Reker1000000

Favorite/most iconic trains?

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Just out of curiosity...

What do you think are the most iconic train sets?

And, what are your favorite sets?

I think we will see a lot of the same answers, hah.

For me, I think the most iconic trains are:

1. 7740

2. Metroliner

and my favorite is my far the 7740, I think the 12v system was the best system there is so far.

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Oooooh good question!

  • Blue Era 4,5v: 112 and 113 sets from 1966 - vintage toy train feeling!
  • Blue Era 12V:little 722 set - few parts, all rare!
  • Gray Era 12v: 7740 (a Christmas classic) and 7760 (damn 3x2x2 blue windows!!!)
  • Gray Era 4,5v: 7710 (this one immediately needed a 107 motor in it) and 7720 (in my opinion one of the best sets of the past)
  • 9V Era: The Santa Fe Super chief with 2 heads, a custom "B" car  and all its gray cars! And the 4551!:grin_wub:
  • PF Era: The Emerald Night and TGV - even if these weren't initially powered at all
  • PuP Era: The 10277 Crocodile :grin_wub:

 

Ciao!

Davide

 

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In general, I like Creator Expert trains; but my favorite of the bunch is 10194 and 10233!! I have neither of them, but I'm always impressed by their details and accuracy.

Edited by JintaiZ

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From a Nostalgia point of view my old sets which I have just this year re-found; 4559, 4565, 4560, 3335. Unfortunately my era ended before my actual all time favorites:

1. Santa fe

2. Maersk

(so sad I haven't been around with lego while they were being sold) 

3. Horizon Express (to which I've treated myself recently for a reasonable price, same goes for the metroliner) 

I wish enough people will buy the 10277 so that they keep bringing (restarting) expert trains! 

Funnily enough I don't really fancy the emerald night, even though I would've gotten 2 sets for sure if it came out while I was "active". 

Crocodile 10277 though will have a place on the stairs too, haven't decided which other set it would have to share it with though. ;-) 

Edited by Sunil766

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My personal favorite will probably always be the 4563 Load N' Haul Railroad I grew up with. Just about the perfect set, if you ask me. Only shame is that the stickers are mostly gone. Does anyone know if replacements are available?

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Absolutely the 7740! :) When I was a child, I could only see it in brochures. As an adult, I could buy one at last, which I had to sell a year later. :( So still on my wanted list.

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I personally don't regard anything Lego has done as "iconic," either due to designs that are way behind the collective MOCer's "par," or because the engines themselves were either fictitious or simply not that well-known. 

As an American, in particular, consider that Lego has never even attempted a modern North American Steam locomotive (no Berks, no Hudsons, no Atlantics, no Consolidations, no Mikes, etc.). But wait! I'm not even remotely jingoistic - because I've been equally dispirited by their European steam offerings, especially the repeated bumbling attempts to produce an even halfway satisfactory GWR 4900 Class, and even the Emerald Night (which, although it might be considered 'the best' of what Lego has done, is still so far behind the power curve of what multiple people on this website and elsewhere are producing that it's almost laughable). 

The new Crocodile might eventually be considered iconic, but IMO it's just too new for that label to be applied, too fringe for North Americans (we have literally nothing that looks like it, except a few very early box cab electrics on the PRR, few of which survive [this is probably the closest thing to a Crocodile in NA, and it was not regarded as a successful design]), and it has performance issues out of the box. 

Edited by SteamSewnEmpire

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I go almost entirely with @Paperinik77pk and @LEGO Train 12 Volts:

4.5V blue: 181 (because this is the only one I have)
12V blue: 727 - I like that Diesel engine so much - simple, but really nice colors and shape
12V grey: 7740 (no doubts)
9V : Super Chief w/ cars
PF: None
PUp: Crocodile (if that counts at all)

Best
Thorsten

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On 11/17/2020 at 8:34 AM, dr_spock said:

7710 is my fav. 

Was my first train, followed by 7745. 
 

I love both sets, but do lust after 7740... not sure if it’s just because it was always in the catalog layouts...

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My favorite train is the Horizon Express. I like the design of the Crocodile best, but it is too slow and derails too often to be my favorite train.

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9 hours ago, SteamSewnEmpire said:

I personally don't regard anything Lego has done as "iconic," either due to designs that are way behind the collective MOCer's "par," or because the engines themselves were either fictitious or simply not that well-known. 

