LEGO Trains 2022

[Ayato Zechs]

Official page for the Hogwartz Express 76405 is up on Lego.com

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/hogwarts-express-collectors-edition-76405

There is a nice video showing off some of the building of the coach and other details such has the crank on top of the boiler to turn the massive driving wheels.

[Black Knight]

Oh, well, that video: The carriage seems to not even have turnable bogies.

[RedBrick1]

I think this is the most disappointed I've ever been regarding a new LEGO release. So much potential wasted.
 

Knowing that this will take the slot of any potential new steam locomotive sets in the next few years is also a bit of a kick in the pants. 

The Emerald Night was released in 2009. We still haven't gotten its successor and probably never will. 

[Toastie]

52 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

The carriage seems to not even have turnable bogies.

These are magic boogies They easily negotiate straights.

BTW: As a collector item (sitting within a nice setting, as on TLGs website, that lady building the coach I guess - very clean place, full of creativity and fun!) you sit in your chair, watching your collector's item and then you walk over ... crank ... that shaft to make the mesmerizing motion of a steam train??? Err ... competitors did the same thing (10 wide BR89 on a stand - of course 6 wide, of course R40 compatible), lifted the engine up a notch with some snotting to make the gap between rails and wheels as small as possible, suggested you buy a small PF motor clone, a clone PF box with RF, and an RF clone remote, showed you how to make the changes in the instructions - and boom - it works: You sit in that plastic chair, loco is on the kitchen table as there is hardly any space left (because of the kids, not the infinite amounts of LEGO boxes or models), enjoy a cheap beer - and then you begin dreaming ... another beer, and then you push the fwd button on the remote once - the wheels turn slowly, again, faster and then the third time - even faster. You go crazy and do it seven times - then in reverse ... your total was $100 for all that. It was a birthday gift from your wife ...

About 10 miles away, where folks sit in leather chairs and enjoy either 100% freshly pressed orange juice or a $100 whiskey, well they sit there - and then think: I want to be mesmerized - walk over and crank the shaft.

Man, $500 and they cannot include that little gadget ...

Oh, by the way: I am watching the mesmerizing motion of a steam engine right now ... no crankshaft, I use a remote.

All the best,
Thorsten

Edited August 9, 2022 by Toastie

[Maple]

21 minutes ago, RedBrick1 said:

I think this is the most disappointed I've ever been regarding a new LEGO release. So much potential wasted.
 

Knowing that this will take the slot of any potential new steam locomotive sets in the next few years is also a bit of a kick in the pants. 

The Emerald Night was released in 2009. We still haven't gotten its successor and probably never will. 

I agree, such a waste of a train set. I really don't understand the point of it. They could have made the Train like the Disney one and made more a station. It's impressive just how 'meh' the set is to the point that the $80 one looks better in a weird way. Probably because of the bigger station section.

It's another set with left / right red train doors. I'd like the new right train door in white. That be nice. Still hoping City does a criminal Train set like the Hidden Side set. I miss Hidden Side.

[supertruper1988]

7 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

Anyone with a guesstimate on the new steam driver size? From the pictures, it looks like it’d be equivalent to xxL [insert number here] size drivers?

I believe they are #15 or XXXL sized at 15.5 plates in diameter

[RedBrick1]

It's interesting seeing how the various fan segments are evaluating the set. A lot of the general HP fans are impressed with how big this is and are really focusing on the minifig selection. Most of the Train fans are confused. 

Many still don't realize that it isn't compatible with tracks. LEGO really doesn't make that clear anywhere on the website. 

---

I do wonder when the 'bigger is best' mentality will end - if it ever will. The sizing of this just feels so excessive with no real point. Yet, many seem to love the 'it's the longest ever' status.

