LEGO Trains 2022

[Railtobi]

This is another submission, perhaps this is the chance to get a new loco: The BR 50

Please support!!!!

[Tube Map Central]

10 hours ago, McWaffel said:

If you could have only one train for the next four years (2022-2026), which would you pick and why?:

1. Large creator steam locomotive (no carriages)

2. High speed passenger train with engine + two carriages

3. Cargo train with engine + three carriages

4. Revamp of one previously released train set (tell us which one)

5. Subway/Metro/Light rail train

[Ondra]

11 hours ago, McWaffel said:

If you could have only one train for the next four years (2022-2026), which would you pick and why?:

1. Large creator steam locomotive (no carriages)

2. High speed passenger train with engine + two carriages

3. Cargo train with engine + three carriages

4. Revamp of one previously released train set (tell us which one)

5. Regular and "boring" EMU or DMU that runs all day and all night.

You know, train that use every regular Joe and Jane to get to job.

 

[Toastie]

11 hours ago, McWaffel said:

If you could have only one train for the next four years (2022-2026), which would you pick and why?:

1. Large creator steam locomotive (no carriages)

2. High speed passenger train with engine + two carriages

3. Cargo train with engine + three carriages

4. Revamp of one previously released train set (tell us which one)

My (very personal) reasoning:

Every other (or so ;)) year, it felt as if a high speed trains came out. Some were ugly, some were white, some were orange/yellowish (I'm color-blind), and the HE nailed it for me. A beauty. No more needs.

Every other years or so, a cargo train. There were the red diesels and the green diesels - the green electric and the yellow electric. There were blue cargos. The old 9V old (beautiful) gray with green accents nailed it for me. No more needs.

Revamp is always a risk - mostly because of the olden-days-were-better-feelings ...

Which lefts me with 1) a large creator steam locomotive. But not the EN type. I personally found the EN ... bulky. Steam engines are far less bulky; actually, they appear to me as almost delicate assemblies - designed to please the Gods of Thermodynamics along with Thor and Odin.

TLG can accomplish that (the pleasing the Gods part) - they have done it with the latest Crocodile.

All the best,
Thorsten 

Edited January 18, 2022 by Toastie

[icemorons]

In my opinion, the last two high-speed/passenger trains have been very good.   Both 60051 and 60197 have great color schemes, and their simple designs and builds made them accessible for kids to get addicted to Lego Trains.  It would be really easy for TLG to rehash them into a new livery and ride out another 4 years.  However, what I'd prefer to see for a passenger train is an MU subway train, with one cab car, and two regular cars.   Given the leaked info, I don't think this is the direction they have gone.  I'm guessing we'll get something like a Shinkansen.

On the freight train front, IF TLG releases one, there's much more leeway for creativity.   I'd like to see a large 24 or 28 stud boxcar with sliding doors and pivoting bogies.  I'd also like to see them do something creative with part 64954, and create a new depressed-center flatcar to transport something large, like a generator or other heavy object.  We haven't seen a tank car since 2010.   Whatever they come up with, please no helicopters!   As for motive power, a North American locomotive with a comfort (wide)cab and skinny long hood body would be something that hasn't been done yet.  As for coloring, TLG's normal rotation means it's time for another yellow engine.  But perhaps purple, orange, or dark red would be more welcome.
 

Only time will tell what the new offerings will be.

 

[Feuer Zug]

19 hours ago, Kalahari134 said:

I wouldn't want a re-release of Emerald Night, they could do so much better. 

They "Could" do better and should, but given the numbers that want a copy, it would be a start. Right now, I believe any steam would be better than nothing.

[zephyr1934]

I'd love to see a city train have an 0-6-0 steam engine for a change

[JopieK]

On 1/18/2022 at 1:58 PM, Ondra said:

Im asking this myself so many times, when Im having trains and speed champions cars on same diorama.

Cars drastically evolved from 4 studs to 8 studs with two minifig seats. I know city cars are six studs, which is same sizeas train baseplate.

Im guessing they stick to 6 studs, because switching to bigger scale needs so many funding and understanding from train fans, that I dont know if it will be popular move.


