What got you into Lego Trains?

[Brickimad]

I was wondering how did the people on here got into Lego? (lego Trains for this Thread)

For an example: Myself, when I was younger, my cousin had a large lego Blue Era train, that we used to use. I was only young then, but he had loads of Lego. (It still is in the Attic now). After that, I collected the 12v era, Technics and town, obtaining many sets off a friend at school for a good price, such as the Car Chassis, etc.

I liked Technics, but always been fond of the Trains, before I got into Aircraft, both models and full-size (going solo at 19 and had a PPL for a bit). We lived next to a train track, at the other house, and I suppose it all fell together. I did enjoy the experience of the trains, and worn a couple of 12v motors out. As I didn't have loads of pocket-money, I couldn't afford everything (the 12v Crossing for example). I remember my cat loved to try and derail the train. Adding remote points confused him for a bit! Great times...

After giving it up, for many years. I moved house and re-found my old 12/9v stuff, got it going again and added more, thanks to ebay. Now 30 years later, got quite a collection!

p.s. I managed to obtain a 12v crossing!

Edited February 28, 2011 by Brickimad

[L@go]

In my case, the answer is very simple: The Emerald Night. Although I had quite a Lego collection when I was a kid, I never had any trains - they weren't all that common in the shops, either, so I knew them only from the catalogues. But when I saw the Emerald Night, I immediately knew I had to have it. After that, it has all gone a bit crazy - the EN lead to a Super Chief, a BNSF, the Hobby Train set... and so on. But it all started with the Emerald Night.

[Brickimad]

I had a friend at Primary School, who's dad owned the toy shop in town. He had a huge Hornby layout, but I liked Lego, so trains it was. The toy shop had a good range of Lego, all the tracks, and if I was lucky, when I had a birthday party, I was given more train goodies, which came from the shop. We had a "bring a toy to school day", so I brought the lego trains, which took up quite a few desks, suffice to say, it was the best toy there that day.

[Gioppa]

Since I was a young boy I love trains,I' love railway and old time steam engine.

But...trains model was to expensive for my family,and need a lot of space a good layout.

But..there is lego,cheaper of trai model and have a "correct"scale for minifig.

The blue era was just finish,and the 4,5\12v is come(12 v was expensive!!)and my Father bring me at home the 7720.

Amazing,Unbelievable!!!the signal stop the train,the railway crossroad fit exatly in my roadplate.

I was the happiest child of my town,for a lot of year,and my mother too,because when I finish to play I can take everything inside a box ready for a new adventure.....

Some years ago,I open that box,some white part are yellow,but everything was there,and the adventure return.

Now i pay myself for lego,but 12v still expansive!!!

Years ago lego gimme real life,how many minifig game have train and town fit perfectly,i remeber when fight for lego and i say:

-LEGO has letters and you can put inside a mailbox,tell me another game with this....naa,playmobil don't have!!

[BillytheKid]

On the first place Starwars, which got me out of the drak ages. If gives also a trigger to collect the grey 12v area trains and sets.

[Brickimad]

Never was into figures. Supposed if I had collected them, they are worth a fortune, and it could've gone towards more Lego. Still Lego is valuable. Some 12v sets are going more than 10x they were originally worth. The 12v decoupler sells for more than £100 on ebay, so far not got one, yet.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I was originally collecting Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. I received my first sets when I was 3 or so, I only had a couple, not much to do with. It was in 1995 that I saw a few city sets at our, then NEW, TRU. My mom got my brother and I one each... A decent sized one. From there, I requested and started receiving the S @ H catalog. After that, it was on. Birthday and Christmas were great that year

[Toastie]

When I was 3 years old (back in 1965) Santa got me TLC's very first train set #323. No era at all, neither blue nor grew - just that train with rubber wheels (I actually happen to have most of the pieces and the train is the most important LEGO set to me).

Well, then my parents got me some more Lego's, but slowly, money was rather short at that time. And then other things became more important. In 1998 though, at Target in Tustin, CA, I spotted the first Mindstorms set. That radically ended my dark ages ... and then the Super Chief came out ...

