ElectroDiva

2018 Lego Trains

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If Lego is going to continue re-releasing sets, I wouldn't mind a Santa Fe Super Chief...  

Since Lego is getting back into the Harry Potter license, I would love to see a Creator Expert or "UCS" Hogwarts Express.  

A Creator Expert steamer of some sort seems most logical to me, but I would like a set that has two smaller switching engines, say a GE 44 ton diesel and some some sort of small steamer (can't decide, lots of good options).

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2 hours ago, Bricked1980 said:

I think it would be great and quite likely that lego could release a train as part of their creator expert vehicle range (the series that includes the classic mini and last year's routemaster bus)? How would people feel though if they did this not in minifig scale but something bigger and closer to the London bus scale? It would be disappointing to think it wouldn't run on the standard lego track but I do think they could create an awesome and highly detailed model at this sort of size.

Whilst that would be really nice to see, a model of a relatively well known (read: big) locomotive would end up being fairly large at that scale, and (assuming you mean steam locos) LEGO don't produce any wheels close to the size that would be necessary, and wouldn't create a new part as it would have practically zero use elsewhere. The alternative could be to produce a narrow-gauge loco, but how many of those are well-known enough to appeal outside the train-fan circle?

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2 hours ago, BimmerBoy said:

A Creator Expert steamer of some sort seems most logical to me, but I would like a set that has two smaller switching engines, say a GE 44 ton diesel and some some sort of small steamer (can't decide, lots of good options).

If we do see yet another Expert/Advanced locomotive set in the near future, I'd imagine that it would most definitely be a steam locomotive, as the last two Expert/Advanced locomotive sets were diesel/electric ones.

And hey, if not this year, it will have been ten years come 2019 since the Emerald Night was released; so, like with the Winter Village train set*, perhaps we'll see a spiritual successor to the Emerald Night next year instead.

*The Winter Village train set was released in 2016, ten years after the release of the last holday themed train set.

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So then in 2026 we can expect another holiday train? Cool.

As stated previously (can't find it in 32 pages of comments) a 3-in-1 would be a great idea, with maybe a non-train model being one of the builds to extend interest beyond our nich. Actually if they did a 3-in-1 and all three models were wagons then if folks wanted longer trains (like @pirzyk) then they would have to get many copies. They would just have to make them cool enough. Maybe covered hopper, tank car (both might use a lot of slopes) and a steel? Car? Can't think of what it might be called but looks like a gondola with a curved lid. 

Anyway, I'm happy we are getting new trains this year and hope for a Creator Expert (would LOVE a Hogwarts Express) in the near future as well.

Those mining sets look cool. OH!!! MAYBE they will do a 3-in-1 that will help tie the mining sets into the trains with one build a loading platform, another build being a wagon for the mined ore/gold and another build being an excavator/dump truck with a helicopter! (Only because Lego obviously cannot produce enough helicopters)

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7 hours ago, BimmerBoy said:

If Lego is going to continue re-releasing sets, I wouldn't mind a Santa Fe Super Chief...  

Since Lego is getting back into the Harry Potter license, I would love to see a Creator Expert or "UCS" Hogwarts Express.  

A Creator Expert steamer of some sort seems most logical to me, but I would like a set that has two smaller switching engines, say a GE 44 ton diesel and some some sort of small steamer (can't decide, lots of good options).

Yes - a decent representation of the Hogwarts Express could satisfy both train fans and HP fans.  I've said it before, I'll say it again - I did the "Ruby Red" mod of the Emerald Night, and it's a better Hogwarts Express than any set they've ever released.  A few mods and it could be perfect.  If I recall, EN sold for $US100.  Adjust to maybe $120 for inflation - that's really NOT out of line, and it could even include a car.  Add a separate set for extra cars, and they could have a real winner.

3 hours ago, ALCO said:

So then in 2026 we can expect another holiday train? Cool.

As stated previously (can't find it in 32 pages of comments) a 3-in-1 would be a great idea, with maybe a non-train model being one of the builds to extend interest beyond our nich. Actually if they did a 3-in-1 and all three models were wagons then if folks wanted longer trains (like @pirzyk) then they would have to get many copies. They would just have to make them cool enough. Maybe covered hopper, tank car (both might use a lot of slopes) and a steel? Car? Can't think of what it might be called but looks like a gondola with a curved lid. 

Anyway, I'm happy we are getting new trains this year and hope for a Creator Expert (would LOVE a Hogwarts Express) in the near future as well.

