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Thinking through this a bit more, a Creator Expert Hogwarts Express set fits well with the rest of LEGO's offerings and past schedule.

The Crocodile Locomotive has been discontinued for a while, so there are no Creator Expert Train sets offered for sale right now.

The last steam locomotive offered at a Creator Expert level was the Emerald Night back in the day. 

That, plus the discontinuation of the smaller Hogwarts Express set creates a good opening. 

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9 hours ago, Polarlicht said:

No!!! We had so many Hogwarts trains. Time for something new!

but… a UCS-sized HW Express is something new…

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Nearly $500 for a train is asinine and disappointing. I'll wait to see what this thing looks like but I'm probably out at that price as I have no interest in the HP aspect nor the inclusion of a station. With the release of the Croc I really thought we'd get a semi-regular locomotive static model with the option to Powerup. And yet however many years later...

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In lego city forum say that they have another source for cargo train description.

There is flatbed, car carrier and another flatbed with containers. From another source side build is ramp and car crane and car or cars for carrier. Locomotive is red a there is switch .

I think there will be possibility to put car crane on flatbed. It will make sense looking at another city trains and their functions.

If true it will be a lot similarities to train set from 2018.

 

First of May is not too far, so we will see.

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23 hours ago, CDM said:

Nearly $500 for a train is asinine and disappointing. I'll wait to see what this thing looks like but I'm probably out at that price as I have no interest in the HP aspect nor the inclusion of a station. With the release of the Croc I really thought we'd get a semi-regular locomotive static model with the option to Powerup. And yet however many years later...

A few thoughts:

(1) If they come out with a good design for the Olton Hall and/or the cars, even without buying the set you can download the instructions and build your own MOD, potentially repainting it along the way (that's how I got into MOCing via earlier train sets)

(2) What if it is in dark red?

(3) If targeted at HP fans, it has the potential to become a massive gateway set to our train hobby. "Well I like HP, but then I got this train and realized how amazing Lego trains can be and I've always loved trains..."

So even if an expensive HP train is not of direct interest to a given AFOL train builder it still has potential for beneficial fallout.

 

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2 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

A few thoughts:

(1) If they come out with a good design for the Olton Hall and/or the cars, even without buying the set you can download the instructions and build your own MOD, potentially repainting it along the way (that's how I got into MOCing via earlier train sets)

(2) What if it is in dark red?

(3) If targeted at HP fans, it has the potential to become a massive gateway set to our train hobby. "Well I like HP, but then I got this train and realized how amazing Lego trains can be and I've always loved trains..."

So even if an expensive HP train is not of direct interest to a given AFOL train builder it still has potential for beneficial fallout.

 

1. It really depends on the model and how easily it is to acquire the necessary parts. And how expensive.

2. I suppose dark red would be nice but a specific color alone won't be enough for me to drop $500.

3. I completely disagree with a gateway aspect. If the Disney train wasn't this one won't be either. EDIT: besides, what would it be a gateway to? A City train set would be a massive downgrade from what this will ultimately be and the Croc isn't available anymore, nor is the Disney train.

This set isn't an attempt to expand the Lego Trains interest level...this is a desire to cash in on a HP line of UCS models, like Star Wars. It's been clear over the last few years this is the direction they're taking things.

Edited by CDM

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The fact is, they just don't care. They can say all they want (I recall in the Crocodile Train promo video, they said how this was the start of something new [paraphrasing]), but trains are not on their radar. So many good MoCs out there for inspiration and still nothing.

It's like they don't want our money...

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21 hours ago, CDM said:

1. It really depends on the model and how easily it is to acquire the necessary parts. And how expensive.

2. I suppose dark red would be nice but a specific color alone won't be enough for me to drop $500.

3. I completely disagree with a gateway aspect. If the Disney train wasn't this one won't be either. EDIT: besides, what would it be a gateway to? A City train set would be a massive downgrade from what this will ultimately be and the Croc isn't available anymore, nor is the Disney train.

This set isn't an attempt to expand the Lego Trains interest level...this is a desire to cash in on a HP line of UCS models, like Star Wars. It's been clear over the last few years this is the direction they're taking things.

 

I do agree that Lego does not prioritize the train AFOL's. Though they do seem to try to slip train friendly parts into the non-train lineup from time to time. I think their idea of supporting us is to introduce train sets into other themes, e.g., HP. I'm glad they are doing something, but I would much prefer they had a 3-in-1 set of train cars to support train builders.

1) MODing the design would likely take minor part substitution, e.g., black for red to build a conventional steamer, redoing the cab to make it look like a North American train, or like the EN coach replacing train windows with conventional windows.