Edited August 9, 2022 by RedBrick1

[Vilhelm22]

Topic updated in the description regarding the new set

[Hermes Mocs]

While I like the platform's design, it is another example of LEGO saving on parts wherever they can: The doors of the carriage are 40 studs apart, 44 studs from one door's central axis to another... the straight tiles on the platform only cover 42 studs: So the two carriage doors can't be 'serviced' at the same time, as there is a gap created by a rounded tile in front of at least one door at a time. In a 500$/€ set.

[Daedalus304]

27 minutes ago, RedBrick1 said:

It's interesting seeing how the various fan segments are evaluating the set. A lot of the general HP fans are impressed with how big this is and are really focusing on the minifig selection. Most of the Train fans are confused. 

Many still don't realize that it isn't compatible with tracks. LEGO really doesn't make that clear anywhere on the website. 

---

I do wonder when the 'bigger is best' mentality will end - if it ever will. The sizing of this just feels so excessive with no real point. Yet, many seem to love the 'it's the longest ever' status.

There is a pretty simple, though still likely deeply disappointing, answer to why the design has come through with these decisions that leave so many train fans baffled.

Why is it 10-wide? Why does it have a different gauge? Why is the frame and undercarriage so under-detailed? And the many other things that seem like odd choices for a train set?

The answer is simply this: This is not a "LEGO Train" set. This is a Harry Potter diorama collection in a Train-themed location. The details of the set are focused on the 20 Minifigs, the dioramas in the car, the train station itself, and the general shapes and basic functionality of the loco and car themselves are very close to the real thing - what's missing is the fine details and functionalities that the majority of the Harry Potter fan base won't care about. 

And the rest of the answers fall in place very easily from there. "Why is the train built 10-wide"? Because it worked the best for the scale of the dioramas and scenes they wanted to make, and it surely made certain things like the shape and detail of the boiler easier to keep in the proper proportions. "Why did they make the gauge different?" Because a train at this scale, with drive wheels this large and a driver wheelbase this long, would not make it through r40 (The only official track radius). This is meant as a stunning Harry Potter diorama, not a train set, so making sacrifices to the detail to try to get this thing compatible with r40 isn't going to happen. The solution is to build the engine for a different track gauge to make it clear that LEGO has no intention of this being a functional "Train set", and head off complaints and questions of "why won't it go through the curves" - there are no curves to try it with! 

It doesn't fit in with any of LEGO's other Train offerings because it's meant to be shelf mates with a different theme. The fine detailing on the loco and mechanisms too, are missing because to the target demographic that buys the $300 Harry Potter owl and the $400 castle, those details are not important. The dioramas are. The station is. The 20 minifigs are. The wheels spin and the rods move... and I bet LEGO's rightfully sure that the majority of their target demographic (Big-spender Harry Potter fans) isn't going to care about a whole lot more than that. And, from the sounds of it, they were right.

It's a shame for those among us who were hoping for a highly-detailed "Train set", to be sure. But LEGO train fans are a pretty scrappy bunch, huh? We want more than what LEGO can usually commit to giving. We build things ourselves, our own ways. We make for ourselves what LEGO won't make for us. But, what this set lacks in the complete package, it does make up for somewhat in what new potentials it opens up. LEGO's produced a new (enormous) train wheel. That's nothing to sneeze at, and it does open up potential that they could do more with this wheel in the future; and it shows that they're willing to make new train wheel sizes at all. Perhaps a good proper high-end "train set" isn't so unlikely, someday, after all.

But hey, I can't wait to see someone mod this thing to run on Bricktracks r104 track under its own power. The dedicated train fans will find a way, and it is going to be awesome to see when they do.

[McWaffel]

 lol imagine selling a 500€ train that can’t go anywhere.

….just LEGO things.

 

oh how many disappointments there will be when people find out it doesn’t fit on the track 

[Toastie]

55 minutes ago, RedBrick1 said:

A lot of the general HP fans are impressed with how big this is and are really focusing on the minifig selection.

Well, size matters, it almost always works with TLG (and others).