Now there is supposed only one city train for 2022, so lets will be prepared for worse. And worse I mean that lego get rid of city trains in future. For lego are trains probably very niche market today...

Shame on them...

 

Well we don't know anything officially yet, so it is just rumors. I don't see LEGO discontinuing trains. There is a substantial amount of train-related Ideas that get 10k votes so there is enough potential, but trains have to compete with quite some other themes of course and that is a serious issue, the 12V days won't come back very soon with the wealth of different sets / turnouts / combinations. LEGO could make more money if they would make things much more modular like in those days. I think they did a great job with Animal Rescue there, if start to buy a single set you really want them all (at least I fell for it even though my LEGO budget is quite limited and is shared with my wife who likes the large Technic sets that are quite costly...).

[McWaffel]

LEGO just hates trains. Besides modular buildings, trains are the most common theme that keeps making it through to the LEGO ideas 10k votes, yet we get nothing.

Somebody at LEGO didn’t have a train set as a child and now they want nobody to have one. Thankfully there’s now a lot of other brands offering brick trains and accessories

[JopieK]

McWaffel: they might not release it as Ideas but it will be important as it will remind them time and again that there is continuing potential for trains. Also this competition is healthy as it further points out that the Train potential. I don't think there are really great high quality replacements for the real deal though so that is a pity. 

 

[Ondra]

1 hour ago, JopieK said:

Well we don't know anything officially yet, so it is just rumors. I don't see LEGO discontinuing trains. There is a substantial amount of train-related Ideas that get 10k votes so there is enough potential, but trains have to compete with quite some other themes of course and that is a serious issue, the 12V days won't come back very soon with the wealth of different sets / turnouts / combinations. LEGO could make more money if they would make things much more modular like in those days. I think they did a great job with Animal Rescue there, if start to buy a single set you really want them all (at least I fell for it even though my LEGO budget is quite limited and is shared with my wife who likes the large Technic sets that are quite costly...).

Well for me are trains discontinued already. This theme is just on life support. 

I dont call this theme living, if we are getting two trains for 4 years lifespan, one adults locomotive between. And nothing else.

If somebody ask me to start lego trains I say no, its pointless nowadays. Viable train theme needs constant support of wagons and locomotives not only tracks.And whats gets me off is battery powered trains and very pricey electronics and no rechargeable batteries for control +.

Whats fun of trains? You can multiple wagons very easily . One wagon means one set sold. One train can consist of five same sets without anybody thinking its weird.

 

Im so sad, because on Ideas are many train sets that gets support, yet we get another sitcom that nobody is buying here. Most of these winning ideas sets are just weird from selling point .

 

I hope for big boy to win, yes everybody who loves trains knows Big Boy locomotive. Most big boy models are miniatures that sells for around 1000 euro. Im not even kidding. Just sell lego set for 150 euro, it will be still great way to put it somewhere in house without risking of breaking it.

[Maple]

I want trains with carriages that can run on track. The Creator brown thing is a mess to me.

[JopieK]

1 hour ago, Maple said:

I want trains with carriages that can run on track. The Creator brown thing is a mess to me.

Well we can / will / do customize it can't we? We only need great parts and arguably even though there are becoming more interesting parts from a train perspective, we could do with much more useful parts so we don't need our 3D printer to provide us with e.g. driving rods (even though people like @zephyr1934 make nice parts for trains too of course).

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, JopieK said:

even though my LEGO budget is quite limited and is shared with my wife who likes the large Technic sets that are quite costly...

Well, I guess it is kind of a similar situation here, limited budget-wise . The reason is different, though: My LEGO budget is limited because the rest of the family believes I am - at least a little - "weird", still playing with LEGO, which in turn renders my (perpetually voiced) argument that more LEGO is essential for my "mental well-being" less convincing.

1 hour ago, Maple said:

The Creator brown thing is a mess to me.

Well, that's a matter of taste, I believe - the brown thing bit that is.

