LEGO Trains 2021

[M_slug357]

@9v brick master I feel like the closest TLG would ever give us would be a midi-scale Big Boy as a gwp......

 

 

[zephyr1934]

On 1/13/2021 at 10:30 AM, 9v brick master said:

If the 18+ line is being successful some buildings I like to see a 4 by 4 roundhouse with operating turntable, next will be a water tower, and a bridge. For some locomotives I like to is Amtrak f40ph, J1e Hudson (NYC), and than the Big Boy. I think that will satisfy a lot of people.

Except for the NYC Hudson I suspect all of these are too big, too specific, or both. Any official lego train has to handle R40 curves, which limits you to 3 drivers. And a model has to work for all countries around the world, so if an engine is unique to a specific continent it has to either be iconic or generic (Maersk)

[Amoreternum]

Totally agree. BlueBrixx announced a Big Boy a while ago and I have been taking a look at the site for a while now, every now and then, but since the announcement a while ago there have been no updates. Theirs surely will manage R40, but at the cost of splitting the 8-8s into 4 4-4s, turning the 4-8-8-4 into a 4-4-4-4-4-4 while still being a 6 wide. Needless to say that the proportions are ridiculously off - to me it looks like a Brio engine, and while I see why Lego made the Crocodile the way it was made, it still works for me. Other classic locos, especially with such characteristic parts of the frame, might not, and I want a good representation since a bad one would mean less sales and therefore most likely no more 18+ sets for the train hobby.

Edited January 14, 2021 by Amoreternum

[legotownlinz]

Lego tends to stick to proven concepts, thus a modern interpretation of the Amtrak Metroliner is overdue. I'd love to see it because the original one is still missing in my collection. The Crocodile is European, so it's possible the next set is based on an American train.

[Sunil766]

7 hours ago, legotownlinz said:

Lego tends to stick to proven concepts, thus a modern interpretation of the Amtrak Metroliner is overdue. I'd love to see it because the original one is still missing in my collection. The Crocodile is European, so it's possible the next set is based on an American train.

Do you mean 4558? I thought this had already been republished with 10001? Just bought 4558 with 30 straights and two switches for 250EUR so from a very personal perspective I would prefer something else :-P

I would rather see a new version of the santa fe - this is one I still don't have and its crazy expensive on the second hand market. 

Nevertheless I just hope the crocodile helped in showing the demand for advanced train models and to escape the spiral of justification not having them (bad/simple trains - low demand - no incentive for more trains). I think second hand prices for maersk, santa fe, metroliner, and the other creator expert trains say a lot. I was shocked when I saw TLG asks 160 CHF (180 USD) for the 60197 City train. No surprise to me that this is a high hurdle for most of the prospects. (I got mine for 80CHF and think that's far more reasonable.) 

I am at a point where I would literally buy anything (and everything) as long as it's a bit more sophisticated - like separate coaches etc (again - santa fe - what a time it must have been not being in the dark ages).

On that note, I read the "my own train" line wasn't very well perceived. Is there a different reason than my thought "its nice, but not as nice as the other good trains"? IMO it's a good addition to a year 200x train ecosystem. 

[Vilhelm22]

If it was a US steam locomotive, what about a GS-4 (Southern Pacific 4449)?  I'd also like to see a UP FEF Class (preferably in the two tone grey livery).  I'd love a Big Boy, but they're just too big.  If there was to be one, the locomotive plus base would be about the same length as Tower Bridge, or the Saturn V, which are both just over 1 metre.  

However as an Englishman, I would like most of all a British train, such as LMS Coronation Class Duchess of Hamilton 6229, or LNER Class A4 Mallard 4468.  I've seen both in real life at York, right next to each other, so they're quite special to me.  Another British locomotive they could do is the Rocket, or possibly a Deltic DP1?

Also, as there are 18+ cars being made that are licensed (James Bond Aston Martin DB5, Ghostbusters Ecto-1) do you think we can expect any licensed trains?  An 18+ style Hogwarts Express maybe?  The Back To The Future Part III train?