And minifigs are the reason for the cost of this thing, as per discussions on the "internet" and TLG's values analyses. Sell this "train" with 3 minifigs and ... a good fraction of the folks in the HP universe will be disappointed. The size folks, that is.

1 hour ago, RedBrick1 said:

Yet, many seem to love the 'it's the longest ever' status.

Well again, yeah. But in XYZ universe, not the train world. We love size, for sure. But it is length >and< finesse rather than bulky appearance.

1 hour ago, RedBrick1 said:

Most of the Train fans are confused. 

Uhm - my guess: They're not confused - rather, they simply know, what's going on: This is not a train set, it is an HP display set. There was hope, you see it (as train head) and come to the conclusion: Same old TLG, doing a coup again, huh? Well, good for you. Congratulations!

And no nod, no tipping hat, nothing. Just - moving away.

Best,
Thorsten

22 minutes ago, Daedalus304 said:

We want more than what LEGO can usually commit to giving. We build things ourselves, our own ways. We make for ourselves what LEGO won't make for us. But, what this set lacks in the complete package, it does make up for somewhat in what new potentials it opens up.

This.

Goes down very well.

Best,
Thorsten

[Murdoch17]

At the very least, this new Hogwarts Express might bring down prices on blind driving wheels! (since they comes in packs of two flanged and one blind as they come off the mold)

Also,  those of you making "Singles" will have a new source for prototypical XXL driving wheels!

...just think how this 4-2-4T would look on YOUR layout!

Edited August 9, 2022 by Murdoch17

[RedBrick1]

1 hour ago, Daedalus304 said:

There is a pretty simple, though still likely deeply disappointing, answer to why the design has come through with these decisions that leave so many train fans baffled.

Why is it 10-wide? Why does it have a different gauge? Why is the frame and undercarriage so under-detailed? And the many other things that seem like odd choices for a train set?

The answer is simply this: This is not a "LEGO Train" set. This is a Harry Potter diorama collection in a Train-themed location. The details of the set are focused on the 20 Minifigs, the dioramas in the car, the train station itself, and the general shapes and basic functionality of the loco and car themselves are very close to the real thing - what's missing is the fine details and functionalities that the majority of the Harry Potter fan base won't care about. 

And the rest of the answers fall in place very easily from there. "Why is the train built 10-wide"? Because it worked the best for the scale of the dioramas and scenes they wanted to make, and it surely made certain things like the shape and detail of the boiler easier to keep in the proper proportions. "Why did they make the gauge different?" Because a train at this scale, with drive wheels this large and a driver wheelbase this long, would not make it through r40 (The only official track radius). This is meant as a stunning Harry Potter diorama, not a train set, so making sacrifices to the detail to try to get this thing compatible with r40 isn't going to happen. The solution is to build the engine for a different track gauge to make it clear that LEGO has no intention of this being a functional "Train set", and head off complaints and questions of "why won't it go through the curves" - there are no curves to try it with! 

It doesn't fit in with any of LEGO's other Train offerings because it's meant to be shelf mates with a different theme. The fine detailing on the loco and mechanisms too, are missing because to the target demographic that buys the $300 Harry Potter owl and the $400 castle, those details are not important. The dioramas are. The station is. The 20 minifigs are. The wheels spin and the rods move... and I bet LEGO's rightfully sure that the majority of their target demographic (Big-spender Harry Potter fans) isn't going to care about a whole lot more than that. And, from the sounds of it, they were right.

It's a shame for those among us who were hoping for a highly-detailed "Train set", to be sure. But LEGO train fans are a pretty scrappy bunch, huh? We want more than what LEGO can usually commit to giving. We build things ourselves, our own ways. We make for ourselves what LEGO won't make for us. But, what this set lacks in the complete package, it does make up for somewhat in what new potentials it opens up. LEGO's produced a new (enormous) train wheel. That's nothing to sneeze at, and it does open up potential that they could do more with this wheel in the future; and it shows that they're willing to make new train wheel sizes at all. Perhaps a good proper high-end "train set" isn't so unlikely, someday, after all.