The mess bit is also a matter of tweaking her to run well on track. The Crocodile is - in my view - a historical, beautiful, powerful electrical engine, suitable to haul cargo in steep and rather harsh environments (sometime called Switzerland, sometimes called the outskirts of the known inhabited universe). Even today, in a less harsh but comfortably heated cozy totally flat in-door German environment, I regard her, in the form of the LEGO reincarnation, as a beautiful model. She needed a little tweaking here and there (polishing- and engineering-wise - but after that she is not doing any worse on track than the EN or whatever other historical engine TLG came up with.

And you are so right: Carriages. Decent carriages ... and that is why I sometimes cross the border - with no regrets. In contrast. There are many diverse nice carriages. However, without the LEGO imprint on the studs.

I sure hope that TLG will bring out - in the foreseeable future - a train that you like!

All the best,
Thorsten 

[Lyichir]

3 hours ago, McWaffel said:

LEGO just hates trains. Besides modular buildings, trains are the most common theme that keeps making it through to the LEGO ideas 10k votes, yet we get nothing.

Somebody at LEGO didn’t have a train set as a child and now they want nobody to have one. Thankfully there’s now a lot of other brands offering brick trains and accessories

That makes two comments I've seen today asserting "Lego hates X thing I want" with no basis other than wanting to believe that personal spite is responsible for their absence rather than market changes.

Lego designers are on record explaining some of the reasons why it's harder to sell train sets than a lot of other types of sets. Train sets are big and expensive. Families tend to want a complete product with a powered train and carriages and a full circuit of track but are generally less interested in expanding their trains or layouts much more than that, outside of a small niche audience. Train set sales tend to peak around the holidays, and be less stable throughout the rest of the year. Having at least one train set available at any given time tends to work but offering a new one each year hasn't paid off in the past.

That doesn't mean they've stopped trying, but it does mean that trains have become more of an occasional thing for Lego instead of a thing that gets new products every year.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Lyichir

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, Ondra said:

yet we get another sitcom that nobody is buying here. Most of these winning ideas sets are just weird from selling point .

Well, I don't believe so.

At least, this contradicts my perception of TLG, which is of course just that: My very own view. I believe TLG is calculating every single thing thoroughly through. With all the databases they have access to - and I believe they know exactly what sells when, where, and at what price on planet Earth. TLG is never ever anymore the family owned caring business. Oh sure, they have a superb customer service - which is of course priced into their sets - and other companies don't have that. There were days, when people figured problems out themselves ... missing piece here, frustration there: Just do it. Yes, many can't, won't, and want service. That is fine.

But: I simply do believe they pick what has the highest potential to sell - with a sizeable profit for them. Plus, I believe every other company on planet Earth of this size, revenue and customer base does exactly the same thing. There are simply too many universities in the world cranking out business (and law) trained folks at ever-increasing rates.

Best
Thorsten           

4 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

That doesn't mean they've stopped trying, but it does mean that trains have become more of an occasional thing for Lego instead of a thing that gets new products every year.

I cannot agree more. Very well said!

Best wishes,
Thorsten

[McWaffel]

3 hours ago, JopieK said:

it will remind them time and again that there is continuing potential for trains.

It’s been going on for years and they have not done anything about it. So obviously they don’t care.

 

18 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

Lego designers are on record explaining some of the reasons why it's harder to sell train sets than a lot of other types of sets

LEGO designers are on record saying what TLG wants them to say. FTFY.

2 hours ago, Ondra said:

Im so sad, because on Ideas are many train sets that gets support, yet we get another sitcom that nobody is buying here.

Agreed.

2 hours ago, Ondra said:

This theme is just on life support. 

Also agreed.

 

trains are obviously not as niche as we think. If it sells enough so that companies like BlueBrixx, FxBrix, TrixBrix etc. can all turn a profit selling track, plus a whole host of brick toy manufacturers making train models and buildings for trains aimed just at adults… don’t tell me trains are a niche. That’s obviously not true. 
 

TLG doesn’t care about trains and it shows. Year after year there’s trains in LEGO ideas. There must have been at least 10 trains that made it through in recent times. Not one got released. Yet they keep passing the 10k supporters. 
 

24 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

That makes two comments I've seen today asserting "Lego hates X thing I want" with no basis other than wanting to believe that personal spite is responsible for their absence rather than market changes.

