dtomsen

Well, Phil B, this is where our opinions differ even though I do understand both (articulated) sides of the argument. As I wrote "because TLG can doesn't mean it should" TLG could have acted differently but chose not to. TLG could have picked a harder and more deserving target but chose not to. TLG could have put the hobby aspect above business interest but chose not to. This makes TLG the main villain in this particular case in my eyes.

You miss the point. TLG do target me (as the buyer) and our hobby (more correctly our train niche, not the wider LEGO audience as such) indirectly by making it next to impossible to buy modified LEGO parts commercially from small vensors be that custom painting, ball bearings or whatever TLG might fancy next. Yeah, I can insert ball bearings into LEGO parts myself if I want to but I sure as hell don't have the necessary and expensive equipment to do proper custom painting on bricks myself.

Thanks, however I'm an individual and a hobbyist thus laying my sympathies in that direction whenever businesses fight in court. What I think a lot of people have a very difficult time with is seperating our beloved hobby from the company regarding their own sympathies - and thus ignoring the fact that TLG's action and court victory in this case might actually hurt our hobby in both the short and long run. Because TLG can doesn't always mean that it should.

We are "hobbyist individuals" and buy adapted items from HA Bricks so we don't have to ourselves. So TLG did go after us indirectly as stated by the cited UltraViolet

Some of the train wheels from HA Bricks are actually molded

I'm quite sure TLG would love nothing more than to put BlueBrixx out of business for good but BlueBrixx is a rather large multi-million euro corporation by itself with its own team of lawyers who have fought those from TLG on numerous occasions by now - lost and won a few, a few still ongoing but settled most out of court afaik. HA Bricks is a tiny operation by comparison without the resources needed for a potentially neverending legal battle.

I simply don't agree. My reading, don't make LEGO a business unless you are TLG. You might be fine. You might not and the proverbial hammer might hit you out of the blue. Which will hurt our particular niche as TLG won't cater to it and others dare not, at least not the little guys.

Well, the HA Bricks website is closed...for now hopefully

My own favorite solution for more modern locomotives utilizing blind drivers for three-axle bogies which easily navigates all curves and switches down to R40. Very reliable but gears and axles will inevitable be worn down over time with heavy event duty and have to be checked and replaced. Just basic maintenance 101 With standard train wheels and black hockey puck as the blind driver: (2 x 2 round tile with open stud and 1 x 1 round tile placed on top on it can be used instead as the blind driver). Link Compared to slightly larger MS train wheels: Link In real live action video pulling six passenger wagons weighing approx. 1 kg each with 2 x Technic L-motors, 5:3 upgearing (for more speed) and 1 x BuWizz 2.0 battery box at near max. normal speed, that's 7,2v. The BuWizz delivers up to 9,2v on fast speed and up to 11,2v on ludicrous speed. Each L-motor block: Link

Structural building render: 205 parts excluding P40 switch and ties

I have nothing against competing brands and will always avocate for a unbiased multifaceted view in our hobby but this is a blatantly illegally pirated 10219 Maersk Train and shouldn't be allowed here on Eurobricks even as a curiosity review.

You mean down to TLG's own standards Ball bearings and metal axles are inherently better traction solutions than current plastic one provided. Heck, even the rubber bands from the Crocodile train set would be an instant improvement.

@ToledoRails Let me just say that you have been of of the most open-minded and level-headed people in this whole debacle. To me the tone was just that in the video. Fine and definitely not spiteful in any way. Never change. Keep reviewing all things interesting in our niche hobby with that inquiring drive of yours.

I'm on it, @Ludo First draft:

So I did the unthinkable and bought this non-TLG set. A very rare occurance for me Why? Because I couldn't resist a beautiful huge brick-built 1:22 locomotive as a nice display piece at a very decent price.

Oh, I definitely agree and understand TLG's reasoning behind couplings when the market are toys for small children. This train set however is not and (most if not all) of our dissatisfaction springs from this simple fact.

TLG really should make a new train magnet in the form of the old classic one but with modern neodym magnets instead. Much smaller business entities already have. Solves most problems when pulling a lot of weight with a moderate degree of rolling resistance.

Sweatshops, huh??? Please tell me what this factory owned by GoBricks is then? Steal??? You do know that the underlying TLG patent to the brick expired in 1978 and fundamentally in 2011? And that it was Kiddicraft who invented the actual brick?

I second that!

Sure and thanks, Michael It's not completely finished yet and still needs some overall parts refinement although it's already pretty solid. It also wouldn't work without the two layers of plates. The basis for the construction is bascially this:

My attempt at ballasting the P40 switch. It's a tough nut to crack but it's possible to do it nicely If using one layer of plates for the ballast instead of two like mine, Michael Gale's own solution is still the better choice tho.

Yes, the distance follows the LEGO system geometry and is exacly 8 studs. It's fully compatible. You can read a lot more about the design choices behind the Fx Bricks P40 switch in this blog by Michael Gale.

The future has arrived...finally got my three P40 sets today Much needed addition to the 9v part of our LTC layout:

If I were in that position i.e. being poor at building my own stuff but still wanting realistic looking trains, I would not just look to TLG but orient myself to the wider offerings in our train hobby. Other competing brands, boutique sets (BrickTracks, HA Bricks, BrickMania etc.) and loads of MOC intructions for sale or even free (like Open-L-Gauge). Heck, some competing brands actually offer free instructions to their train sets so they can be built with genuine LEGO if that's what you want. The main problem is that most AFOLs (and many train fans among them) won't touch anything not branded LEGO in any way (not even 3rd party tracks like wider curves than R40) and thus limit themselves to the very slim pickings from TLG and still bitch about it when it's their own choice 🤷‍♂️

I'm good to go should I ever feel the need