2016 Lego trains

[dr_spock]

If LEGO is drinking Apple juice, then product development is very secretive and controled. Not all employees will know exaclty what is going on, outside of the select few. Even with NDAs, they might have a need a to know policy.

[THERIZE]

A T1?

For realism we would need to remove the O rings of the drivers

[Interceptor]

Hope dies last. Probably there is a secret train project somewhere in the vault.

I would prefer Mallard, VT601 TEE, Shinkansen 100 or even the Creator Expert version of 7740.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Interceptor

[Paperballpark]

I suspect there won't be a new train next year. I've been fortunate to speak to a few designers this year, and when the conversation turns to trains, they all say the same thing: There simply isn't the market for them, and the Creator Expert ones weren't great sellers.

Look at it this way (from a business point of view): The Winter Village Toy Shop was re-released because they simply didn't have the design capacity to do a new winter set this year (That's another thing I've been told by designers). If they can't spare the design capacity for a popular line like that, why would they for something which all previous experience tells them wouldn't sell all that well?

I hope I'm wrong, I really do, but I don't think I will be.

[Interceptor]

@Paperballpark That is really sad. Anyway thank you for your message. Rare happens we receive any information crumbs from designers (even if it is indirectly) regarding production decisions, so these are highly appreciated. I didn't know that Creator Expert trains weren't great sellers and hope this does not mean they have cancelled this line.

[THERIZE]

Lets hope they didn't! I never noticed those sets did not sell well. They were always gone before I had money to buy them On the other hand, trains are somehow one of the bad selling products (of which I don't see a reason why) so it's not really surprising (or it is) that LEGO stopped the production of Creator Expert.

I don't see a reason why the expert trains weren't good sellers. Yes, they were expensive but were also the best designed city like sets. Perhaps most people want to moc there own? Sad.

[davidmull]

Is it not possible we will get a city train to mark the 50 years?

[dr_spock]

Is it not possible we will get a city train to mark the 50 years?

City trains have been on a 4 year cycle. The previous releases were 2014+2015, 2010+2011... Next would be 2018+2019. Hard to say without insider information.

[xboxtravis7992]

City trains have been on a 4 year cycle. The previous releases were 2014+2015, 2010+2011... Next would be 2018+2019. Hard to say without insider information.

Gahhh!! Here is hoping a licensed theme comes with a train set, or that the Expert Trains get revived soon...

[zephyr1934]

I suspect there won't be a new train next year. I've been fortunate to speak to a few designers this year, and when the conversation turns to trains, they all say the same thing: There simply isn't the market for them, and the Creator Expert ones weren't great sellers.

Look at it this way (from a business point of view): The Winter Village Toy Shop was re-released because they simply didn't have the design capacity to do a new winter set this year (That's another thing I've been told by designers). If they can't spare the design capacity for a popular line like that, why would they for something which all previous experience tells them wouldn't sell all that well?

I hope I'm wrong, I really do, but I don't think I will be.

Based on my own observations and compiling bits and pieces here and there (no, I do not know anybody on the inside so pure speculation on my part) I would agree with the conclusion that the AFOL trains have not been good sellers, but that is because Lego bungled half of them big time.

Hobby train- common colors, all rare parts were simultaneously available on S@H PAB, instructions required a very up to date computer

Emerald Night- out of the ballpark in spite of the mechanical flaws, but due to small demand Lego would only sell the one set, so you got a free engine with every over priced car. The rare colors undoubtedly helped sales.

Maersk- another out of the ballpark (again in spite of the mechanical flaws- the high friction technic axles) it was much easier to get extra cars since multiple copies worked together (should have had two different locomotive numbers on the sticker sheet though). Very rare color a big helper. One big problem- appeal would be much stronger in North America.

Horizon Express- great design but horrible seller- must get two sets to make one train, common colors, and that one big problem again- appeal strongest in a specific region of the world.

Overall lego AFOL trains are challenging to do right-

lego will only have a single AFOL train set at a time (if that), which makes it hard for a potential customer to dive in, specific trains will have strong regional ties so they will likely have lower sales in other parts of the world. Also, the fact that the sets come with no track and getting track is difficult at best probably hasn't helped (I can only imagine a new train-head asking, "so where do I go to get straight track?" and being frustrated with the current options). The cost for PF also daunting... as someone without a train I could spend $300 on a modular building and know what I'm getting into or I can spend $250 to get a horizon express +$100 for PF +$50-$100 for track.

While I would prefer otherwise, I don't know if I could blame Lego for their diminished interest in AFOL trains given the challenges of a successful AFOL train in the context of Lego bureaucracy and an excess demand for more profitable lines.

Solution 1- do the hobby train right- box of bricks in a rare color, designs for at least 3 different train cars/locomotives such that they would cover the interest of enough of the world and people could build trains as long as they like by buying as many copies as they want without Lego having to offermore than one AFOL train set (future sets could repeat this formula while allowing for variation in cars that still can be regionally customized)... but if lego ever did this, watch them mess it up by having a freight car from one continent, a locomotive from another, and a passenger car from a third such that none of them would work together.

Solution 2- make alternate builds of the city train sets that actually work on an AFOL level. If Lego won't do it, then the AFOL community should, e.g., my Conrail instructions.

In any event, I am grateful that Lego is producing the city sets, so that at least the parts remain available and we have parts packs

[Henrik Ludvigsen]

Hope dies last. Probably there is a secret train project somewhere in the vault.

I would prefer Mallard, :............ the Creator Expert version of 7740.

As a huge fan of trains I have been waiting for a new train for a very long time... Hope is still present.

Why don't we tell LEGO that we will have a new train. There is several good projects on LEGO Ideas (including mine..)