2) I did not mean that dark red would be sufficient for someone to buy the set, what I meant was if they make it in dark red, (a) it will sell well to which they might misinterpret that to mean trains are popular (much as they misinterpreted the poor sales of the red hobby train and orange horizon express to mean trains were unpopular) and (b) the dark red parts would become available on the broader market. Imagine if they produced dark red train windows (of course this IS lego so don't hold your breath, it could be normal red with normal windows if it is even a set at all)

3) yes, I misspoke, probably not "massive" but it will still be a gateway that will attract some builders. And yes, it is fundamentally a tool to extract $500 from as many HP fans as possible. While I agree that going from a creator expert set to a city train set is a downgrade, that does not mean AFOL's won't take that step, there are many AFOL's out there who happily run both together.

 

At any rate, we are strictly in the land of speculation right now, this could even be a false rumor.

 

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2 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

At any rate, we are strictly in the land of speculation right now, this could even be a false rumor.

You're right and this is good to keep in mind.

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So in the city sub-forum there is a description of the freight train, 33 track sections, plus much more. Apparently it has been listed on LEGO website, maybe it will be revealed today, pictures please. Sounds like about what was expected.

Edited by Johnny1360

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I dunno about this...did they model this off a Siemens fright locomotive?

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After a few moments to think about this, it seems decent. Compared to the previous 60198, it has more useful train cars. The gondola is something we haven't had before (at least not in modern, post 9v era). The container car is now 4 axles, with swiveling bogies. The auto carrier is either using the 34-stud depressed center flatcar, or two of the halves that were first introduced in the 60282 fire truck set. The telehandler combines the functions from the 60198's forklift and crane, without taking up one of the train cars. This means we get three train cars for actual cargo that are useful. No unnecessary bullion truck. No control tower side-build. But the price is (supposedly) less than 60198 by a significant margin, making it more affordable. A right switch track. That balances out the left switch track from 60198, making them roughly equal again in worldwide quantity. 6 Minifigs. Enough track for a siding. Color choices aside, there's a lot to like here.

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Amazing train, It was really long time ago when I saw Lego train and say wow I need this for sure.

Sadly Im not fan of car carrier and I was kinda scared of this, It will not fit under my tunnel with car on top. Albeit really interesting wagon...

 

For that locomotove alone I buy 2 of these sets, It reminds me some modern diesel I sometimes see when I ride as passenger on train.

 

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9 minutes ago, Ondra said:

Amazing train, It was really long time ago when I saw Lego train and say wow I need this for sure.

Sadly Im not fan of car carrier and I was kinda scared of this, It will not fit under my tunnel with car on top. Albeit really interesting wagon...

 

For that locomotove alone I buy 2 of these sets, It reminds me some modern diesel I sometimes see when I ride as passenger on train.

 

Just have the car carrier placed outside the other side of the tunnel with some cars minus the roof and windscreen parts on top. it would be very prototypical for a few real railroad accidents! You'd just need to rename the tunnel "Car-Opener Hill Tunnel - it does what it says!"

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1 minute ago, Murdoch17 said:

Just have the car carrier placed outside the other side of the tunnel with some cars minus the roof and windscreen parts on top. it would be very prototypical for a few real railroad accidents! You'd just need to rename the tunnel "Car-Opener Hill Tunnel - it does what it says!"

All trains before kinda have same height of locomotive and wagons with carriage. It its realistic, thats how it works in real life.

This train is really off limits with two wagons.

I wonder looking at this very modern and not dull design as always and these height problems, if lego trains have new designer...

But hey your proposition is very clever, my diorama is full of goofy stuff so this will work for sure :D . Thank you.

 

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I like that there is more track and train cars and less of the other side builds.  This gets me excited to see what they have planned for the passenger train and station.  Hopefully they will also focus more on the trains and less on the side builds.

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On 4/20/2022 at 11:18 AM, nesquik said:

It's like they don't want our money...

They don't want your money.  How many times does this sub-forum have to say the same thing?  Your conclusions are correct, 200 or so train AFOLs world-wide does not make a market for Lego.  At some point you all have to go down the grief -> acceptance journey.  For your own peace of mind etc.

It's a construction toy, get creative? :classic:

 

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Are those magnetic couplers connecting the engine and cars?

Would be a welcome return after seeing the use of technic pins/beams for several recent trains...

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9 minutes ago, scatmanjack said:

Are those magnetic couplers connecting the engine and cars?

Would be a welcome return after seeing the use of technic pins/beams for several recent trains...

Besides the Jacobs bogies on the Horizon and the Holiday Village loco / tender, what recent trains haven't used magnetic couplers? Hogwarts?

Edited by CDM

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2 minutes ago, CDM said:

Besides the Jacobs bogies on the Horizon and the Holiday Village loco / tender, what recent trains haven't used magnetic couplers?

going from memory...

The mentioned Winter Train as well as recent Hogwarts Express come to mind...

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