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Another image that shows much more of the train: looks all in one (distance/color sensor on the side, motor below, and an additional two(?) motors on the sides). And the straight track is reinforced underneath, which would be needed if it were flexible. I was clearly wrong about only two new elements (new panel under the train, right?), the gearing, and the small train wheels.

The far more interesting bit from the new education sets is the monorail track. Seen in the background image of this page are a purple straight track and a curved track. Also in the video is a picture of the straight track in use: So let's talk about that: The straight is 16 studs long, compared to 8/32 for the original monorail straights The curve is the same geometry as the original curve, which is an annoying decision as a 45 degree curve allows for the same geometry but with far more versatility (S curves and switch points) 4 studs wide, it looks like the track can be brick built with a couple tiles, jumpers and gear racks. That's excellent. TLG works really hard to limit new elements, so it's entirely possible that the only new parts we will get are the curve and straight. In the pic, it looks like the track is flexing. If there's a single element for the straight track that gets bent to create hills (bend it up for the base, an unbent track in the middle, and bend a third element down to create the top of the hill), that's an interesting design decision. Excellent for hills of arbitrary height, very annoying for building long sections of straight track with minimal supports. Switch points don't seem possible unless they are fully brick built, someone will figure them out but I expect them to be quite awkward without a shorter curve. That's a real let down as switch points took the old monorails from a neat gimmick to something really special. The train itself is anyone's guess, the pic above shows some kind of education hub with a color sensor and maybe a built in motor? An all in one solution controlled by colored bricks would be great, although I worry about battery life. If there's not a built in motor, expect that hub thing in the pic to control an M or L motor vertically driving a pair of 12 tooth beveled gears and an 8 tooth gear as the driver. I guess they could use a double beveled 12 tooth connected directly to the track but the weight of the motor would be off center and it's needed to hold the gear in place. How much weight you can put over the gear will determine how steep a hill this thing can climb. Brick-built train bases using small train wheels are likely, the small train wheels would fit well but there's no (?) existing wheel holder that's less than 2 studs wide, which would be needed. Hope everyone remembers the easter egg official announcement in the Renegade instructions that the Futuron monorail will be the next retro space remake. Are we thinking this summer or a January 2027 release?

I would advise building both sets back to back. There is a reason one of them is talked about and one forgotten. There are many good techniques that were a decade or so ahead of their time in 6074. The asymmetry makes the build much more interesting.

This was originally intended to be an American-style dump truck, but I can see the resemblance here! I wanted to use 56890 but it wasn't available in the BDP 9 palette. I mean...9463...I also experimented with a 1x1 round plate (boring), a 15070 tooth (which looks good but isn't as "fun" as the frog), a 41835 bird available in black which was knocked off too easily, and a gem which wasn't available in the right color. The frog was hands-down the best. Those are a great suggestion, I'll experiment with them in future revisions. I designed with the BDP 8 palette and only realized my tires weren't available when I went to submit the design. I didn't want to redesign the whole chassis around Technic pins so I went with the largest tires that still use the old school wheel holder. I absolutely love that you spotted this, I thought I changed them when I swapped out the lights for luminous colors but I must not have saved or something. I hate renders, they always look like garbage compared to a real pic no matter what I do. I appreciate the posts and feedback here, it's extremely helpful and this place continues to be my favorite Lego forum. As soon as this BDP series is over, check back here for a link to free instructions.

Here's a minifigure-scale dump truck and loader, fully playable. Video of play features: This is part of the Bricklink Designer Program, if you like it please check out more images and support it here: https://www.bricklink.com/v3/designer-program/series-9/3546/Road-Work-Ahead

Where is this information from? I assumed that the castle figures were included specifically so they could be put on PAB and people like me could drop money on the figures. I'm not buying the prize machine but I will take 30 of the Griffin knights and I know many people are with me. The idea of a team needing to "fight" for this instead of a bean counter running the numbers through a spreadsheet is insane to me.

Lego considers exposed studs part of their brand. While we may not like it (similar to the use of different colors on non-exposed areas to make building easier), it's hard to imagine that a multi-billion dollar company hasn't A/B tested this kind of thing extensively and found it more profitable to leave some studs exposed. It also allows posing minifigures climbing up walls or wherever. Fortunately it's nearly always in a way that swapping out a few plates for tiles fixes it so it's hard for me to be too mad about it.

Your use of color is consistently incredible.

I agree...the Prime day sales are a joke. I bought MTS on launch day and got 10% back through Capital One Shopping. Sold the minifigures and goat for ~$150 total after eBay fees, then re bought them (less the capes and sadly the dark red dress) from PAB for ~$20 once they were available. I want to say I got a GWP with this and sold that for another $15-20, too. It's a stupid game, but can be played without too much trouble once you get used to playing it and it seems to be the best way to get reasonably priced bricks.

Yes, I'm wrong - on closer inspection it does look like copper, especially in the first pic. That is excellent, it's a rare color and should allow some very unique army building.

A worthy successor to the viking torso, but the dark red belt will be visible. Reddish brown, meant to represent boiled leather, I think? If you've been paying attention, castle is wildly over-represented already in the BDP. I'm not complaining, but I don't see them doing a castle-specific series.

The different builds at different stages of completion are the most unique and interesting part of this set. And the build itself is excellent with many wonderful details. But I can't believe they let it into the BDP given Lego's stance on religious buildings, and I can't ever see it becoming an actual set.

Retirement has been moved up to the end of this year, so yeah...shame, because it looks like a nice set. I need to pick it up but I'm waiting for a good sale.

I always prefer PAB. I just picked up 60 torsos for under $1 each, and I was able to source legs, heads, helmets, etc., from my own collection and BL for a cost of ~$3 per figure. It's easy ("easy" being relative, i know, but it's just a stupid game to play) to buy extra stuff that's in demand and flip it on eBay or BL to cut that cost further down, too. I wrote a script for this. Although I don't really use it any more, it only matters if you're in a hurry trying to get in-demand parts the day they release. I just wait a month or so extra then everything is in stock. I thought you were kidding with the $149 free shipping threshold. I just checked Australia pricing and wow. You guys have it rough. I'd buy of BL if things cost that much, too.

Yeah, the new castle looks fine. No better/worse than the previous, which was underwhelming. The Rebrickable builds will no doubt be amazing. Minifigures are promising, I'm hoping the snake does not have a emblem and is using bright light yellow to fill out the ranks of a Raven army, but we'll see. I'm going to make a prediction here: Black Knights coming back with a 6086-inspired remake next summer. Why? Redesigned emblem in Lion Knight's castle Letter in Town Square Ghost mold back Masonry brick now available in black Particular attention paid to fan requests in the 3 in 1 and prize machine (2x new factions instead of 1 for each) LKC retiring at the end of this year, all signs point to it being an excellent seller The only things missing are dragon plumes (which were referenced in a marketing video a year ago), barding, a few torso prints and 2 shields. Well within the budget for a flagship set and a replacement for LKC. Whoever is doing the market research for castle is absolutely crushing it, delivering exactly what fans want. I guess maybe MTS wasn't as great as some people wanted, and there's demand for battle packs (why? No idea, PAB is so much better), but still, this is easily the best time ever to be a Lego castle fan.