I have to decide which one to motorize first. I guess once you motorize one of your trains and have so many rail pieces, there is no reason to leave other trains unmotorized.

Thank you for all your guys' tips on buying the rails. Now I have an idea about how much I will need to invest if I'd like to make my trains move. I am more a modulars, houses and friends person. Need to think twice before I jump into trains.

Edited June 12, 2014 by nana

[fred67]

With regards to motorizing them, it really depends on what you want out of your trains. I've got the Constitution on display and it's not motorised but something like the HE or EN is designed to move! Picking up what you need from BrickLink can be cheaper than S@H but shop around and watch out for shipping prices.

And be warned - you will never ever have enough track

The nice thing about buying the sets is that you get the normal curves as well as straight track (never enough straight track, though), but looking at the "set" on S@H, unless I'm missing something, it looks like it doesn't come with track at all? That's terrible... if you go with the non-rechargeable battery box, you can all those pieces a LOT cheaper.

But I quoted this post because I wanted to say that I've also got the Constitution on display, but intend to motorize it. I motorized the Toy Story train just for fun, it worked well.

[TheLegoDr]

I've been wanting to motorize the 4841 HE also. I looked it up before on what pieces to get, but I forgot. I'll have to look into that again.

I agree, there is never enough straight track it seems. LEGO surely knows this.

[MusicaRibelle]

My opinion is the kit is not worth it.

I bought the 'plain' HE for $130 and then I bought on ebay a used train for $75: it came with motor, battery box, ir, remote, lights and a lot of spare parts for a second MOC train.

I feel that we're going to see more older pf models on sale on ebay and similar sites, complete with rails.

[baard]

The kit will give you the opportunity to have a full PF set to control any train you want. If you can get the components cheaper somewhere else, buy just the train. I have motorized just the front loco of my 2.-set HE as I then only need one battery pack and one receiver. This loco is equipped with two motors, however, and one of them is the cheap RC motor using the PF to 9V extension cable. This gives the train enough power to pull the 4 wagons as well as the last loco without much trouble.

Good luck

[zephyr1934]

At least last time I checked, the kit did not give you ANY discount. So if you already have a train controller, right there you will lose money with the kit. The rechargeable battery and charger is about $70, so if you are not yet sure if you are a power user, you could go a lot cheaper with the standard battery box and use rechargeable AAA cells. Also if you are not yet sure how much you'll use this, skip the lights at first then add them later if you find you use it a lot. The kit is only for the convenience of one click purchase with all of the stuff Lego thinks you should have.

[Redimus]

I worked it out, there's a saving of a couple of £s, not really worth going for the more expensive option when, as others have said, the normal battery box is a *hell* of a lot cheaper.

[Jorrith]

The kit itself is not worth it imho. S@H prices are standard, sometimes you can get sets cheaper from other online resellers. S@H sells the Horizon express for € 109,99, but i can pick a set up locally from a online reseller for € 99,99. (in the netherlands) With that said, usually power functions components cost about the same or more with other resellers, if they stock them at all. The Lipo battery set would be nice if you are a heavy user, but otherwise it just does not justify the price. If you have 9V track and you are a heavy user, i'd personally go for two used 9V motors and be done with replacing/recharging batteries. (two used 9V motors can be bought cheaper than one PF Lipo battery with charger)

And if you allready have a PF train, or even a few? Best guess is that you allready have a PF remote, so you really don't need another.

For what you get, it's not bad, but it really depends on how much usage you expect to get out of it... I am still using normal alkaline AAA batteries that i've placed 6 months ago. Granted, i am not a heavy user, and i have 9V track. If i were to get the horizon express, (i still need to get it) i'd go for a dual motored front locomotive, standard battery box with regular AAA alkaline batteries. Why? It works for me. :) If you plan to run that train on a regular basis, in that case the lipo battery might be a good investment, but, if you have 9V track, a couple of 9V motors might also be a good investment.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Jorrith