Those mining sets look cool. OH!!! MAYBE they will do a 3-in-1 that will help tie the mining sets into the trains with one build a loading platform, another build being a wagon for the mined ore/gold and another build being an excavator/dump truck with a helicopter! (Only because Lego obviously cannot produce enough helicopters)

I think it would work; I realize they were not happy with the Sante Fe car sets (those were three in one), but I don't think LEGO trains were given adequate marketing at the time - I didn't even know about them, as I was just getting back into the hobby at the time.  If I'd have known about them, I would probably have a dozen in my collection.  I ended up getting a used Super Chief and bricklinking the cars.  There's always a bunch of us that complain we missed out on stuff and now it's too expensive, there's always huge after market demand, so I don't get how they don't sell well enough to make it worthwhile for TLG.

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4 hours ago, fred67 said:

..., but I don't think LEGO trains were given adequate marketing at the time.

Well, that and the fact that those cars looked horrible. I knew that they were available and kind of liked the Santa Fe itself but the only interesting bits that were used for the waggons, were the bases, wheels, bogey plates, buffers and the doors. To me, all the other bits looked like left over pieces that they didn't have any other use for. Also, they were all grey and thus looked somewhat boring.

It generally also wasn't a very good time for LEGO as a company. If they were to market things properly and would put some effort into it, then I'm sure a new train would be worth it. It may not sell as well as the most popular Friends or Ninjago sets but it woudn't hurt their finances either.

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On 2/9/2018 at 11:41 AM, Bricked1980 said:

Yes I suppose they wouldn't do Flying Scotsman then as it's quite similar to Emerald Night. Emerald Night is closer to Flying Scotsman in her British Railways livery though. How about taking away the smoke deflectors and creating a Flying Scotsman in her LNER green livery with twin tenders.

I think the auxiliary tender was strictly a BR era addition after most of the steam support infrastructure had been decommissioned. During its working life I think it used track pans to take water on the fly. Regardless, given how puny the single tender on the EN I doubt lego would even do one tender justice.

 

 

14 hours ago, BimmerBoy said:

Since Lego is getting back into the Harry Potter license, I would love to see a Creator Expert or "UCS" Hogwarts Express. 

I think you probably nailed it. The HP fans would love it, so it would sell. The train fans would love it, so it would sell an extra 5% (grin).

 

 

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On 2/9/2018 at 8:26 PM, M_slug357 said:

@ElectroDiva The roof is made out of semicircles of curved track combined with clear wall elements!! I think its one of the best uses of leftover curved rails to date.

'Leftover' - I wish! I had to buy about 300 of them to use in that roof. Fortunately they weren't too expensive (not like straight track!) but they weren't particularly cheap either.

Click on the photo to go to my Flickr account, and you can see photos of the station with the roof.

Edited by Paperballpark

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20 hours ago, ALCO said:

So then in 2026 we can expect another holiday train? Cool.

Maybe, as only once isn't really setting a precedent necessarily. But hey, I think it's more likely than not, but we'll just have to see in time. :shrug_oh_well:

20 hours ago, ALCO said:

As stated previously (can't find it in 32 pages of comments) a 3-in-1 would be a great idea, with maybe a non-train model being one of the builds to extend interest beyond our nich. Actually if they did a 3-in-1 and all three models were wagons then if folks wanted longer trains (like @pirzyk) then they would have to get many copies. They would just have to make them cool enough. Maybe covered hopper, tank car (both might use a lot of slopes) and a steel? Car? Can't think of what it might be called but looks like a gondola with a curved lid. 

I think a three-in-one set made up of coach/car builds exclusively is the least likely to happen, as the set needs to have an L-Gauge locomotive for its star build as a selling point, just to be sold as a "push train" that happens to be both L-Gauge and Power Functions compatible. Preferably, a three-in-one set with either a tank engine or shunter diesel as its star build would then feature two coach/car alternate builds, priced at around US $30-$50.

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On 2/11/2018 at 10:52 AM, Paperballpark said:

'Leftover' - I wish! I had to buy about 300 of them to use in that roof. Fortunately they weren't too expensive (not like straight track!) but they weren't particularly cheap either.

Click on the photo to go to my Flickr account, and you can see photos of the station with the roof.

Just wanted to say that technique of using curved track to create the station canopy in really ingenious. Just been checking out the pics on your Flickr page and it looks brilliant.

On 2/10/2018 at 3:38 PM, ColletArrow said:

Whilst that would be really nice to see, a model of a relatively well known (read: big) locomotive would end up being fairly large at that scale, and (assuming you mean steam locos) LEGO don't produce any wheels close to the size that would be necessary, and wouldn't create a new part as it would have practically zero use elsewhere. The alternative could be to produce a narrow-gauge loco, but how many of those are well-known enough to appeal outside the train-fan circle?

