79111 Constitution Train Chase Discussion

[dr_spock]

Nice parts or MOD potential. Dropping the water tower on the train sounds like fun for the kids.

[Luke_likes_Lego]

So what can AFOLs find to whine about with this one then?

The horse's head is angled 0˚00'31 seconds of arc lower than I would have liked in the promotional picture

LLL

Edited February 9, 2013 by Luke_likes_Lego

[stacker9000]

Also, that loco is screaming for different front wheels, plus steam rods. Not to mention the black axle pins... (as already pointed out)

Totally agree! Thats what I have thought since seeing the first pics of it posted. I'll probably try and mod it over to an Emerald Night front bogie, other than that its a fantastic set. I'm thrilled LEGO put more design into than they did the Toy Story train!

[peterab]

What do you guys think, is it akin to the Toy Story or Harry Potter trains (toyish) or is it something a little more serious? We're kinda new to Lego.

There's nothing wrong with toyish but I'd just like to get something that is totally worth installing Power Functions in.

My personal opinion is this is a more realistic design than either the Toy Story or many of the Harry Potter trains, though all Western trains look childish to me since I associate them with cheap Xmas train sets from the US. As you say there is nothing wrong with that, in fact it's a feature. Adults will never be the prime market for LEGO, so for LEGO trains to exist they need to appeal to kids.

In the end you should think about what you want out of the hobby. My guess is you would enjoy prototypical US LEGO trains, but you'd probably also enjoy watching your son having fun with any train, in fact he'd probably enjoy playing more with a train you are less protective about. My train club runs everything from official TLG sets, through simple mods and childish Thomas Mocs to highly detailed and accurate models based on real prototypes. I'm under no illusion that most kids like Thomas far more than the DB trains I slave over to create.

There's a real danger that 'negative' reviews by adults on public forums influence kids not to enjoy what they would otherwise, Mark Stafford said early leaks for some themes had slowed sales. No set will be ideal for everyone, and that's OK, we don't all need to like the same stuff.

[locoworks]

Yes, in fact, if you want to fit interlocking pistons/ steam rods you would probably have to fit 6L axles that run right thru otherwise the wheels would jam (I think?) However, I'm still always on the lookout for those black frictionless axle pins for various other bogies. (eg. Emerald Night needs 8 to replace the tan ones that come with the set). You could use 6L axles for some of those but they grind and add alot of drag compared to the frictionless pins.

the axles don't really cause more friction in themselves, they just don't allow the outer wheels to rotate at a faster speed to the inner wheels on curves so that causes friction between the wheel treads and the rails rather than the axles in the holes. why would a loose axle have more friction than a loose pin??? anyways i'm going to get it when it hits the shelves cos i like it.

[Hey Joe]

My personal opinion is this is a more realistic design than either the Toy Story or many of the Harry Potter trains, though all Western trains look childish to me since I associate them with cheap Xmas train sets from the US. As you say there is nothing wrong with that, in fact it's a feature. Adults will never be the prime market for LEGO, so for LEGO trains to exist they need to appeal to kids.

Ok, thanks peterab. It looks more substantial than HP or TS to me as well.

You are correct; I would like to have something decent enough that my son (and I) could have fun with but I wouldn't have to be particularly protective of it. I've got Maersk and have been sorely tempted by Emerald Night (although it's too European-looking) but those aren't very kid-friendly. I've mentioned those things before in other threads here, perhaps you've recalled that. There don't seem to be thousands of posters here on a daily basis.

Maybe what's really bothering me is that this is a nice looking train set but it doesn't look like it's made with Power Functions in mind? So, it's a little baffling to me as to why Lego would go to the trouble to make a nice train that you are supposed to just push around. I was seriously into HO trains for years so to have a train that you just push seems like sacrilege.

So...personally I will seriously consider getting this set on sale if it's not too much trouble to put PF in and is sturdy, otherwise I guess I'll just hope for something more ideal to come along in the future. I've scored some Enlighten stuff here in China, guess I could put PF in that until a set comes along that I like.

Thanks, Joe

[mikka says]

to be brutally honest, i was hoping for lego to release a push train for the lego city range, but.

im going to have to eats those words in the train speculation page (i'll post a link to me eating screencaps of eurobricks on youtube, later ;)....)

but,

it looks like a well rounded set.

it has the stuff for a kid that loves trains and currently doesnt own a sizeble amount of train lego, and also for someone who loves the movie, and if anything, a Big Tender Moc, to incorporate the power functions guff, would be the best way to have these nicely designed steamers hauling trains around the layout.

I, for one will take a delight into getting atleast one of these 4-6-0's up to a runnable and acceptable looking standard for train shows. considering many of us in our train group have some lovely steam locomotives, but due the roughness of tables and track (not to mention the trainset geometry) its a deathwish that not even i want to take the risk of......

so, set me down for two, please :D

[Hey Joe]

to be brutally honest, i was hoping for lego to release a push train for the lego city range, but.

im going to have to eats those words in the train speculation page (i'll post a link to me eating screencaps of eurobricks on youtube, later ;)....)

If you don't mind my asking; why would you want a push train? You already have the Power Functions or you want to do 9V or something?

Thanks, Joe

[peterab]

Maybe what's really bothering me is that this is a nice looking train set but it doesn't look like it's made with Power Functions in mind? So, it's a little baffling to me as to why Lego would go to the trouble to make a nice train that you are supposed to just push around. I was seriously into HO trains for years so to have a train that you just push seems like sacrilege.

