talos

I heard the reason for the multiples of a particular part in a shop is the way they uploaded their inventory. They 'parted out' a set, and each time they did that, they created a new item. So if several sets used the same parts, each one would become a separate item on their shop. Its laziness I think, they don't want to take the time to combine all the parts into a single total... You don't have to use the autofill option, just go down your list of items and manually add the number you want to buy.

Oops, missed that. Still, over 400 miles from here! Oh well...

Nothing in California either...

Kind of hard to know what you're talking about from your post... I think a lot of the online instructions are pretty poorly executed. I think they did an auto scan, and save in PDF format. Then no QC on the product. The contrast is pretty bad for a lot of the old sets I have tried to get the instructions to build. Dark brown/black/dark red are barely distinguishable. Luckily there are other sources for some old sets. I got some much better versions from the 'LetsBuildItAgain.com website. They don't have everything though.

I agree they don't fly off the shelves like other sets. My last purchase at my Lego store near me, for some track, I got the switching track sections set, and the packaging inside had advertisements for the red cargo train, the one before 60052. So its been sitting a long time on the shelf, unsold! I was surprised.

I see its out of stock already on the Euro S@H sites... I think its right, they are holding it back on the NA sites, probably figure 'they don't like that kind of train' LOL oh right..

City Square is $189 in USA, that is pretty steep.

It hasn't appeared on the USA site yet... :-/ only the City Square has, so far....

I thought I read somewhere it was 1 June to be available, so if some are finding it in stores, makes sense.

S@H USA is throwing in a free, unlisted Jurassic Park poster in orders, I got one this week. It wasn't mentioned in the invoice, just showed up in the delivery box.

I got a chuckle that they made the token steer a longhorn...hahaha. I kind of felt they put the set together and they had X amount of budget left over, so made a half pint car and the result was the cattle wagon.. :-) Just another one of my theories. I too delegate some parts of sets to the parts bin or redo it my way after a short time of leaving it as is, I hope everyone at least considers that, and are not so rigid to 'never' change anything on a set.

It needed a prehistoric cookie hunt theme. ;-)

I see that the Natural History Museum Ideas project got turned down on the latest Ideas set announcement... Figures...I think any type of building is doomed, too complex and competes with their existing lines.

When using BL, really need to be on top of things, like your address, and make sure its all current, matching PayPal address is the best way to go. Most in the US sellers get a tracking number with the shipment, but lately I have been running into sellers that neglect to send it to me. I have to ask. Just yesterday I realized I had one order from two weeks ago, and never got a tracking number. I sent them a message and they said...oh oops, your order has been sitting on my desk and I 'forgot' to mail it. Well gee... They sent the tracking number, and I see it was sent yesterday and I should get it today. Really is a pain when they do things like that, and they are within driving distance of me, so it should come today. I hope they can resend your order, or do something helpful...

Yesterday was fun, every time I tried to log in to the USA S@H site, it would accept my credentials, and show my avatar that I was logged in, but when I tried to go to my order status page, it would ask me to log in again...infinite loop! None of the VIP info would ever show up either. This morning it seems corrected though. Maybe they were fixing other problems... I don't trust using 'remember me' on most sites... I am a little paranoid. Never let it save my CC info either!

The Brick Fan has official photos now...not much more though. http://www.thebrickfan.com/lego-city-heavy-haul-train-60098-official-images/

I got home today, and see this large box on the porch, I knew my Lego order was coming, but by USPS, because it was just a small order. So I was surprised when I saw such a large box. Then I picked it up and it was quite lightweight.... Usually this size box comes from FedEx. I was wondering if maybe I got the wrong thing, but no, it was the right items...and a huge mound of air bag packing! My best guess is that they ran out of smaller boxes and this was what they had to do...

^that's how I was moving mine also. At least before I added the battery box and motor, I hope that doesn't make it too heavy. I should try it and find out..

Turned into the plastic flour mill...ouch!

I have had it easy and hard to do this. The older a set is, the more difficult it is probably going to be to get the parts. A lot of the older sets used parts that have since been replaced or discontinued, and you have to pay a high price for them, or be willing to make substitutions. I don't have any problem making substitutions, and sometimes, I think it makes for a much better set. Its just for me anyway, so I don't need to be religiously stuck to the exact parts. Saves me a lot of money too, and I am can do more with what I have.

I got my 60052 from Amazon, for $156, so was a good deal. I want this new train, since I don't have any European styles yet. I will probably redo the cars into other things though...nice to add to my parts collection.

Argh, another helicopter for my collection of helicopters... :-P

I have tried to use BnP, but I am never lucky to find what I want there. When they are not selling a set with a certain color, it just isn't available. In the end, I find so few parts, its not cost effective to purchase anything. Try pricing some dark orange brick on BL, you will get an idea how expensive it can be, for me at least. Haha, Yes, I have been trying to utilize what I have to build something I designed, but always come up short. I must say though, the Simpson's house has been the most useful for parts of any of my sets. It has a huge amount of brick and plate and tile in single colors. I just need to figure out some use for all the large panel pieces. I think I have an aversion to using parts like those, preferring to brick build everything.

I ordered an M motor for my Ferris Wheel, so yes, I think doing my part for a run on the power functions items (got it a couple days ago)... Ooh and perish the thought that they would put out new sets with the PF options promoted, but not increase production of said items.. LOL I can't find any of the PF parts at my local store either, so at the mercy of the perpetually out of stock S@H site. I'm waiting for 2battery boxes as well.