NEWS 2014 trains!

[grymg]

the lady says that trains haven't been there for some years and are now reintroduced?! that is strange isn't it?!

Those boutique style passenger and cargo train sets also aren't remade often. It's like a real car. . . new model only comes out every 4 years or so.

[JopieK]

that is true, but that happens to most sets doesn't it?!

[Captain America]

It certainly does c: however she simply used that statement in regards to the trains being reintroduced after having not been released as a focal, core line since 2010. So similarly she would have stated the same if another said theme was reintroduced again after a few years, it just happens to be trains that are reintroduced again this year, hence the statement.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Captain America

[JopieK]

ah, I understand, that is what they learn at marketing school ;) no wonder why our college has such a large buildings for such courses! Nursing school and informatics is much smaller (I work in both schools).

but anyway, no we need to hope that LEGO will focus on the train line a bit better from now on, although I doubt it.

[Captain America]

I completely agree! c:

[AlmightyArjen]

I imagine an AFOL who loves trains that got into a coma in the 80's and wakes up in these days. His first reaction when seeing the train page in the (digital) Lego catalog would be:

"well... that's dissapointing... "

[Captain America]

I suppose like you have said, it's all about the generational difference. I am 19, so I grew up with the current CITY style sets, like the white and green trains from 2006, although I did get the original Santa Fe when I was little. I think the trains of this decade are amazing, though I love all the LEGO trains c:

[AlmightyArjen]

Everyone loves the sets which they grow up with, no doubt... But in the 80/90's there were far more side structures and it was a complete theme. That's what I love about Lego Train theme from that time. Now it's just some trains and a station. Having said that: I never got the side structures when I was a kid (and I wasn't the only one), so I understand why TLG won't go in that direction...

[Captain America]

Awwwww :( yeah actually, looking at the past sets back in the 80's and 90's there were some amazing structures and added additions to the train line. I know what you mean about the train line just being the station, passenger train and cargo train reintroduced in a different style, which is similarly the same as many other themes repeating their models so that the constant generational and focal audience can experience the same target capture, however it would be great to have some more structures. Maybe that would work if LEGO made a separate line for trains, or perhaps in the future we will see a special train set or some more variety.

[codefox421]

I would love to see TLG release a train station in the modular buildings line. It would be interesting to see what they do within the 32x32 space. Plus, it would be something that even non-train-fans could enjoy.

[Sarah]

Disappointed by the trains. The cargo train is too American and i don't like the large single piece ends on the passenger train. I do like the station though as long as the price isn't too daft.

Cheers

Rog

The cargo train is VERY American. That's part of the appeal for me! I see this Train running around the tracks where I live here in Texas all the time. Including the cow! (only one cow, more's the pity).

[SeanM]

Texan here. I can confirm that the train was designed to deliver supplies to Octan Fracking Co. for an Eagle Ford Shale project. Everything except the open cattle car is very realistic.

Can you tell I love the new American train too?

[Hrw-Amen]

I was going to ask about the cattle truck, do they really have ones like that in the USA? I just cannot imagine it as I think the cows may foolishly try to jump out and be injured or worse killed. Perhaps they are similar but with bigger cages?

I have made a couple of the type I have seen in the Uk and they are nothing like this. I'll try and get pictures at some point and post them, I have a lot to post at the moment but short on time.

[dr_spock]

The open concept cattle car might have been done for easier little kids playing. I guess it is not too hard to make it totally enclosed.

[eurotrash]

...the train was designed to deliver supplies to Octan Fracking Co. for an Eagle Ford Shale project.

Then those are the bastards responsible for the earthquakes that have been striking my Lego town recently!

Seriously though these sets might be enough to pull in a new audience of Train fans. And for that I'm grateful for them.

[Sarah]

I was going to ask about the cattle truck, do they really have ones like that in the USA? I just cannot imagine it as I think the cows may foolishly try to jump out and be injured or worse killed. Perhaps they are similar but with bigger cages?

No... The cattle car does not look like the ones I see. They are closed cars -- but with holes between the slats.

[Paperballpark]

Personally I love the new cargo train, and I'm in the UK!

[domboy]

The cargo train is VERY American. That's part of the appeal for me! I see this Train running around the tracks where I live here in Texas all the time. Including the cow! (only one cow, more's the pity).

