Lego 10277 - Crocodile Locomotive

[Tcm0]

1 hour ago, Vilhelm22 said:

My best guess is L size, because  the noses are 5 wide and PF L motors are 3 wide, so one in each end would be completely enclosed.  Apparently the new motor is 88013.  88012 and 88014 have also been said to come this year (see Brickset), so I expect an extension cable, L and XL motors.

I wouldn't get my hopes up for an extension cable. We are missing L, XL and the SPIKE motors (the SPIKE Large motor should come in a technic model this summer). In addition to that the Control+ hub isn't available yet either. So my guess is that the sets will be both motors and the Control+ hub.

But I don't understand the people that want even more motors. We already have 7 motors in the powered up line. It should be enough.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Tcm0

[Chiaroscuro]

17 hours ago, Bartybum said:

I’m not sure it’ll have a significant effect. Casual fans won’t have the parts to build an extra car to begin with.

 

Maybe not, really. But since their recent focus on adult buyers it may worth a shoot. Like having a link in the manual to the digital instructions and a way to provide the needed bricks, like an auto basket for PaB / B&P services. Yeah, I am dreaming too much, just brainstorming.

[zephyr1934]

22 hours ago, Vilhelm22 said:

The only reasons I can come up with are A) There are too many parts in the set that don’t yet exist in dark green or B) One of 10274-10276 is mainly dark green themed. 

I expect they went with brown simply because they went with brown, they don't seem to think about these things (e.g., the hobby train was in red in spite of the fact that all of the AFOL designers were asking for a rare color). I'm just wishing it was dark green.

 

8 hours ago, zux said:

The issues I see with "free instruction and get bricks yourself" are:

1. There might be one or another part, that is already harder to get. And with new demand prices will be over the top. We already had such cases with MOCs.

2. You probably won't be able to get all the parts in single shop, thus additional shipping would be involved.

In the end this could result in price of cars/wagons similar to the train engine itself.

 

That's why I was musing that it could be possible for them to provide alt builds in the app with parts from the set + basic train wheels that they ensure remain available throughout the run of the set. Which might be why they chose brown... but I suspect that is wishful thinking on my part. Regardless, I'm sure there will be many options for cars that come up from the AFOL community.

 

[Mr Hobbles]

2 hours ago, Tcm0 said:

But I don't understand the people that want even more motors. We already have 7 motors in the powered up line. It should be enough.

The main things that are missing are system versions of the Technic motors. We have the basic motor and the boost motor - both medium size. Technic has medium and large linear motors, and large and xlarge angular motors. While I don't expect the angular motors to get system versions, there should be linear versions at least. The use of studs vs pins makes them easier to embed in non-Technic models where there is limited space available. (As an aside, I still miss the old 9v micro motor - though I don't ever expect a modern equivalent).

For example, I embedded a Boost motor into 40370 without a single part of the exterior looking different to the out-of-box model, something that isn't possible with any other type of motor. Largely thanks to the studs-based structure of the motor.

With regards to this train, I can see them release a new motor for one single reason - only the current train motor offers proper operation with the Powered Up standalone remote. Every other motor provides RC-style bang-bang operation unless used with the Powered Up app. A new motor could allow that functionality. However outside of remote compatibility, it's not essential - you're right in that the Technic 3-wide motor could fit within the 5-wide ends. We'll just have to wait and see. :)

[dr_spock]

3 hours ago, Tcm0 said:

I wouldn't get my hopes up for an extension cable. We are missing L, XL and the SPIKE motors (the SPIKE Large motor should come in a technic model this summer). In addition to that the Control+ hub isn't available yet either. So my guess is that the sets will be both motors and the Control+ hub.

But I don't understand the people that want even more motors. We already have 7 motors in the powered up line. It should be enough.

Just like with buffers and train wheels, one can't never have enough motors for LUG event displays.      A smaller motor than the current offerings would be useful for space constrainted builds.  A dumb on/off battery box would be useful too.  Too bad LEGO doesn't provide a roadmap of what's coming (or going) like microprocessor manufacturers. 

 

 

[PeteM]

If the rumoured release is July I wonder how soon we might see an official announcement (with more detailed information!)? Will they take it up to the wire (so another month :( ) or did the leak come out because an announcement is imminent...? Fingers crossed for the latter :)

Edited May 26, 2020 by PeteM

[R0Sch]

Ok, so I modeled as much as I can from the leaked image. What I cannot know is how the interior looks like but I guess the 3 studs wide Motor (shown here a WeDo 2.0 Motor for reference) can be placed inside the front and/or back and the BT-hub will have enough place inside the middle section since it's exactly 6 studs wide. Or, what would be really crazy a new type of BT-hub including twin power for big train wheels with an axle distance of 11 studs.
I really wonder how this train will be able to take the tight R40 curves with the front/back wheel pairs at 9 stud distance. All trains so far had a consistent 7stud distance between powered axles. I guess with the bigger wheels it's possible.

