Latest News Re. R/C Trains

[WesternOutlaw]

I just stumbled upon this on Lugnet, the latest announcement from Jake re. the new train line. Also, if you read the entire thread, sounds like Lego plans to produce a Bulk Train Box & Design Your Own Train as part of Lego Factory. This is exciting news!

More later but Jake announced a new "play train" line.

The locos are RC. A few new parts are all that is needed.

There is IR sensor input built into the baseplates

The system will have new track, compatible with the old track and gauge, but

which is plastic railed. This reduces the production cost which means that more

content (parts) can be added at the same set price point.

Huw Millington, Holger Mathis, Mike Walsh and Steve Barile were under NDA and

giving feedback during the design process.

Link => Jake's Announcement re. Trains & Lego Factory

[languages]

Told you that there would be a RC train and a Minifig callendar....now wheres the Jedi Starfighter UCS....

[sam89]

Well recently Lego had a poll for what you'd like to see as the next UCS set, and the Jedi Starfighter was one of the choices. This means it could be made, but it's not certain.

I'm not really interested in trains, but it sounds like exciting news for those who are. From what I can tell this is going to be the first non-S@H Exclusive trains line!

[billybob]

cant wait ganna cry :'( :')

[ImperialJohn]

The system will have new track, compatible with the old track and gauge, but

which is plastic railed. This reduces the production cost which means that more

content (parts) can be added at the same set price point.

How can it be compatible without metal *sick*

It think "they" are sneeking in a NEW TRAIN SYSTEM.

Not 4,5V, not 12v, not 9V BUT Battery trains :'( (I need a REALLY unhappy "smilie" here)

[Hobbes]

(I need a REALLY unhappy "smilie" here)

Like ?

[Jipay]

it will clips with metal tracks but wont use the same engine, that's what it's all about. If I were you I wouldn't cry, maybe this new system got better features, and if it can expand the train line it's all welcome ;)

[Hobbes]

it will clips with metal tracks but wont use the same engine, that's what it's all about. If I were you I wouldn't cry, maybe this new system got better features, and if it can expand the train line it's all welcome

[Jipay]

it's not a kind of push train. As far as I remember, the new system was said to be remotely controled

[billybob]

whats an ir senser

[WesternOutlaw]

I just hope the new train line isn't too <insert that tiresome argument> (picturing Thomas Railroad in my head), but IR stands for infared technology. A crossing, light, sound, or other automatic mechanism could pick up the IR signal when the train is in close proximity and would result in a desired action (crossing raise/lower, light turn on, etc.). This sounds really neat if Lego keeps it from getting too <insert that tiresome argument>. - or the IR could just be used to control the R/C engine.

[Mr. Lego-builder]

An IR sensor is an "infared" sensor. It is sort of like a wireless remote control component in electronics.

EDIT: The Brickster explained it quite well. So you can ignore this double posting of the same information.

[brenden perkins]

tks :oD

[gylman]

I just stumbled upon this on Lugnet, the latest announcement from Jake re. the new train line.  Also, if you read the entire thread, sounds like Lego plans to produce a Bulk Train Box & Design Your Own Train as part of Lego Factory.  This is exciting news!

Well, given that the interest in Lego Factory so far appears to be nearly nil because of the cost issues, I sure hope that TLC is not betting the future on Lego Factory for significant income.

I guess we would all like to design our own sets, but how many people are there who will actually do this? How much profit can TLC make from a single set at a time this way while maintaining the infrastructure needed to provide the Lego Factory service. Of course it will be outlandishly expensive, and this will limit accessibility to AFOLs only (even then, there will be cost issues). Not a big market, noisy though it is.

I do endorse some of the other stuff heard at the keynote

-stop making Lego bikes, etc

-focus on core business

-pleased to hear Vikings are Technic are successful **GO TECHNIC**

I was disturbed that there was no mention, it seems, of the role of the internet. They talk about selling direct and bypassing retailers, which is quite reasonable, but I think the key to TLCs future success is a strategy integrated around the internet in every way, with a million interactions between Lego sets, their web site, and whatever else they can throw in.

One of the main problems TLC faces, and no one mentioned it in the keynote, although it has come up before, is that their bricks live forever, and older sets are available on eBay etc, significantly cutting into the money available and demand for new sets. If new sets had some of functionality that was time-limited, like through a link on the net, that would slightly improve the value of new relative to old sets (not if all you want is the brick - but perhaps for the play value).

I'm sure we'll all be saying and hearing more about this. That's my first impression, though

[Renegade Clone]

Back to plastic track eh?! The new system sounds awfully like 4.5 volt. Hopefully TLC will make the best of the infrared system for electric automated lights and crossings etc. A sort of melding of 4.5 & 12v.

The best news is that the new infrared trains will be compatible with my 12v railway!

History repeats itself!

[takuto20]

Sorry what do you mean no more lego bikes?

[gylman]

This is what I mean by lego bikes

http://cgi.ebay.ca/AS-NEW-UNUSED-BOXED-GT-...1QQcmdZViewItem

However, it's not like they made a million bikes. The point is that rather than focusing on making a construction toy, they tried to market their name and product lines outside the context of a construction toy. This may have had some success, but my impression is that the effort spent is not worth it overall from a bottom line point of view. Certainly many people have said this before, and TLC seems to agree, for now.

This kind of stuff gives me the heebeejeebees, even though I like bionicle most of the time.

http://www.thinkwaytoys.com/ourtoys/lego_b.htm

Cheers.

Gyl

[sam89]

I've finally found some photos from the presentation:

Baseplate Sensor

New Track

Preliminary Wagon

[Hobbes]

Well, doesn't look too bad.

Thx for the links!

[The Middleman]

Looks great, I'll be picking some up. Thanks sam!

[Mr. Lego-builder]

Looking at the wagon, it looks a little more bulky than what we have now. And I also wonder what size the new components will be.

[xwingyoda]

Tks Sam for finding those pics !!!!

The wagon looks more than OK from what we see in the pic, maybe a little small though.

Can someone good with computer try and zoom on the first Lego box in the New Track pic ??? I wonder what this set is ?????

[WesternOutlaw]

Thanks for sharing the images Sam. The wagon doesn't look too bad at all. Appears that these may be very much like existing trains, just not as detailed. I was expecting something far more <insert that tiresome argument>. Looks like the track is identical but without the metal rails. Maybe this new line isn't too bad after all.

[Jipay]

I am just so happy we will be able to create huge tracks for a small price :)

[Sastrei]

Ooh, rock on! Thanks for finding those pics.

The IR reciever looks like a bump mounted on the side of the loco? Odd. Hopefully it'll be a bit better integrated eventually. The new system looks promising though, by and large.

-Stefan-