Carrera124

I'm convinced, I think I'll build it around Christmas 2014. Until then, maybe I'll find a box top that comes in better condition.

Okay, I guess I'll build it. But this won't happen today or tomorrow, I think it needs the right moment. Maybe around christmas. To be honest, I didn't disclose everything And it's not from Bricklink - 500$ is somewhere beyond everything...

Is there any difference between the 4547 club car and it's 10002 re-release? According to Bricklink, I can't spot anything.

To be honest, in most cases I have bad experience with buing used sets, no matter from bricklink, ebay or elsewhere. There was always something missing, or broken. Which resulted in additional purchases in order to complete or improve the used set. I'm tired of that.

The story behind Born in the late 70s, I grew up in the 80s. My favourite themes were town (I received nearly all town sets from that era), and technic. Moreover, I'd always like to have one of those beautiful 4,5/12V train sets, like 7735 or 7745. But my parents told me that I could either get technic stuff set or train sets, but not both themes together. So, it always ended up with increasing my technic collection... In 1991, I saw a new chance. A new system, a new era. 4563 was the set to go. But again, my parents refused, arguing that I would be too old for Lego in general. They were right, I went on to buy my first computer (which is another story) and bought my last Lego sets in 1992. The dark ages started. But they were not 100% dark, as I never missed to grab the new catalog each year, what helped to keep me on track. Some years ago, the dark ages were gone and I went into PF trains. Simply because they were available easily, they were affordable and they were close to 80s looks and standards. In contrast to the city theme, where cars and everything else seems to be extremely blown up, compared to 80s 4wide standards. The story today I never planned to get into 9V trains. TLG has dropped the 9V system quite some years ago, even the support has ended. Sets and parts are highly sought after, and therefore rather expensive, even if they are in used condition. But some days ago, it happened: I managed to get an unbuilt 4558 Metroliner at a reasonable price. I just couldn't resist. Seals are loose due to age, but the parts are still in their trans-clear bags. Opening the set The top of the box looks rather worn: Parts in sorting tray and polybags: Sorting tray, foil is still sticking firmy: Compared to today's sets, the amount of parts looks somewhat small: Instructions in perfect condition, stickers look also very good: What's next? I don't know. Keep the set unbuilt? Build it? Try to get a box which is in better condition? Try to swap it against an unbuilt 4563 set?

A nice little set from the good old times.

I am missing some "basic" things like 1x5 plate and 1x5 brick 1x7 plate and 1x7 brick Of course, you can use 1x2 + 1x3 or 1x3 + 1x4 instead. But in some cases, a single part would be easier to handle and would provide more stiffness/stability.

Thanks for sharing this. I already tried to upload the Model Team contest to BL, but they rejected it.

Do you have pictures of them? I already visited your blog, but wasn't able to find them.

Okay, next time I'l be at home I'll look for a TLG number. Thought it could be an official printing, because of the usage of the logo and because of the first prize.

Nobody ever seen this?

Well done @Heppeng (btw., studded technic rules )

Got (and kept) this promo-flyer since 1990, due to introduction of the new Model Team series in Germany. Don't know if it's an official Lego printing (BL doesn't list it) or if it was custom-made by "Spielzeug Ring" toy store chain. It also contains a mathematical competition, first prize was a trip to Legoland Denmark. Anybody seen this in other german regions, or even in other languages? High resolution files at Brickshelf: Front side: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Carrera124/Catalogs/1990_model_team_1.jpg Back side: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Carrera124/Catalogs/1990_model_team_2.jpg

If you don't want to wait -> Ebay. If you can wait -> Bricklink.

Got a MISB 1092 for 76€ (link)... Bricklink seller wants €699... and MISB 3431 + MISB 3432 together for less than 5€ (link)... these sets don't seem to be very popular.

Of course, there is no effect on product sales. Because TLG doesn't offer monorail sets any more. And lots of people like to watch them, many people buy used and MISB sets. All this proves that monorail is still alive in the minds of many people. So, imho this is clearly a kind of spin-off-effect. But it's useless to continue discussing. As we all know, TLG marketing guys are always perfect and without fail. They never had false estimations. They always placed the most-wanted series, and they never produced too much or too few sets of specific series. We never had the situation that sets were sold out for a longer period (who said "friends"???) or that sets were produced which no one wanted to buy.

Well, a Monorail layout is still an eye-catcher on every exhibition. Sets reach high prices at eBay, which means that many people remind and desire it. -> spin-off effects were everything but zero.

Maybe they never made money, but did the monorail sets really sell so badly? There are tons of sets and rails listed at eBay and BL, and this represents only a small fraction of the total number of all produced sets. They were expensive flagship sets at their times. But like all other flagship sets, this didn't prevent buyers from buying them.

I don't see why a re-release of monorail parts/sets is impossible. Yes, the parts are big and their usage is limited, what makes both producing the mould and producing the parts very expensive. But in the last years, parts of the same category were chosen to be produced. E.g. parts 85976 and 85977: rather big, very limited use cases, and released in only 2-3 sets. So, it doesn'lt look like an isse of pure money/costs/benefit, but rather like an issue of money/costs/benefit + willingness.

Not the oldest, but probably the rarest items of my collection: 1. German game of dice, dated 1984. As you can see, I used to play it when I was younger. 2. Key chain, received it during an local building event in 1985. Never believed it would be something special until I found it at Bricklink.

Nice find. If you consider selling some of the sets, I might be interested.

I used this tool: http://download.cnet.com/ShotTheScreen/3000-20432_4-10967812.html and assigned a special key to generate a screenshot for each step. After that, I used the batch features of XnView to batch-cut all the images files to 640x480, and to batch-rename them.

Yes, I am talking about the traditional ones. They look much better than this ugly-blocky door constructions of the Horizon Express.

I hope that the passenger train will have doors... neither 10233, 7938 nor 7897 have doors, that's a real step backwards in comparison to older passenger trains, and reduces playability.

60050, 60051, 60052