Since then, I am trying to combine as many themes as possible with train building in general. Sponge Bob and Mr. Crabs are proud citizens on my layout, next to Café Corner, along with - well - your imagination. Some of the stuff is electronically controlled, RCX's, Scouts, MicroScouts, Sypbots, NXT's, and PF stuff are all in charge for this and that.

It is always good times to see this wild mixture, collected over decades. That is what I really admire when it come to accomplishments of TLC. There is virtually no other company that comes to my mind capable of ringing that bell.

And a perfect fit is this forum with members bringing up entries like this one.

Good to be here!

Best regards,

Thorsten

[LAKAbricks]

I've been a fan of LEGO since I was just a little boy in the beginning of the 80s. But train was never a part of my collection, though I really liked some of the sets available at the time.

Last year, a new TRU opened in my town, and thus had an offer, I couldn't reject: 50% off on all LEGO My heart was set on the 8404 Public Transport Station. Though I didn't want to buy too much (financial reasons...), my beloved wife encouraged me to buy some more. After all, you don't get an offer like that every day And then I decided to buy the 7938 Passenger Train and the 7937 Train Station. A small beginning, but it definately has caught my interest

[Steamrunner]

I'm the same as L@go - the Emerald Night got my interest. Actually it was the wife buying me a Mindstorms set for Chrimbo, which then got me looking at other Technic sets (for additional parts), which then got me looking at normal sets (for non-Technic parts) which then made me notice the Emerald Night. I couldn't believe such a realistic set was possible, so I spent ages looking at pics and reviews before eventually buying one. Couldn't be happier with it; at the moment it's a shelf queen but I'll motorise it soon.

I've also bought the Cargo train and will get the Maersk set, and possibly the 3677 - the engines will be for display, the cargo trucks for parts and potentially a loco MOC or two. I'm not a big fan of the current passenger train - my wife quite likes it, though, so I may end up with it yet.

[RejectedShrimp]

when i was young i went to my nanas for the weekend. The next door neighbours had grandchildren who grew out of their collection and gave it all to me and my brother. since building my first daft little model then i have enjoyed the challenge that trying to rebuild your favourite scenes and objects brings.

i seen this as a new topic and didnt notice it was for train fans

I have owned one train set which wasn't a propper train set. The POA Hogwarts express

Edited March 1, 2011 by RejectedShrimp

[Sir E Fullner]

I first was into LEGO when I turned three. My older brother got a brick bucket and I enjoyed making cars with all the different colored bricks. When I turned 11, I received my first train, the 7897 Passenger train.

[vgsprites]

When I was 5 my cousin out grew his Lego collection and gave it to me in a red Lego suitcase (I wish I still had) back in 1995. From then on my mom would buy me and my brother small to mid-size sets from wal-mart and kmart. No TRU in my small rural hometown. The sets were mostly town and, my favorite theme at the time, Aquazone. My favorite set at the time was 6562 Gas Stop Shop my mom got at a discount at kmart.

I have always wanted Lego trains since I saw the Cargo Railway in the 1996 catalog but they were always out of my parents' price range. It was not until I was out of my dark ages at the end of high school in '07 that I got my first 9 volt sets.

I got 4537 Twin Tank Transport and an oval of track with a motor and regulator on eBay for under $50.

If I had a credit card at the time I could've gotten a TTX and possible a BNSF GP-38.

Now I collect City and Train sets along with 9 volt track and classic town sets from my childhood.

This past week I got a set of 8 straight track and my first switch track from eBay and bricklink respectively.

Edited March 3, 2011 by vgsprites

[Andy Glascott]

Family legend has it that I was given my first Lego set at age 2. At age 14 my Mum said to me coming up to my birthday "I think you've got enough Lego now, don't you....?" Clearly, I disagreed! In my youth I had a classic space phase, but always liked seeing things move, and motorised trains were it, I was given a 4.5v battery one at age 6 or 7 and by age 12 had acquired 7740, which is still going strong 25 years later! I still have a soft spot for the larger Technic stuff as well, but most of the money my (self-styled!)Lego Permission Officer allows me spend (and some she doesn't!) goes on trains and scenery/town.