Anyway, these are all just hopes.

[legotownlinz]

12 hours ago, Sunil766 said:

Do you mean 4558? I thought this had already been republished with 10001? Just bought 4558 with 30 straights and two switches for 250EUR so from a very personal perspective I would prefer something else :-P

I meant both the 10001 and the 4558, they are identical besides the slightly different grey color. I don't want to see a release as it was done with the 10001, but a new design that is only inspired by the 10001.

[9v brick master]

@zephyr1934 I think J1e Hudson(NYC) is possible just make it with 1100-1400 pieces. I would love some new prints with J1e though. Zephyr1934 what trains do want to see in lego form do you think a BR-10 is possible?

[Stuartn]

On 1/15/2021 at 10:45 AM, legotownlinz said:

Lego tends to stick to proven concepts, thus a modern interpretation of the Amtrak Metroliner is overdue. I'd love to see it because the original one is still missing in my collection. The Crocodile is European, so it's possible the next set is based on an American train.

Unfortunately I cannot see any Australian locomotive being produced soon, or anything Asian, African or South American, despite the thousands of iconic trains that come from them. The AD60 would be great, it is a 4-8-4+4-8-4 arrangement, and I have seen many mocs which are able to navigate R40 curves. As you said, Lego sticks to proven concepts, so anything new is unlikely.

[paul_delahaye]

I'm kind of wondering with the release of the new road plates in the City lineup this year, I wonder if we may get a version with track slots or moulded in so they can release a level crossing accessory?  I'm very sceptical about any patterns people sometimes see in lego releases around the train line.

Fingers crossed for something this year.

Edited January 16, 2021 by paul_delahaye

[zephyr1934]

13 hours ago, 9v brick master said:

@zephyr1934 I think J1e Hudson(NYC) is possible just make it with 1100-1400 pieces. I would love some new prints with J1e though. Zephyr1934 what trains do want to see in lego form do you think a BR-10 is possible?

I have no inside lead or anything, but I would think any train they produce in the adults only line would have to be iconic, something a non-train person might want to put on their bookshelf. It can't be too big (i.e., expensive) so similar in size and complexity to the crocodile. It will have to be able to handle R40 track (so no massive articulated and at most 3 driver axles like on the EN), and it probably has to be able to take a motor.

So here's my guesses if they do another train and they go steam:

• The golden spike locomotives
• A NYC Hudson
• LNER A4
• an iconic German steam engine like the BR-10

As for what I'd like in a set, well, but I think a GG1 in Tuscan red with pinstripes, NW-J, SP GS4, and several others would make amazing sets but they all have too many wheels and would probably be too large for a price point of $100 so I really don't see any of these ever becoming official sets. Something like the rocket or Tom Thumb would also be neat, but also probably never happen.

[Vilhelm22]

I think a couple of other pretty iconic steam locomotives to add to the list are Stephenson's Rocket, and the Daylight.  Honestly though, I just want anything steam - I missed the Emerald Night all those years back, and don't have the money or time to MOC at the moment.

[zephyr1934]

On 1/20/2021 at 4:11 PM, Vilhelm22 said:

I think a couple of other pretty iconic steam locomotives to add to the list are Stephenson's Rocket, and the Daylight.  Honestly though, I just want anything steam - I missed the Emerald Night all those years back, and don't have the money or time to MOC at the moment.

I actually had the Rocket on my long list of things I think Lego might produce but then decided probably not because there's no way to motorize it using standard lego motors. I think the ability to motorize a train is a requirement. The Daylight is not on my list because it is a 4-8-4 and I don't think lego would go beyond x-6-x. My list is of things I think Lego might do, NOT what I would like to see. The Rocket and the Daylight are both great prototypes that work in Lego and both have been done exceptionally well in Lego by AFOLs.

As for the EN, if you change colors and use other windows it isn't too bad to MOC it.

[CSW652]

On 1/14/2021 at 5:45 PM, legotownlinz said:

Lego tends to stick to proven concepts, thus a modern interpretation of the Amtrak Metroliner is overdue. I'd love to see it because the original one is still missing in my collection. The Crocodile is European, so it's possible the next set is based on an American train.