There has been a few reports of young kids enjoying pushing trains more than operating them remotely. Perhaps its some thing about developing hand eye co-ordination that draws them to want to touch stuff rather than watch it from afar. I guess LEGO probably want a range of trains across many price points, and adding electronics to every train will pretty much rule out the cheaper end. Movie fans probably don't care about motorisation either, since most of the movie tie in trains are not designed with PF addition in mind.

While I agree that _I_ don't want a train you have to push, I've got a lot of trains, and I can't run them all. I have a few steam trains, most of them are purely to look pretty on the club layout. Secondly railroad fans are a small potion of a relatively small hobby (among adults at least). What we like or want is not influential because of the huge scale of LEGO production.

Wanting a push train set is a completely different thing, since it gives access to the wheels and couplings we need without the added expense of PF gear, though at the moment I want more of that too.

[mikka says]

why would you want a push train?

Thanks, Joe

this brings down the cost considerably of a set, i remember it was another $100 Au to power the emerald night.... this means that kiddies can get hold of the set at a cheaper cost.

i was looking back at the old catalogues and the 7710 passenger train (which was a push train) seems to be fond memories of alot of my friends that bought their lego back in the 80's.....

the lack of power conversion is left up to the aspiring child or AFOL, which i can fortell, will have some nifty tender Moc solutions appearing several weeks after this set is released....

push trains arent all that bad either,

child minding has made me realise that kids dont want a controller for the train, they want to be part of the action, and if thats pushing the train along and making the good old "chuff chuff" noise, so be it.

[Hey Joe]

child minding has made me realise that kids dont want a controller for the train, they want to be part of the action, and if thats pushing the train along and making the good old "chuff chuff" noise, so be it.

Oh, that's VERY useful info, many thanks and thanks again to you peterab.

Joe

Edited February 10, 2013 by bjtpro

[RedBrick1]

Very nice! Kind of interesting that they packed so much detail into the locomotive, and then skipped the side rods... I look forward to seeing the mods people come up with, to add working pistons. (Mainly because I have a hard time doing it myself, and need some inspiration.)

[Phoxtane]

Personally, I'm wondering if two of these sets would provide enough parts to build most of an Emerald Night locomotive.

[Fugazi]

Many were wondering about the price point of this set. As mentioned in the Licensed forum, it's $100 (and 100 Euro):

http://cdn.toyark.co..._1360501058.jpg

Other pictures on toyark.com.

[baron]

nice set and decent price...glad to see Lego making an effort with this licensed line...

[TheAshTree]

This is all falling into place right now, I liked Western when I was young and now this is back! Can't wait for those sets to hit the shelves!

[K-Style]

Personally, I'm wondering if two of these sets would provide enough parts to build most of an Emerald Night locomotive.

I don't think so. The front wheels are missing for starters. The boiler is a completely different build. I'm pretty sure buying two of these and then the rest of the parts would make it more expensive than ebay or even buying from lego pick a brick.

This set is not for me but the train in the movie itself looks nice.

[fred67]

So what can AFOLs find to whine about with this one then?

Nothing. I have two versions of Hogwarts Express and the Train Chase from TS3, and this is is better than both - so no complaints from except that I was not budgeting for Lone Ranger sets, as I'm trying to cut back.

What you could do is mod the locomotive to use 6L technic axles.

I multiquoted this before seeing the response, which was right on - the only problem with that is differential around curves, but by and large it probably wouldn't be so bad - all the old metal axles were like that and it wasn't a big deal.

I agree, though, why don't they just use black? Is it really that difficult? Is there no call for black? It seems like it would be one of the most popular colors for those kinds of pieces.

Thumbs up to TLG, though - as I said, this is the best movie-licensed train so far.

[peterab]

I agree, though, why don't they just use black? Is it really that difficult? Is there no call for black? It seems like it would be one of the most popular colors for those kinds of pieces.

Many technic pieces are colour coded to help kids distinguish between them. The black ones are from before this was introduced and probably won't be coming back.

[Ballast]

I will get one too, that locomotive just looks awesome. I do think I'll design something else for it to tow though, something more realistic :)

[Lord Insanity]

It looks like the cow catcher, pistons, and small front wheels are all part of the front truck of the locomotive. That might explain why they didn't even try to add the drive rods. Looks like it would be fairly simple to add the wheel rods but adding the piston rods would require a fair amount of redesign. Well that is half the fun after all.

Overall I am very happy with the set. As I own most of the original Western sets, I have been waiting for a good western train for a while. The Toy Story train did nothing for me but the Constitution is a beauty. The Constitution is pretty much spot on to what I think of era and design wise when I think "Steam Engine." Looks like it will go great with my two 10015 Passenger Wagons. The only downside I see to the set is it probably should have had a passenger coach come with it. That's not an issue in my case but the secondary market price of 10015 is already out of reach for most casual fans. (cheapest on bricklink as of posting is $45, the cheapest blue variant of the same set is $89. That is how much the whole set the blue variant came in cost originally.)

[Taiphun]

What about those rods that connect the wheels, aren't steam locos supposed to have those?

[Lazarus]

I expect this to be around $200 NZ no PF in there and does not look like a huge brick count there. Loco looks very basic, looks very close to the toy story one.

[prozac]

So I got this set last night and was wondering if any of you train experts can tell me what I need to motorize this. Only other train I have is the toy story one which isn't motorized either but I think my son would love it if they were.

[oddjob]

Does the instruction book not have PF instructions?

That's really short sighted by Lego if it doesn't.