But hey, I can't wait to see someone mod this thing to run on Bricktracks r104 track under its own power. The dedicated train fans will find a way, and it is going to be awesome to see when they do.

I get that. I know Train fans represent a fraction of the buying power of the market. A big, licensed train set that couldn't be bothered to be designed as an actual train. Conclusive proof of the Trains market share.

You're right! Modders will surely find a way to salvage something out of this. I know I need to look on the bright side of this. lol

...

I am interested to see if LEGO will ever clarify in their sales description that the set is NOT meant to be compatible with the existing track. They have 'batteries included on the box, and talk about the 'realistic movement'. Seems like a recipe for confusion and some angry purchasers. 

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by RedBrick1

[Polarlicht]

Now this has also quite a few "normal" size steam engine wheels. Don't they come in a 3-pack with 2 wheels with flange and 1 blind wheel without? Would be awesome to get tons of wheels on the market again.

Not to mention those huge wheels, which seem to be only wheels with flange

[dr_spock]

It would be awesome if the huge wheels are available on lugbulk. 

[Wimmer]

Well, it makes sense why the passenger carriage doesn’t have bogies; because if the track is of different size we won’t have anywhere to run it anyways. 
I’m quite a large fan of Harry Potter, bought all three big sets this far, Castle, Owl and Diagon Alley,… but if the train just sits there, and looks pretty, but doesn’t do anything else than collect dust;… I will put it very low on my buying list for now. 
$499 US (around $540 after taxes) is a lot of money for an oversized paperweight with three tiny lightbulbs…

I love Harry Potter, but I’m also a straight thinker and get to see the “waste” in buying this set over other ones on my list. (BTTF, Camaro, etc.)

😕

[dtomsen]

Wow. $500 of meh 

Edited August 10, 2022 by dtomsen

[M_slug357]

7 hours ago, supertruper1988 said:

I believe they are #15 or XXXL sized at 15.5 plates in diameter

I’m thinking you may be right (or close enough) about the wheel size:

Didnt notice it before, but I love how they reused the printed curved tile from the previous set…

[Darkkostas25]

9 hours ago, Daedalus304 said:

There is a pretty simple, though still likely deeply disappointing, answer to why the design has come through with these decisions that leave so many train fans baffled.

Why is it 10-wide? Why does it have a different gauge? Why is the frame and undercarriage so under-detailed? And the many other things that seem like odd choices for a train set?

The answer is simply this: This is not a "LEGO Train" set. This is a Harry Potter diorama collection in a Train-themed location. The details of the set are focused on the 20 Minifigs, the dioramas in the car, the train station itself, and the general shapes and basic functionality of the loco and car themselves are very close to the real thing - what's missing is the fine details and functionalities that the majority of the Harry Potter fan base won't care about. 

And the rest of the answers fall in place very easily from there. "Why is the train built 10-wide"? Because it worked the best for the scale of the dioramas and scenes they wanted to make, and it surely made certain things like the shape and detail of the boiler easier to keep in the proper proportions. "Why did they make the gauge different?" Because a train at this scale, with drive wheels this large and a driver wheelbase this long, would not make it through r40 (The only official track radius). This is meant as a stunning Harry Potter diorama, not a train set, so making sacrifices to the detail to try to get this thing compatible with r40 isn't going to happen. The solution is to build the engine for a different track gauge to make it clear that LEGO has no intention of this being a functional "Train set", and head off complaints and questions of "why won't it go through the curves" - there are no curves to try it with! 