See my argument above

[TeriXeri]

Just because XXX doesn't get made into sets via IDEAS, doesn't mean LEGO hates or doesn't care. 

Just because 10, 100, trains making it to 10000 vote, doesn't make it automaticly a viable "idea" for LEGO IDEAS, however the current Big Boy in review might have some chance for a set as it's somewhat famous for being the world's largest steam locomotive, which sets it apart from many of other the regional trains submissions.

Studgate made it to Bricklink Designer Program but that's a train packed into a big station set, very different from what LEGO already does with their expert trains.

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by TeriXeri

[Maple]

1 hour ago, JopieK said:

Well we can / will / do customize it can't we? We only need great parts and arguably even though there are becoming more interesting parts from a train perspective, we could do with much more useful parts so we don't need our 3D printer to provide us with e.g. driving rods (even though people like @zephyr1934 make nice parts for trains too of course).

But the brown turd Train is so weird to me, it's too big. I'm fine with Creator trains if they fit on tracks. That's all I want. I'd love some older style trains. I have my Santa Fe on my floor and I love that

[Ondra]

1 hour ago, Lyichir said:

That makes two comments I've seen today asserting "Lego hates X thing I want" with no basis other than wanting to believe that personal spite is responsible for their absence rather than market changes.

Lego designers are on record explaining some of the reasons why it's harder to sell train sets than a lot of other types of sets. Train sets are big and expensive. Families tend to want a complete product with a powered train and carriages and a full circuit of track but are generally less interested in expanding their trains or layouts much more than that, outside of a small niche audience. Train set sales tend to peak around the holidays, and be less stable throughout the rest of the year. Having at least one train set available at any given time tends to work but offering a new one each year hasn't paid off in the past.

That doesn't mean they've stopped trying, but it does mean that trains have become more of an occasional thing for Lego instead of a thing that gets new products every year.

Im seeing stocks of lego sets from so many internet shops here. We were on different path from west for 40 years. Most of these sitcoms, guitars, game console were off for so many people here. We dont have any sentiment for this, I think this can be transferred to all states with same history.

Only set that sells very well were Friends, because this was big hit here. Nobody knows Seinfeld to be actually say hey lets buy it for it what it is. Muppets, they were on main television when I was kid 25 years ago!

Typewriter, what the hell. I can buy fully working one with local history here for 10 euro and Im not even kidding.

Stratocaster, nintendo retro television they do not sell here. 

Everything is awesome set too. I learnt about queer team apartment because I dont know what it is. These sets just sits on shelf and nobody is buying them.

On the other hand Batman Tumbler(minifig scale) is out of stock for months here. Superheroes and mainly Batman sells here too good. Same goes with speed champions.

Krokodil locomotive is sold out everywhere. Trains seems to be selling quite well too.

 

There is probably statistic of every state in Europe what sells good there and there.

But in my opinion what will sell like hotcakes everywhere will be Mr Bean sets, everybody knows Mr Bean. He is even free on Youtube by official channel. 

 

And Big Boy every train fan knows big boy, like krokodil, TGV, ICE Pendolino or Santa Fe. TEE mostly too. And Orient express most famous train in media thanks to Agatha Christie.

[Lyichir]

2 hours ago, McWaffel said:

LEGO designers are on record saying what TLG wants them to say. FTFY.

So what, you're saying there's a massive market for these kinds of sets and Lego is leaving that money on the table out of nothing but spite? Please.

The designers who have explained these challenges with making successful train sets are the same ones who have made some of train sets people have loved. It's not like they hate trains or train fans and want to see them suffer. These are passionate people who genuinely want to make sets people love, they've just had experience with sets failing to find the success they'd hoped for. It's a shame so many AFOLs are so self-centered and narrow-minded that they would rather assume malice on the part of those designers than accept that as adult train fans they are maybe not as important or representative of the typical consumer as they seem to think they are.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Lyichir

[Tube Map Central]

3 hours ago, Lyichir said:

Families tend to want a complete product with a powered train and carriages and a full circuit of track but are generally less interested in expanding their trains or layouts much more than that, outside of a small niche audience.

And when was the last time that TLG offered suitable accessories for people to purchase to supplement their train sets?