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/102291 And https://ideas.lego.com/projects/121370

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Henrik

Edited December 23, 2015 by Henrik Ludvigsen

[Lego Dino 500]

Maybe there's something we all can do to get your DB130 more exposure. Maybe you could contact Model Railroader, about your model and the world record you're trying to set? They don't do Lego stuff too often, but I'd imagine they would cover it given enough information.

[Legoboy22]

No! I was hoping for an old style Lego creator expert train or hopefully my favorite steam train, the mallard. Oh well. I can not believe that there is nothing special for 50th anniversary.

Hello,

I work to the SNCF(FRENCH NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY) in France, if you want, I can give you information about TGV duplex.

( Not too confidential all the same)

please do, I would love that:)

re-release the EN? nah. it was expensive and didn't look right. the wheels where undersized and the boiler was oversized. if they would re-release it the boiler would need to be way smaller. the round front piece was to big and the attachment of the smoke deflecters was well, terrible! a new emerald night would need to be extremely modified imo. i can see it being a great set when you have 5 coaches and power functions but there are improvements possible.

impossible. its way to big for lego scale and the 4 axle bogies would be eliminated due to the short baseplates and the problem with 4 axles on one bogie (3 is possible with one brick spaced apart, 4 wheels need to be straight next to each other. and i doubt LEGO will use things like sliding axles.

i would agree with you. What I find most disagreeable about this train is the massive boiler

[JoelTheLegoManiac]

I would love a steam engine, it's just that I find typical commuter rail trains to be kinda boring. They can be kind of cool, but for the most part, they're not built good enough as a set. But as for steam and diesel? I love it all. British, German, Russian, or American, they all have their own distinct styles and designs.

This.

I think its about time that we get another steam engine, because its obvious LEGO wont release any steam engines for LEGO City because they only release diesel and electric locomotives, I missed out on the Emerald Night and I didn't have enough money to buy any of the other expert trains.

[peterab]

I don't see a reason why the expert trains weren't good sellers. Yes, they were expensive but were also the best designed city like sets. Perhaps most people want to moc there own? Sad.

The reason is that trains as a whole are not that popular. It's not so much that trains are unsuccessful as most train companies would be very pleased with similar sales, it's just that the other LEGO themes are so much more successful. The results on ideas are very clear; any train struggles to get attention compared with many other subjects. It's not that the train community would rather build MOCs, it's that even if most of the train community buy two (as I and many others did for the HE) we just are not that large a group compared with the general LEGO buyer.

[Jefry Been]

After Emerald Night, Maersk and TGV I'm waiting for really special and cool expert train this year. Hope Billund will do his best in this way!;)

[Paperballpark]

After Emerald Night, Maersk and TGV I'm waiting for really special and cool expert train this year. Hope Billund will do his best in this way!;)

I hate to say it, but I don't think they're going to release a train in the remaining three days of this year

Or in 2016, sadly...

Edited December 28, 2015 by Paperballpark

[dr_spock]

I think the another way that we could see a steam train is a movie that has a steam train and LEGO is licensed to merchandise for like they did with Lone Ranger movie.

[xboxtravis7992]

I think the another way that we could see a steam train is a movie that has a steam train and LEGO is licensed to merchandise for like they did with Lone Ranger movie.

Yeah Lone Ranger was the LAST steam train Lego has released (Glad I picked it up while I could).

Should Eurobricks establish a registry of every quality train project on Lego Ideas? (Like the DB unit and the tram mentioned earlier, or the Golden Spike centennial) Can we as a community push to get at least one through? I remember the effort people put to vote for the modular Western Town on Cuusoo, and although it was not made it hit 10,000 votes. What is the worse that can happen, Lego tells us a train on Ideas conflicts with an upcoming release?

Edited December 28, 2015 by xboxtravis7992

[Hod Carrier]

I can not believe that there is nothing special for 50th anniversary.

Notwithstanding what the market may or may not support, it strikes me that LEGO are either unaware of this anniversary or have no interest in marking it. I'm not sure what their track record in marking anniversaries is with other themes, but I can't recall any other anniversary releases.

Either way, it strikes me that WE care more about this anniversary than LEGO do. Maybe it's up to us as a community to come up with something special for the anniversary rather than waiting for LEGO to do it for us.

[MusicaRibelle]

Probably the most effective thing we could do is to pick a project on Ideas and get the required 10,000 votes.

Any other initiative requires lots of coordination among people who are located far away from each other and with different taste in trains.

Possible, but difficult.

For example, it would be nice to have lots of LUGs build a train with the same set of pieces -- a custom hobby train set of sorts.

First, someone would have to propose a set of parts with some possible designs for a locomotive and cars (passenger cars?).

Then we refine the design with contributions and opinions from people in this community, perhaps inviting or attempting to involve members of as many train LUGs as we can.

Then we attempt to agree on a timeline for each LUG or individual to order the parts and schedule an event for a given month, and collect videos and other media from the event showing off all the many different MOCs built from the same 'hobby set'.

Thoughts?

[M_slug357]

(((Not sure if this occurred to anyone yet, but what if Lego is planning an anniversary set for the best selling train set?)))

[LegoDakin]

The only thing I would really like would be a cross track, I think it's a bit stupid that the most simplest of track designs that you can make, we can't do and it would make it so much easier to run more than train, on a system.

[Younge]

(((Not sure if this occurred to anyone yet, but what if Lego is planning an anniversary set for the best selling train set?)))

What would be the best selling set then? Are there any reliable stats available to the public on this?

[xboxtravis7992]

Check out the newest post on the Ideas blog, if there will be a time to submit an ORIGINAL Idea (dealing with trains), its going to be now. https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/blog

I really like the idea someone mentioned of developing a hobby train like Ideas set.