Andy

[lightningtiger]

This tiger started over 30 years ago with classic town, but by the time I was 14....I had entered my dark times which lasted 25 years....but at 14 also I started with Lifelike HO trains, layouts, scenery and building MOC's out of Lifelike sets (that lasted about another 5 years). But since I left the dark times in 2008, city, SW and of course trains have been my calling, and again I'm build MOC buildings but out of course, Lego.

[Tearloch33]

Played with LEGO my entire childhood. Moved on as an adult, but then my wife and I adopted 2 children a few years ago. My son is now 6, and I wanted to get him into LEGO building. He loves trains, so a few years ago, while at DisneyWorld, we wandered into the LEGO Store there. I found the Emerald Night set, and thought it was the best of both worlds. I loved the realism, and quickly re-found my love for LEGO while building it. My son loved it, too. Now he obsesses about LEGOs, spefically Daddy's trains. I purchased a BNSF train on ebay (since I could convince my wife of sentimental value since I worked for BNSF years ago, and the company is still the back bone of the area I grew up. I finally got my son his own LEGO train for Christmas this year (the Toy Story one), only to watch him pout the rest of Christmas Day because Daddy got a set with a motor (the Cargo Train set).

[fred67]

Wow... a lot of "Emerald Night" answers. TLG should take note of that, even if we're just a tiny sampling.

For me, I was doing N-Scale because I lived in an apartment and didn't have a lot of space. My first bucket of LEGO as an adult was bought to try to prototype over/unders, but it didn't work very well.

We eventually moved into a house and after having kids who always wanted to play with my trains (N-Scale is not suitable for 2 and 3 year olds), we saw a LEGO train set on clearance at our local warehouse club. I figured that was much more suitable for the kids... and I never looked back. I recently sold all my N-Scale stuff, which had been sitting in a box since I got into LEGO trains.

I am disappointed they went from powered rail to PF, since the only reason LEGO trains could replace other hobby trains, IMO, was that it started following suit and got away from the "baby" battery operated stuff, but I'm dealing and it's true that LEGO did battery operated better than anyone else (as far as trains go).

Since I started collecting, though, I discovered a lot more LEGO that I wouldn't have otherwise known about, and have a pretty good city, castle, and Star Wars collection (and now CMF).

[Seany]

Growing up I loved lego, as far back as I can remember I had lego, but I never got into Trains, I was very much into pirates, castles and space sets, until I reached my teens and my attention turned towards Technics.

As I went through University and my first jobs I didnt really have the time to continue my obsession and an overzealous family sold all of my lego. Then recently last year I was looking into train sets for myself, discovering I didnt really have the room for a full Hornby set I discovered the Lego sets. Taking up less space and reigniting that love for Lego, and the whole make it yourself wonder.

So my first set was the 7939 Cargo Train, and this has quickly grown, to significantly more than the size that a Hornby set would have taken up. Taking in a lot of trains as well as a lot of the City sets.

[Brickimad]

A lot of good answers. It seems most had once collected, then maybe gave up, then the flame was re-ignited once again.

I never got rid of my Lego. Still have the 7725 train, complete, except a working 12v motor. Still had the motor, but the brushes were well worn, even though the motor still worked, if power was supplied to the connectors.

Before eBay, older sets were impossible to find, unless you went to "swopmeets". Even then, it could've taken years to source a set. Apart from my other hobbies, such as flying, and I've got many RC models, even a couple of jets, which go over 200mph (and cost 1000's) - I always go back to Lego and Lego Trains.

Suppose it is like going back to your childhood.

[9Benua]

I'm here because of my son. He likes train a lot. I'm not interested to collect thomas the train and I found that lego has a new train. I got him the 7939 cargo train and some city sets. I like it too and start collecting them. I got the 7898 cargo train, both recent train station 7997 n 7937. I'm looking to add 7938 passenger train, Emerald night, maersk train and the new cargo train.