Fun trivia: I am pretty sure both torsos from the 2 included minifigures will be Alan Grant's medium blue shirt from JP.

 

[Rijkvv]

If you don't have money, then why would you this set to be far more expensive by adding a coach? Unless you want them to cut corners, but then many people would keep their money.

[Rail Co]

Awesome rendering of the Train model there @R0Sch, impressive work. 

This gets me thinking about running two motors for this train, one in the front section and one in the back section. It might be nice to have both ends motorized to allow it to pull more coaches or wagons.

-RailCo

[R0Sch]

5 minutes ago, Rail Co said:

Awesome rendering of the Train model there @R0Sch, impressive work. 

This gets me thinking about running two motors for this train, one in the front section and one in the back section. It might be nice to have both ends motorized to allow it to pull more coaches or wagons.

-RailCo

Thanks, but Studio does all the work, I just click on a button ;) I really liked the challenge and it took me only 10 hours.
Too bad the new PU hubs can only connect either 2 motors or 1 motor + 1 light. Really annoyed me on the passenger train as well.

[Vilhelm22]

Good thing is, looking at this far higher quality render of the model by @R0Sch, there’s hopefully enough space to fit PF Battery box, Receiver + 2 x M motor if the gearing works the way I think it does. Remember it doesn’t contain powered up parts, so it may be built to take one or two if you want it to.  Also, I don’t remember that type of cab window ever appearing in brown before - 60052 has it in blue, and I’ve seen it in white elsewhere, but not much else...

Edited May 26, 2020 by Vilhelm22
Can window question

[BrickyDwelve]

Hey guys, came across some info while searching LEGO Ideas site.

It seems this was a AFOLs design and submission that didn’t make the 10K mark.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/899ca545-49a5-4102-aef8-154bb71ac6ea/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

looks like LEGO is pulling the same stunt they did with GBHQ and Jurassic Park Gate.

Edited May 26, 2020 by BrickyDwelve

[Daedalus304]

1 minute ago, BrickyDwelve said:

Hey guys, came across some info while searching LEGO Ideas site.

It seems this was a AFOLs design and submission that didn’t make the 10K mark.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/899ca545-49a5-4102-aef8-154bb71ac6ea/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

I don't think that's quite right, really. It certainly looks like they're based off of the same real-life engine, but the submission was a much larger 10-wide model and this is only 7. It's definitely unfortunate for that contributor that his model wasn't selected, but what LEGO's offering is very different in almost every way it reasonably could be from a design and detailing perspective, given that they're models of the same real locomotive.

[BrickyDwelve]

35 minutes ago, Daedalus304 said:

I don't think that's quite right, really. It certainly looks like they're based off of the same real-life engine, but the submission was a much larger 10-wide model and this is only 7. It's definitely unfortunate for that contributor that his model wasn't selected, but what LEGO's offering is very different in almost every way it reasonably could be from a design and detailing perspective, given that they're models of the same real locomotive.

I understand and in no way am I an expert, just sharing public information that I saw was not mentioned earlier.

Edited May 27, 2020 by BrickyDwelve

[Mr Hobbles]

51 minutes ago, BrickyDwelve said:

Hey guys, came across some info while searching LEGO Ideas site.

It seems this was a AFOLs design and submission that didn’t make the 10K mark.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/899ca545-49a5-4102-aef8-154bb71ac6ea/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

looks like LEGO is pulling the same stunt they did with GBHQ and Jurassic Park Gate.

This is a different scenario though - both GBHQ and Jurassic Park both reached 10k supporters, and were subsequently rejected by Lego, just to release their own versions.

Here, that failed to get the 10k, however Lego is deciding they want to release a product like it anyway, regardless of how few people voted for it.

[BrickyDwelve]

6 minutes ago, Mr Hobbles said:

This is a different scenario though - both GBHQ and Jurassic Park both reached 10k supporters, and were subsequently rejected by Lego, just to release their own versions.

Here, that failed to get the 10k, however Lego is deciding they want to release a product like it anyway, regardless of how few people voted for it.

True, I guess that just means if your idea doesn’t make it, there’s still a chance. Hahaha.

[Vilhelm22]

1 hour ago, BrickyDwelve said:

Hey guys, came across some info while searching LEGO Ideas site.

It seems this was a AFOLs design and submission that didn’t make the 10K mark.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/899ca545-49a5-4102-aef8-154bb71ac6ea/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

looks like LEGO is pulling the same stunt they did with GBHQ and Jurassic Park Gate.