As an American, in particular, consider that Lego has never even attempted a modern North American Steam locomotive (no Berks, no Hudsons, no Atlantics, no Consolidations, no Mikes, etc.). But wait! I'm not even remotely jingoistic - because I've been equally dispirited by their European steam offerings, especially the repeated bumbling attempts to produce an even halfway satisfactory GWR 4900 Class, and even the Emerald Night (which, although it might be considered 'the best' of what Lego has done, is still so far behind the power curve of what multiple people on this website and elsewhere are producing that it's almost laughable). 

The new Crocodile might eventually be considered iconic, but IMO it's just too new for that label to be applied, too fringe for North Americans (we have literally nothing that looks like it, except a few very early box cab electrics on the PRR, few of which survive [this is probably the closest thing to a Crocodile in NA, and it was not regarded as a successful design]), and it has performance issues out of the box. 

I agree wholehartedly with this. Sure, I might pick up the crocodile sometime but just for parts not for display or to run it.

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ah...

Well from the blue era I actually like the one I have: 171 (strangely it was released before I was born, but sets seem to have lasted longer then anyway, and no idea why or from who I got this as a less than 4-year old kid, not that I am complaining though) No batteries or 12V but actually quite a nice locomotive and nice wagons.

From the Grey era I must admit that 7740 is iconic (and in my view the most iconic of all eras) and was my dream when I was young. Never had the money though so got stuck with the small 7725 red train. 

I missed out on the 9V era and to be honest I don't regret it because there is not a lot of appeal to me in the trains from then.

And since the PF era 10194 Emerald Night was a very welcome surprise and I really like it. (although from the regular sets I also like 3677)

And now I am waiting for my backordered Crocodile to be be able to evaluate it.

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One of the sets I haven't got is 164-1: Passenger Coach https://brickset.com/sets/164-1/Passenger-Coach

Considering the date it was very clever. It came with instruction for three styles of coach - something that is missing from the current range.

Other than that you cannot beat the Metroliner and Club Car - again something that has not been repeated since (a train and matching accessory) 

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What do you guys think of the new Crocodile? I'm mainly investing in the 12v system right now, but trying to decide if I should shell out for a Crocodile. They're not cheap and if I buy the croc I might want to buy the PuP to motorize it, but I do really like the design. Thoughts? I own some of the PF/RC trains (7898, 7938, 3677, Maersk) and also a 7745, so I have PF and 12v track. Or, should I save up for a 7740 :)

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On 11/18/2020 at 8:53 AM, Reker1000000 said:

What do you guys think of the new Crocodile? I'm mainly investing in the 12v system right now, but trying to decide if I should shell out for a Crocodile. They're not cheap and if I buy the croc I might want to buy the PuP to motorize it, but I do really like the design. Thoughts? I own some of the PF/RC trains (7898, 7938, 3677, Maersk) and also a 7745, so I have PF and 12v track. Or, should I save up for a 7740 :)

I think it's a good set, but I like the design of classic trains a bit better...

Edited by JintaiZ

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My favorite trains are the Emerald Night, the TGV and the Maerks train. I also like the tram from the main square set. 

But if we're talking LEGENDARY, check this out. 

LEGO-40370-40-Years-of-LEGO-Trains-GWP.j

Edited by Brandon Pea

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7 hours ago, Reker1000000 said:

What do you guys think of the new Crocodile? I'm mainly investing in the 12v system right now, but trying to decide if I should shell out for a Crocodile. They're not cheap and if I buy the croc I might want to buy the PuP to motorize it, but I do really like the design. Thoughts? I own some of the PF/RC trains (7898, 7938, 3677, Maersk) and also a 7745, so I have PF and 12v track. Or, should I save up for a 7740 :)

I modded my croc to run on my 12v layout, there's a thread from a couple of months ago on here about the how. Uses a PF medium motor butchered to pick up from the 12v power rails. 

 

And here's the link - 

 

Edited by Andy Glascott
New information, link

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Wow Andy, that's really helpful! What's the voltage limit on the M-motor? Also, I only have a PF L motor as my M-motor broke. :( But I think the L motor also fits inside the Crocodile body.

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On 11/18/2020 at 6:52 AM, Dav1d said:

One of the sets I haven't got is 164-1: Passenger Coach https://brickset.com/sets/164-1/Passenger-Coach

Considering the date it was very clever. It came with instruction for three styles of coach - something that is missing from the current range.

Other than that you cannot beat the Metroliner and Club Car - again something that has not been repeated since (a train and matching accessory) 

I actually was inspired to rebuild my My Own Train Caboose by seeing the instructions for 164-1. I actually picked up  a pair of the 1x3x4 doors included in that set that ended up as part of that rebuild. 

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