You are right. I hadn't considered the wheels. It's probably unlikely Lego could do this then. :sceptic: A large scale steam loco would be an awesome thing though. Just imagine all the intricate details they could include. 

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On 12.02.2018 at 12:20 PM, davidmull said:

Any idea when we’re getting official images of the new trains 

1-2 months before release ?

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Maybe there'll be an exclusive City or Creator Expert train next year. But I highly doubt it this year. 1. Since 2010 there hasn't been a whole Trains theme and an exclusive train set the same year. 2. We don't get a train station this year, in total only two train sets - which is imo a bad sign for the theme's popularity. 3. Last year was the birthday of the Trains theme. And nevertheless no single set was released therefore, not even a small mini diorama or a microscale train as GWP - which was really a shame. 4. There are already so many - sadly mainly licensed - exclusive sets this year. Sorry to have to say this!

On 13.2.2018 at 2:20 PM, gnysek said:

1-2 months before release ?

I agree. With TLG's current policy very likely not earlier.

Edited by Klaus-Dieter
typing error

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3 hours ago, Klaus-Dieter said:

3. Last year was the birthday of the Trains theme. And nevertheless no single set was released therefore, not even a small mini diorama or a microscale train as GWP - which was really a shame.

Well, no doubt there will be the ones who try to convince you that there has indeed been an anniversary set (the "Mini Trains" set 50 Years On Track). And while that is true, access to it has been limited to LEGO employees... and some people, who have been lucky being able to buy it from employees which didn't need it and prefered the money. It would have been nice to give at a wider release instead an employee gift :hmpf_bad:

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45 minutes ago, Capparezza said:

It would have been nice to give at a wider release instead an employee gift :hmpf_bad:

Same can be said about set 4000014.

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3 hours ago, 3797 said:

Same can be said about set 4000014.

That can be said about lots of sets. Like those limited figures and sets for conventions or gift sets for other companies.

But hey, those are no Anniversary Sets! That's what is bugging me most. 50 years of LEGO trains and what do we get? Nothing....... Makes me sad.

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22 hours ago, Capparezza said:

Well, no doubt there will be the ones who try to convince you that there has indeed been an anniversary set (the "Mini Trains" set 50 Years On Track). And while that is true, access to it has been limited to LEGO employees... and some people, who have been lucky being able to buy it from employees which didn't need it and prefered the money. It would have been nice to give at a wider release instead an employee gift :hmpf_bad:

Excellent call, if they can't/won't release an AFOL train set, that would make for a nice collector's item.

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Its a good suggestion. A HP themed creator train is probably the best way for an Creator Expert to be very profitable. Hopefully they would also sell separate passenger cars.

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Indeed, I've got little, really little hope for it, but a revisited and well done hogwarts express would be amazing!!

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How much would people be willing to spend on a Creator Expert version of the Hogwarts Express....?

-Around 100 usd, I'd imagine a set similar in size to the EN,

-Around 200 to 300 usd, maybe 2 carriages and a loop of track,

-Around 400 to 500 usd, 2-3 carriages + track loop + PF 2.0 + Hogsmeade Station (to tie in with the castle set)

 

 

 

I'm not a HP fanboy, but am still a sucker for trains!

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Personally I'd spend way more than the average consumer due to being a huge train fan. I doubt the average consumer would spend more than 120 for the train.

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I'm a long time train (and HP) fan, and maybe I'm just cheap (or sick of how much LEGO costs), but I wouldn't spend over $200 for a Creator Expert Hogwart's Express, and I wouldn't even spend up to that much unless it came with several cars.  Emerald Night was what?  $99 when it came out with one car?  Adjust up for inflation and add a couple of cars, and you're in the "normal" modular price range (something "creator expert" buyers are accustomed with).

In lieu of that, a Hogwart's Express expert creator set with one car (or no cars at all) and 3-in-1 cars as separate sets.  I realize that didn't pan out well with the Super Chief, but that was then and this is now.

 

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Not very interested in the Harry Potter train. I would prefer a regular Creator Expert train like the Horizon Express or something like the Santa Fe...

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This may sound odd to other lego train fans but if lego did create a Harry Potter train I don't think I'd buy it even if it turned out to be a brilliant looking set. I'm not really a fan of the films and I think I'd look on any potential HP train as more of a gimmick than a proper lego train set.

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