andythenorth

The RC freight train is great. +1 to using 2 motors and replacing the wheels with the latest PF wheels (better traction O-ring). My kids love the green train (and the horn).

Flex is an integral part of many (not all) engineering structures.

(Off-topic) Really gigantic Technic doesn't perform that well in my experience. It can be kind of tedious and repetitive to build (subjective argument, probably not more tedious than the Taj Mahal for example). More objectively: Technic beams lacks the strength / rigidity to perform well in large lightweight structures. A lot of bracing is needed, which adds weight. Motors, LAs, pneumatics don't have the strength / throw distance to operate large moving parts. Gears shear teeth or split, and axles twist or snap. This thing I built has 3 rows of double-braced beams forming the chassis, and the rear deck still curves under its own weight. If I stick an XL motor to the diffs, it would simply chew gears, even with planetary reduction hubs Big! http://www.flickr.co...57624454166047/ Innards: http://www.flickr.co...157624355110594

Really nice design.

Slightly off-topic for the thread...how would this play out if 3D printing was more commonly available? People are already printing Lego-compatible parts. Printing plastics is well established, printing rubber tyre compounds will likely happen. Putting aside copyright / patent issues, replicating rare parts might become trivially easy to do. But...there are lots of people who value genuine TLG parts - so the value of rare parts will stay high?

So I was going to ask if anyone has built the B-model yet, but reading the thread suggests that might be tricky right now? This one is up on the UK Lego store now (£49.99 or so). A-model looks good, B-model looks bad...what is that on the front? Root rake? Plough? Dozer blade? @dluders - your persistence with TLG is admirable. One thing though - the Air Force have checklists because Bad Things Happen and People Die if mistakes are made in aviation. Nobody dies because TLG didn't get instructions online. TLG customer service is a different kind of engineering problem, probably just one or more of: straightforward mistakes; deliberately low on the priority list; under-resourcing for the tasks in hand. Your point about selling a B-model, but not being able to deliver is well made though. Not really acceptable, especially in a premium brand (and premium-priced brand). Good luck.

Now live on the UK store http://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Horizon-Express-10233

I can think of four choices for you (there may be more): (1) Make a nerd's day by selling these onwards at inflated prices. (2) Ruin a nerd's day by keeping them and building some MOC of your own. (3) Really make a nerd's day by selling them onwards at just a little more than you paid for them. (4) Really ruin a nerd's day by giving them to a kid who won't know why they're special, and will just build crazy trikes with no symmetry and poor colour choices. I like option 4 myself. YMMV

I had the same issue, with possibly the same cause (I missed out a gear, and connected the RHS mini-LA to the landing gear instead of the door, meh). Studless flexes though, right? Good set, fun to build, big. The kids like it. Functions are interesting. I often don't apply stickers, but this one needs them. EOF

Very unlikely to damage them. My kids run multiple PF and RC engines on the same train, at different speeds (because it's hard to sync remotes). Sometimes they run two engines in opposite directions. No sign of damage so far. AFAIK, the motors and PF receiver have thermal protection which will stop anything really bad happening. Even then - the PF train motor is pretty cheap. I appreciate that it's still quite a cost for a lot of people, but not unaffordably expensive to replace if you had to.

Thanks for the Setechnic tip, I'm checking it out. No other better forums? Ho ho at those jumping to defend their own right to have an opinion. Herp, and derp, as though that was ever the question. Anyone remember rec.toys.lego? Or am I just way too old?

I visit Eurobricks a couple of times a day. It's the best source (other than technicbricks.com) of info about new sets, good reviews, and some awesome MOCs and building techniques. But...it's Eternal September here. http://en.wikipedia....ernal_September I'm so bored of reading posts from AFOLs (I assume) whining that: (1) TLG have produced a line up of new models similar to the ones they've been producing since about 1978. (2) That they don't like parts x, y or z. Post that once, it's feedback. Post it repetitively, it's just whining. (3) TLG have screwed it all up and everything is going wrong, and "they don't understand their fans". These posters are either naive, lazy, or just plain thick. They are either not smart enough, or too self-centered to accept that TLG is a business, has a well-proven business model, and that the business model is not built around whining AFOLs. I have no comment on whether that business model is a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a fact that exists. It's also stupid to place so much dependency for your happiness on the product releases of one Danish toy company; life is so much bigger than that. So, is there a better place to read about technic? (Same issue applies to Town and Trains, but I think better places for those might be easy to find).

The last one was 8053, which is awesome. My kids love it. Anyway, the new one goes to 11.

When I was a kid I was short of a lot of Lego things I thought I needed. Then one day I discovered that you can hack Lego, by taking the bricks out of one model, and using them to build another model. In fact you can build anything you like, limited only by the number of bricks you have, and your imagination. I am pretty certain that this is "against the rules" and not at all what Lego intend you to do. It certainly diminishes the value of your collection (which should really be kept in unopened boxes and never ever played with). But all the same it's a neat hack.

I'm +1 on that. Maybe even 11 or 13 studs. Count the 1x2 grilles on the front. Off-topic: EB should run a poll for age of technic forum posters. I can't work out if everyone here is 16 or just grumpy AFOLs who don't understand that Lego is a toy for kids The same types of model will be repeated over and over and over again, because there will always be new kids who want a crane or tow truck or quad bike or front loader or tractor or bike or whatever

Because every year in Germany tens of thousands of boys have their 12th birthday, and they don't have the big last crane because they were still playing with Duplo or whatever back then. Target market, right? 8421 is getting mentioned a lot, and it was a fun toy to have. But 8053 is only just discontinued, and that was really fun too. Both my kids love it.

Green truck might not be 8285 sized, but more 8109 sized. The grille is 6 studs wide; the overall width by my count is 11 or 13 studs. 8285 is around 15-17 studs wide. Also fits with the smaller box size. Compact models are nice. I think it's a single rear boom (integrated hook and rear lift). Hard to tell though from zoomed in pixels

This one goes to 11.

Who gives a crap. It's just a toy.

I am +1 to that. There's a limit to how many police vehicles my kids want 2013 City stuff looks pretty awesome.

Nah, there really aren't that many train nerds. It's just holiday season, millions of people around the world are buying fire trucks and ninjago ;)

Same issue with the wheel mounts - they fall off when my kids play with this truck.

Ignore the weirdos, if modding it is fun, mod it. It's a construction toy.

Ask santa for some white tiles and plates from Bricklink

The number of City sets ever devoted to AFOLs looks like 0 to me. I challenge you to name one EDIT: think I misread the SheepEater's post and I should wind my neck in. I'd missed the point about buildings. Makes sense.