Is the 4561 a good set to start on LEGO Trains?

[ilikeboomerang1]

Hi guys, here's another question of mine: Is the Railway Express a good set to start on Lego Trains? What I'm going to do in my town is actually this:

The bottom of my town would have the 4561, and then their would be some stands which would hold rails for the 8404 and 60097 tram. What I also want to know is, is it better to mod it for PF, or leave it as it is? Please answer, this would help me a lot in my town.

[A Gallifreyan Cat]

I would say that it is great. I got it. It comes with a 9v motor and track, which in my opinion is the best system. As a train I don't think it is the best, but it is a great start.

[WholeWheatLego]

It's what I started with. It may not be the most satysfiying build, but its a good place to start.

(Plus you get that cool blue windscreen!)

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I would leave it as 9V on the fact that hiding the PF equipment would probably take a lot away from the sets aesthetics and interior space. The rolling sock are pretty much all windows. Although you could build a car just for the battery box and sensor, making it look like it has a cargo wagon

[THERIZE]

Of you want 9V it's a good starter set. Not really something that will fit in city themes but it is cool. I don't use 9V and prefer the new system way more so I would not buy it myself.

[fred67]

Well... that set is what got me back into LEGO as an adult, but to make a long story short: it's OK for for train parts, but the train build itself is not very good - but the set will allow you to adapt something newer to 9V, and you'll have a good set of starter track (and hope ME starts delivering those metal tracks soon). The rest of the pieces - white, blue, big blue trans pieces... not really a great collection for MOCing, IMO.

Edited August 25, 2015 by fred67

[engineermax]

This is a pretty cool set. Both as a 9V starter set and for it's classic appeal. As long as it isn't overpriced I recommend it.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

I think that 9v train is the best system but also much more expensive than the new PF.

About the set 4561 I don't like the shape of this train but you can use the motor to build a real locomotive.

[MTM]

I would say, set 4561 is megablocks. I mean, it's nearly the worst set in 9V. I think, 4559 is very similar, but better than 4561.

4561 has a very short one-way-train engine and two very long wagons. The shape of these doesn't look good.

When you start with 9V, try to buy set 4564 or 4563 or 4512. With this sets you can add passenger or good wagons, you can put the lokomotive at the other side of the train - and you could runs back. Or, the best ideo, I found: Set 4551 and some wagons.

MTM

[Murdoch17]

I would say, set 4561 is megablocks. I mean, it's nearly the worst set in 9V. I think, 4559 is very similar, but better than 4561.

4561 has a very short one-way-train engine and two very long wagons. The shape of these doesn't look good.

When you start with 9V, try to buy set 4564 or 4563 or 4512. With this sets you can add passenger or good wagons, you can put the lokomotive at the other side of the train - and you could runs back. Or, the best ideo, I found: Set 4551 and some wagons.

MTM

But that's the beauty of Lego, If you don't like it, change it.

And to the original poster I say this: as someone who has a stepfather who owned tow of these, buy the one, and buy / build a second set without the transformer / motor (set 4560, basically) and run it like the Horizon Express: one engine on each engine, followed by freight / baggage cars/ and in the middle put the passenger cars. Think of it as a 1990's Horizon Express in blue!

EDIT: I just checked, and 4560 is avialble for $57 US dollars from a guy in Georgia (the state, not the country): snatch it up soon before it's gone: http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=southern_bricks&itemID=77656841

Edited August 25, 2015 by Murdoch17

[Darkdragon]

EDIT: I just checked, and 4560 is avialble for $57 US dollars from a guy in Georgia (the state, not the country): snatch it up soon before it's gone: http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=southern_bricks&itemID=77656841

That listing is missing all the important parts.

[ilikeboomerang1]

Thanks for your answers. When I thought of modding the 4561 to PF, I was thinking of extending the locomotive to put the motor, IR receiver and battery box. And also, I found a good deal for it in eBay, as it's for 90 dollars.

[Murdoch17]

That listing is missing all the important parts.

It's missing the motor and track, which is unneeded if converting to PF.

[zephyr1934]

I would agree that it is a good parts set... it turned into one of my first train MOCs.

[paul_delahaye]

This was my first 9v train which got me into collecting the trains again, I now have 2 of these, and it's a great starter set.

[dr_spock]

If you plan to motorize your 8404 and 60097 trams, adding 9V train motors would be easier than MODing for power functions.

Edited August 27, 2015 by dr_spock