It doesn't fit in with any of LEGO's other Train offerings because it's meant to be shelf mates with a different theme. The fine detailing on the loco and mechanisms too, are missing because to the target demographic that buys the $300 Harry Potter owl and the $400 castle, those details are not important. The dioramas are. The station is. The 20 minifigs are. The wheels spin and the rods move... and I bet LEGO's rightfully sure that the majority of their target demographic (Big-spender Harry Potter fans) isn't going to care about a whole lot more than that. And, from the sounds of it, they were right.

It's a shame for those among us who were hoping for a highly-detailed "Train set", to be sure. But LEGO train fans are a pretty scrappy bunch, huh? We want more than what LEGO can usually commit to giving. We build things ourselves, our own ways. We make for ourselves what LEGO won't make for us. But, what this set lacks in the complete package, it does make up for somewhat in what new potentials it opens up. LEGO's produced a new (enormous) train wheel. That's nothing to sneeze at, and it does open up potential that they could do more with this wheel in the future; and it shows that they're willing to make new train wheel sizes at all. Perhaps a good proper high-end "train set" isn't so unlikely, someday, after all.

But hey, I can't wait to see someone mod this thing to run on Bricktracks r104 track under its own power. The dedicated train fans will find a way, and it is going to be awesome to see when they do.

Teknik fans
that always ask and begging for new parts/colours, new electronics and be quite upset with new models (based on Youtubers) that don't get any proper function in them 
 

[*thomas*]

4 hours ago, dtomsen said:

Wow. $500 of meh 

That sums it up quite nicely.

And just to add: LEGO is just being greedy. There are more HP than TRAIN fans (there is no other reason to produce this set otherwise). They care more for minifigs, so they include a bunch of them. TLG knows people will want the minifigs so they just 'add' a giant set at an insane price-point.
I'm convinced that if they would've made this the size of the EN (with a longer coach), but with the same minifigs, it would sell equally good (but TLG would make less profit).

11 hours ago, Toastie said:

BTW:  Err ... competitors did the same thing (10 wide BR89 on a stand - of course 6 wide, of course R40 compatible), lifted the engine up a notch with some snotting to make the gap between rails and wheels as small as possible, suggested you buy a small PF motor clone, a clone PF box with RF, and an RF clone remote, showed you how to make the changes in the instructions - and boom - it works.

Your total was $100 for all that. It was a birthday gift from your wife ...

Man, $500 and they cannot include that little gadget ...

I catch myself browsing their website way more often than the TLG site. Anyone who hasn't, should give them a go. What they have on offer really is a step up compared to what TLG is trying to sell as a trainset. 

[Darkkostas25]

19 minutes ago, *thomas* said:

That sums it up quite nicely.

And just to add: LEGO is just being greedy. There are more HP than TRAIN fans (there is no other reason to produce this set otherwise). They care more for minifigs, so they include a bunch of them. TLG knows people will want the minifigs so they just 'add' a giant set at an insane price-point.
I'm convinced that if they would've made this the size of the EN (with a longer coach), but with the same minifigs, it would sell equally good (but TLG would make less profit).

I catch myself browsing their website way more often than the TLG site. Anyone who hasn't, should give them a go. What they have on offer really is a step up compared to what TLG is trying to sell as a trainset. 

You are talking about bluebrixx?

[JaBaCaDaBra]

4 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

reused the printed curved tile

Thats because it doesn't look like a castle.....

......and castles are only castles when there's "castle" printed on it.

[*thomas*]

1 hour ago, Darkkostas25 said:

You are talking about bluebrixx?

Correct.

[Toastie]

5 hours ago, M_slug357 said:

I’m thinking you may be right (or close enough) about the wheel size:

With regard to that photo below the quote: Is it just me, or is this a weird part? The "Technic pin" connecting the main rod to the side rod is not slotted. So it may not be a Technic pin at all?

Also, the two rods are connected using one of these angled axle joiners (here #2)? That simply can't be - looks a bit photoshopped as well ... guess they were not ready to go, but someone told them now.

Or maybe I am just mistaken.

Best,
Thorsten