dtomsen

Sigh, not all their parts are low quality with some as good overall as genuine LEGO.

Afaik, the internal components of the PF parts are not produced internally by LEGO but sourced and assembled from elsewhere, mostly China. Yeah, that means Chinese rechargeable batteries, motors etc. And commercial shelves stuff too - definitely not top of the line specialized stuff. 12V was the last product line produced completely inhouse by LEGO. ---------- So far my own experience with PF-motors, battery boxes and controllers from other brands (clones and 3rd party) have been quite an eye-opener. A few have been pure gash, most have been average but some have been quality on pair with those from LEGO or dare I say even better Take the PF M and L-motors from BlueBrixx (probably produced by Chinese brand CaDa) for example: They both have noticable more rotations, slightly more torque but are more current hungry. They are more fuzzy about overvoltage though. Longlivity unknown but build quality seems exactly the same as genuine ones*. I've driven them very hard and none have broken down so far. The price from new is extremely favorable to genuine ones and more so now that they are not being sold by LEGO anymore and prices on BrickLink are skyrocketing. *I hope Philo is going to test both more properly in the not so distanct future so we'll know what's what ---------- For me as a train builder what LEGO doesn't or won't sell anymore is all fair game as long as any patents, copyrights and other laws haven't been broken. My own brand loyalty doesn't extend to price-gouching second-hand markets like BrickLink

Just a heads up The way Berthil builds the NS Vossloh G400B is very different to mine due to the reverse engineering. The final result is the same though. Great set-up

I also received my 3 packs of straights this weekend. The famous LEGO motto "Det bedste er ikke for godt" sure fits in this instance. As close to perfection as one can expect

Interesting review of an interesting product, thanks

I build my own stuff, man I use PF parts with the third party providers BuWizz and SBrick/Fx Bricks, so I'm not missing out on much but probably ahead. They all offer far more options than PU for not a whole lot more all things considered. And with backward compatibility (and forward with BuWizz 3.0) Standard PU is so limited it's rather embarrassing for the high price. For shows I use 9v (or hybrid solutions) whenever I can. It's still far easier to set up and run without constant supervision and change of batteries. My view is rather bleak because the situation is exactly that regarding new train parts, systems (including tracks) and sets from LEGO. Not for me really (having already dropped some of my own inclinations toward brand loyalty myself) but for those insisting on genuine stuff only. They are the ones missing out what is currently available elsewhere I just find it rather sad that LEGO is the limiting and not the enabling factor today for us train fans.

I strongly disagree. PF changed to the more limited and expensive PU, rechargeable batteries gone, standard train wheels changed for the worse, train windows gone, train doors gone, black 4 x 6 train tile with 1 stud gone. I could go on and on. More so if including the 9v era. And train sets are not only a question of quantity but variety. Where are the train stations, steam engines, sheds, crossings, standalone wagons etc.? TLG is not doing right by train builders or fans at all, just the casual set collector. An occasional and ever shrinking bone doesn't change much.

My own experience with the BlueBrixx PF L-motors have been great so far. They seem the same quality-wise as their LEGO counterparts with slightly more rpm, same torque and more current hungry. A bit vulnerable to overvoltage though. I'm trying to get them tested by Philo but overall they seem much better value for money as is. They are in all likelihood made by CaDa, so if BlueBrixx is out if the question due to shipping costs or other reasons, maybe look in that direction. YouTube "reviews" in German of some of the alternatives: one and two. With LEGO having retired PF already, they only ones you are not supporting are the price gougers in the second-hand market

If I haven't made it clear enough elsewhere, Duq....this is a bloody marvelous MODEL

Night time. Second to last render and getting the hang of how luminous colors and intensity work in Stud.io.before a "really big one" And another test video too: 2 x PF L-motors, 20:12 upgearing2 x BuWizz 2.0 Maximum normal speed (7,2v), forward The weight of the locomotive alone is approx. 1.040g and each wagon is approx. 920g, so the total weight of the train set in the video is close to 5 kg.

That expense excuse for new molds for the old train part doesn't hold up very much since the Chinese manufacturers have no problem making them and even expanding them into colors otherwise unavailable from LEGO 🤔 The retired train window 1 x 4 x 3 now exists in the following colors as clone bricks with idential quality for peanuts compared to the second hand market: Red, Dark Red, Reddish Brown, Dark Green, Blue, Dark Blue, Orange, Dark Orange, Tan, White and Flat Silver. And that's not the only retired train part being offered and greatly expanded upon. So demand for these parts seems sufficent for Chinese manufacturers to make new molds but not LEGO? The Chinese manufacturers aren't eactly mom-and-pop operations anymore but serious players in the global toy industry.

I wouldn't compare LEGO trains with H0 but 0 - and then LEGO trains becomes very much the cheaper option at the same size and can be rebuilt. More pros and less cons

Not only do LEGO not give us train builders enough new train sets or parts, they often retire some of our most beloved evergreen parts, like train windows train doors, old magnets, old buffers, rechargable battery boxes etc. replacing them with lesser parts and sometimes not even replacing them at all. The problem isn't so much indifference and status que but actively destroying LEGO as a viable option for us train builders imo. So I reluctantly look elsewhere but for every step it gets easier and easier

Nope, BlueBrixx. I'm not particular a fan of the company but their train parts are too hard to resist for a train builder first and collector dead last. What a sad hobby are we when it's more accepted to paint LEGO parts than just buy those rare or unavailable parts from another brand

My mistake about Xingbao Regarding where BlueBrixx source their parts. It's not that hard to work out They have stated in their China factory tour YouTube videos where they source their System parts, i.e. Lele. Whether they still do or will in the future remains to be seen. Their PF parts are very similar to Cada, including the components inside. They have also stated in their YouTube videos that they paid and own the track molds themselves since they couldn't find a suitable supplier. They also run a smallish storage, sorting and packaging facility in China themselves so their molding machines might be placed there... l'll admit I find stuff like this interesting to figure out