[TeriXeri]

48 minutes ago, Tube Map Central said:

And when was the last time that TLG offered suitable accessories for people to purchase to supplement their train sets?

Accessories 

60205: Tracks  (2018-now)

60238: Switch Tracks  (2018-now)

 

2018 City trains do have a small crossing and passenger wait area, but seperately sold  larger City Station and Crossing go a lot further back (2014 and 2010)

 

I can understand wanting the 70s / 80s / 90s or early 2000s type of sets back for expanding rolling stock.

It just seems selling bigger sets beside rails is the current strategy, same thing also happened with Castle or Pirates (IDEAS / 3-in-1) , after the 2014/2015 era of sets ended.

Still 2018-2021 especially had a lot of train related sets being sold at the same time, and with Crocodile and Disney retiring, there sure will be something for AFOL again in the near future.

 

Seperate station + small crossing : 

10259: Winter Village Station (2017-2018)

Trains with station / side builds:

75955: Hogwarts Express (2018-now) 

10277: Crocodile Locomotive (2020-2021) - 7 wide 

71044: Disney Train and Station (2019-2021) 8 wide 

70424: Ghost Train Express (2019-2020)

10254: Winter Holiday Train (2016-2019)

40370: LEGO® Trains 40th Anniversary Set (2020 GWP)

Edited January 20, 2022 by TeriXeri

[Tube Map Central]

The track pack 60205 is rubbish, with that awful flexible track and curves that no one wants, not a great start. Toy train manufacturers know what to do:

https://uk.hornby.com/catalogue/track-and-power/track-extension-packs

Expansion packs that go with sets so that you can build the track up in a logical way. TLG has NEVER offered a 2nd radius curve, crippling all of this.

Why not let people buy the trains/trucks from the sets separately so that they can make them longer or get second trains for extra play? Why not in different colours so that kids can add extra colours to their layout gradually without all the outlay of a full train set, which just gets you the same colour train again?

This is the BS that you always get from marketing departments, how can you know that there is no demand for something you have never offered?

And don't give me any rubbish about all-seeing all-knowing all-profitable TLG knowing what is best, for anyone who tries that argument, I have six letters in reply, VIDIYO!

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by Tube Map Central

[McWaffel]

9 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

Just because XXX doesn't get made into sets via IDEAS, doesn't mean LEGO hates or doesn't care. 

That’s not what I said.

What I said is LEGO can clearly see there is a lot of demand for trains and yet we basically get nothing.

The croc loco was hugely successful (if you ask retailers), and did we get a replacement for it when it was retired? Nope.

7 hours ago, Lyichir said:

These are passionate people who genuinely want to make sets people love

Oof. They’re just corporate workers, bro. Sorry to break it to you. Apple is also not interested in making great products, they just want your money. This is also reflected by the change in the VIP system coming up. Just wait for a monthly subscription service to LEGO for GWPs and discounts. 
 

7 hours ago, Lyichir said:

So what, you're saying there's a massive market for these kinds of sets and Lego is leaving that money on the table out of nothing but spite?

Or maybe because they don’t care. There’s bigger fish to fry. TLGs whole concept the past few years was to create and establish entirely new customer bases. Their core base is completely neglected. Every system change they do is aimed at new customers. „Built cities with old style road plates for 40 years? Well sucks to be you, we’re doing new ones that are incompatible with everything else we have on the market.“

7 hours ago, Lyichir said:

they've just had experience with sets failing to find the success they'd hoped for.

Says the company making three sitcom apartments, two of which don’t sell. 

 

7 hours ago, Lyichir said:

It's a shame so many AFOLs are so self-centered and narrow-minded that they would rather assume malice on the part of those designers than accept that as adult train fans they are maybe not as important or representative of the typical consumer as they seem to think they are.

A) no need to be condescending 

B) never assume malice if it can be explained by stupidity 

C) it’s hardly the designers. It’s 100% some marketing and corporate folks trying to figure out how to best squeeze money out of peoples pockets without investing too much time and effort. This is also reflected in other themes, like city for example. As well as the arguments I made above (subscription service, road plates). There are many more examples.

We don’t even have a train station anymore, lol