It’s not the only one - there was one in I think 2016, which had car roofs on the noses, also in brown, which also failed to reach 10K, or even 5K.  This probably regularly occurs - we just don’t hear about it because it’s so frequent and, frankly, irrelevant.  As said earlier, these failed to reach even 5K, whereas the GBHQ and Jurassic Park were 10K projects, that failed to pass the review stage, but were then released later as sets, but not under the IDEAS branding.  There’s been a garage modular on IDEAS before which hasn’t reached 10K yet, though posted before the release of CG on 1st January 2019.  But the idea for a garage modular wasn’t stolen.

[Bartybum]

10 hours ago, Chiaroscuro said:

Like having a link in the manual to the digital instructions and a way to provide the needed bricks, like an auto basket for PaB / B&P services. Yeah, I am dreaming too much, just brainstorming.

Honestly, I dunno if TLC would want to do that. Sets generally go through a thorough design process, so I'd imagine they'd want to do a proper design for multiple additional rolling stock too (maintain the standard of quality and all that jazz), which costs time and money. Even then, it's kinda a niche thing, and people may just source the parts on BrickLink for cheaper. In any case, I don't think it's economically viable for them to do so. But it would be nice

1 hour ago, Mr Hobbles said:

Here, that failed to get the 10k, however Lego is deciding they want to release a product like it anyway, regardless of how few people voted for it.

I think they're also releasing a new crocodile because they liked the old 12V prototype and decided it was worth retrying - didn't someone mention something about TLC saying they wanted to dig deep into the vault, or something along those lines?

Edited May 27, 2020 by Bartybum

[Mr Hobbles]

3 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

I think they're also releasing a new crocodile because they liked the old 12V prototype and decided it was worth retrying - didn't someone mention something about TLC saying they wanted to dig deep into the vault, or something along those lines?

Quite possible. :) Also coupled with the “40 years of LEGO trains” thing they’ve got going on (see 40370), I think they see this as the perfect year to release a new AFOL train/locomotive.

[SteamSewnEmpire]

6 hours ago, R0Sch said:

Ok, so I modeled as much as I can from the leaked image. What I cannot know is how the interior looks like but I guess the 3 studs wide Motor (shown here a WeDo 2.0 Motor for reference) can be placed inside the front and/or back and the BT-hub will have enough place inside the middle section since it's exactly 6 studs wide. Or, what would be really crazy a new type of BT-hub including twin power for big train wheels with an axle distance of 11 studs.
I really wonder how this train will be able to take the tight R40 curves with the front/back wheel pairs at 9 stud distance. All trains so far had a consistent 7stud distance between powered axles. I guess with the bigger wheels it's possible.

Fun trivia: I am pretty sure both torsos from the 2 included minifigures will be Alan Grant's medium blue shirt from JP.

 

Hmm. For some reason, I had convinced myself that this was going to be 8w. Now I'm starting to think it will be a pass. 

2 hours ago, BrickyDwelve said:

Hey guys, came across some info while searching LEGO Ideas site.

It seems this was a AFOLs design and submission that didn’t make the 10K mark.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/899ca545-49a5-4102-aef8-154bb71ac6ea/official_comments#content_nav_tabs

looks like LEGO is pulling the same stunt they did with GBHQ and Jurassic Park Gate.

That MOC is about a thousand times better.

[Bartybum]

Question, are real crocodile locomotives articulated?

[dr_spock]

19 minutes ago, Bartybum said:

Question, are real crocodile locomotives articulated?

I believe some are articulated in real life.

 

 

[Duq]

1 hour ago, dr_spock said:

I believe some are articulated in real life.

 

 

Not some. Yes, they are articulated. They'd have to be to get through any bends.

[SteamSewnEmpire]

2 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Question, are real crocodile locomotives articulated?

The real thing has powered middle drivers, though. 

It's a nifty toy, but not really accurate.

I continue to be really disappointed with Lego's train design. Even their efforts clearly intended for AFOLs fall far, far behind those over MOCers. This isn't necessarily true for other themes, but it's certainly the case with railroading.

Edited May 27, 2020 by SteamSewnEmpire

[JopieK]

4 hours ago, SteamSewnEmpire said:

Hmm. For some reason, I had convinced myself that this was going to be 8w. Now I'm starting to think it will be a pass. 

That MOC is about a thousand times better.

Did you already see the final product then? That is one of the reasons LEGO doesn't want leaked images to go out. The images we saw might even we a late April's fools joke for all I know (and the people that know something more are always under NDA so can't say otherwise).

Apart from that, if the train would come, it will result in a lot of nice parts that we can then use to MOD it to our own liking, so I'm totally fine with a less than perfect solution with nice new parts. See it as a 'starter kit'.