[mostlytechnic]

Had quite a bit of Lego (few thousand pieces I'd guess) as a kid in the early 80s, but no trains or anything large. Had a long dark ages until around 2008. Bought the Technic OffRoader 8297 that year as a Christmas present for myself. That's grown into a collection of most of the big Technic sets, totalling several thousand USD. Somewhere in there I got an Emerald Night for really cheap and loved it. Didn't have any track or anything though. Finally bought the new cargo train 7939 a few months ago and currently I'm planning to get the Maersk and some other parts, plus I'm putting together part lists to buy on Bricklink for some train cars I wanna build. Wife has promised we can make a large train layout once we get the basement cleaned out - I'll make the trains and track and she wants to make it look good w/ buildings and such.

[MCNwakeboard]

I would also have to say the Emerald Night brought me into trains. I had always wanted a lego train growing up but could never really afford them or I was more into Castle and Pirates. I fell in love with the Emerald Night when I saw it. It was especially easy to convince my wife to get the Emerald Night since she loves Christmas/Decorating for Christmas and it goes very nicely with the Toy Shop and Bakery around our tree during the holidays. Now I am anticipating the Maersk Train that will be released in less than a month!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Since I was a young boy I love trains,I' love railway and old time steam engine.

But...trains model was to expensive for my family,and need a lot of space a good layout.

But..there is lego,cheaper of trai model and have a "correct"scale for minifig.

The blue era was just finish,and the 4,5\12v is come(12 v was expensive!!)and my Father bring me at home the 7720.

Amazing,Unbelievable!!!the signal stop the train,the railway crossroad fit exatly in my roadplate.

I was the happiest child of my town,for a lot of year,and my mother too,because when I finish to play I can take everything inside a box ready for a new adventure.....

Some years ago,I open that box,some white part are yellow,but everything was there,and the adventure return.

Now i pay myself for lego,but 12v still expansive!!!

Years ago lego gimme real life,how many minifig game have train and town fit perfectly,i remeber when fight for lego and i say:

-LEGO has letters and you can put inside a mailbox,tell me another game with this....naa,playmobil don't have!!

Since I was a young boy I love trains,I' love railway and old time steam engine.

But...trains model was to expensive for my family,and need a lot of space a good layout.

But..there is lego,cheaper of trai model and have a "correct"scale for minifig.

The blue era was just finish,and the 4,5\12v is come(12 v was expensive!!)and my Father bring me at home the 7720.

Amazing,Unbelievable!!!the signal stop the train,the railway crossroad fit exatly in my roadplate.

I was the happiest child of my town,for a lot of year,and my mother too,because when I finish to play I can take everything inside a box ready for a new adventure.....

Some years ago,I open that box,some white part are yellow,but everything was there,and the adventure return.

Now i pay myself for lego,but 12v still expansive!!!

Years ago lego gimme real life,how many minifig game have train and town fit perfectly,i remeber when fight for lego and i say:

-LEGO has letters and you can put inside a mailbox,tell me another game with this....naa,playmobil don't have!!

That sounds pretty cool Gioppa ...it seems the story of my life!

Note

Sorry for my previous empty post: my internet connection was off line when I've pushed [Add Reply]

[Illawarra48class]

I was given push-along blue rail train set 171 for Xmas in 1978. Imagine controlling your own railway at age 5 then! (I grew up next to a real railway and toys weren't, and still aren't, that sophisticated for my [then] age group). I was gotten from then until about age 15, some 10 years later, as the range evolved and expanded. Haven't looked at Lego for years, but remember doing isometric drawings in pencil of trains I would build if I could at the time.

Cheers,

IFC

Edited March 12, 2011 by Illawarra48class

[Dan the Brickman]

When I was little, I got into my older brothers collection. Eventually, he just gave it to me! (so many classic space, and classic castle!)

From then on, it was all I asked for for birthdays and Christmas. Now Im 22 and have many many large large bins.