Hopefully, but I would also like to see a return to the My Own Train collection too.

[Tube Map Central]

2 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

As for the EN, if you change colors and use other windows it isn't too bad to MOC it.

I tried it and could only get brown to work for the steam engine parts.

'Brown Night' doesn't carry quite the same excitement. 

 Nothing is more frustrating in the world of MOCs than trying not to work in brown, grey, tan, black, or white!

[dr_spock]

Bley-Night seems to have a nice funny ring to it. 

 

I think it would be nice if LEGO did an Amtrak Metroliner with current ACS-64 locomotive and Amfleet cars. 

[Stuartn]

On 1/17/2021 at 2:47 AM, zephyr1934 said:

so no massive articulated and at most 3 driver axles like on the EN

The AD60 would be a great train to be done, due to the fact that although it has 8 driving axles, it can be easily changed using the floating wheels and the fact that it is a garratt would allow it to articulate.

Though it is one of largest steam locomotives ever made, it may not be iconic enough to be made into a set, and probably never will be. While I agree only teh most well known and iconic trains are made, I wish that some more obscure trains with better aesthetics would be picked as inspiration for sets. I think that provided it is a real train, and with the limited amount of train sets produced, any train would appeal to consumers and would sell well.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Stuartn

[zephyr1934]

21 hours ago, Tube Map Central said:

I tried it and could only get brown to work for the steam engine parts.

'Brown Night' doesn't carry quite the same excitement. 

 Nothing is more frustrating in the world of MOCs than trying not to work in brown, grey, tan, black, or white!

I have a red one

I think I've seen it in normal green, blue, black, and several other colors (possibly dark purple). Because you can use 2x4, 2x2 or even 1x2 curved slopes the number of possible colors is pretty large.

9 hours ago, Stuartn said:

Though it is one of largest steam locomotives ever made, it may not be iconic enough to be made into a set, and probably never will be.

I think one of the criteria to be a set is whether the model will have appeal to non-train heads, and to do so for AFOL's around the world. So there are some really great prototypes that will never become sets. But that is why we MOC

[Tube Map Central]

On 1/16/2021 at 3:47 PM, zephyr1934 said:

As for what I'd like in a set, well, but I think a GG1 in Tuscan red with pinstripes,

A definitive GG1 would be my ultimate Lego train dream, and I've never even set foot in the USA, let alone stood next to one. But those curves and slopes are so difficult to capture, the essence of that beast is perfect smoothness.

[Vilhelm22]

My Crocodile finally came yesterday and having had a very enjoyable evening, I really want more!  But steam next, we're overdue a steam locomotive.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Vilhelm22

[Vilhelm22]

Just thought I'd mention that there are 4 projects which will make the next LEGO Ideas review relating to trains:

Forth Rail Bridge (has already reached 10k)

And 3 with over 9k supporters:

Train Bookends

The Polar Express

Via Rail Canada - The Canadian

I honestly don't think I want any of these to be made sets (there are other ideas I like more) but it shows support for trains all the same....

[Amoreternum]

Unfortunately, a project reaching 10k is not that big of milestone anymore, with dozens of projects reaching it these days, usually at least one a week. Not to say those projects are not worthy, but reaching 10k is not as meaningful as it used to be.

[M_slug357]

@Amoreternum Yes, but any trains-related submission that reaches that milestone is still significant!

[Duq]

The Forth bridge is architecture, nothing to do with support for trains. The bookends are cute and decorative but also don't really show support for trains.

Still, there's more support for trains now than there was in the early days of Ideas.

Here's a nice tram idea that could use a few more votes (I'm not involved, I just like it):

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/c8f8e90a-e827-4ebc-912f-c99e8ff8a3f2

It probably gets more 'Portugal' votes than 'tram' votes but that doesn't matter.

[ivanlan9]

Thanks for that @Duq; I hadn't known about it.  And not only did I support it, I'd actually buy the tram if it makes into production.

Metta,

Ivan