Agreed! I could be wrong (and I'm sure somebody will pull up an example if I am), but this may be the first time an American locomotive has made it into the regular train sets (not the more adult sets like BNSF, Maersk etc), and I'd say it's about time. I didn't like the yellow cargo train much at all... locomotive is nothing like the trains I see on a regular basis (granted it's better than no train set). I did like the red engine from the 3677 set in 2011 though.

There is probably no way to make everybody happy of course, but it's nice to have some variation in the type of train that gets released. I've got my eye on the blue cargo train. I bought the red cargo train for my (at the time) 4 year old, and his little brother will need a train set too!

Edited March 26, 2014 by domboy

[grymg]

I keep on thinking the blue cargo loco is short but I see it's already built on a 6x28 train base. Maybe it's just an optical illusion. At most it's only 4 studs shorter than the Maersk. I hope someone posts comparison pics.

[Dan-147]

Actually, it seems to be six studs shorter than the Maersk loco and two studs shorter than the BNSF loco (which I thought was borderline short). However, lengthening it to Maersk length shouldn't be too hard considering how common blue parts are.

Dan-147

Edited March 21, 2014 by Dan-147

[lightningtiger]

Remember that it's a city set so staying below or at a price point is a must.

We'll see the real difference when the cargo train gets reviewed in a few months.

[grymg]

Actually, it seems to be six studs shorter than the Maersk loco and two studs shorter than the BNSF loco (which I thought was borderline short). However, lengthening it to Maersk length shouldn't be too hard considering how common blue parts are.

Dan-147

Oh yeah my bad, I forgot the Maersk extends both ends of the base even more with a 4x6 plate, whereas this blue one builds right off the base.

I love the BNSF design, it's a light, agile train with the standard train axles so very friction free and can haul lots of freight. Same with this blue loco.

[pdxbricks]

I like the passenger train set more, the cargo locomotive seems quite short, definitely not in the class of Maersk. But why did they have to use black train wheels (2878c01) on a set that is predominantly grey? I was hoping to see the grey ones re-issued so that I can finisha Santa-fe replica.

[jonwil]

If it wasn't for the fact that I dont usually build train, I would be very interested in the cargo train for parts.

Maybe when it hits I can find a local AFOL who DOES build train and get them to take the train parts and such off my hands (I did the same thing a while back with the red passenger train and the train platform from the same series)

[nesquik]

Everyone loves the sets which they grow up with, no doubt... But in the 80/90's there were far more side structures and it was a complete theme. That's what I love about Lego Train theme from that time. Now it's just some trains and a station. Having said that: I never got the side structures when I was a kid (and I wasn't the only one), so I understand why TLG won't go in that direction...

LEGO 'trains' were consolidated into World City/City because the theme - if you can call it that - was spiralling out of control.

When LEGO products retained the 'System' branding on the packaging, 90% of the time you were required to use the photography to judge what theme that product was from. Many product lines did have additional branding, but what we now associate as 'City' or Town/Trains never did. Therefore, trains had no direct association with the town products, even though they are natural partners.

I was an older child in the Nineties, and whenever I draw comparisons between the products then and now, I have no doubt that the train products are in a much better position today. True, there are fewer options, and as you point out we only really get train layouts and stations, but the focus today is entirely on playability and narrative within a large system. This is so important for children, because it gives the product a reason for being if it was purchased on its own, and then in entirely new ways if a different City product was bought to compliment it.

What AFOLs see as 'flaws' or inconsistencies in design, naturally, are compromises to better suit children's play. That's why City is such an important theme to the company, because the boundaries are already set. For example, the train station that is being released this August features a Taxi (to take people to-and-from other areas of the City, e.g Town Square), and a LEGO Store (which the green Cargo Truck can replenish, and which also drives to the Cargo Terminal).

Likewise, structuring a sub-theme for trains in the Creator line is a good way of focusing on the actual building process and the appreciation for display, whilst also providing the option to play with the model.

So it's very easy to look back with rose tinted glasses, but the Nineties train products progressively became more and more disorganised - much to the point were not only did the products have little in common with each other, but the market was literally flooded. That wasn't good for retailers, and the company paid a penalty

Edited March 27, 2014 by nesquik