ritzcrackerman

I agree. The update is nice, and reflects the most recent iteration of the German ICE. The 2006 release looked like the ICE-1 from the '80s, and now you have a revamped design looking more like an ICE-3 / T. I prefer brick-built solutions for train noses as well, in MOST instances; but in the 6-wide scale, and even larger - I honesty haven't seen anything brick-built that does these sleeker types of trains justice (with all due respect to the builders who have tackled them!) You're not going to sell a passenger train concept to a kid where the business end of the sleek train doesn't look right. The Horizon Express bucked this trend, but also incorporate only a few relatively new parts (like the windshield, if I recall) to make it work. I'm very much looking forward to the passenger train. :) *** Oh, and another comment - the nose on the 7897 fits TERRIBLY. IMHO, LEGO had still not quite gotten back on track by 2006, and it is a pretty lousy design. This way, you can just pretend the 7897 never happened.

I know this is the City thread, but Duplo-ized Batman and Joker are really bizarre.

I, like many other kids in the same era, got the Black Seas Barracuda from Santa when I was probably 7 or 8. Must have been 1989, or maybe 1990? I remember being crestfallen when we came downstairs to see what Santa had brought, as I didn't see a single gift that was as big as the Black Seas Barracuda's. One of my gifts was a sketch pad, which when I opened up to the first page was a note from "Santa." It read something to the effect of "Merry Christmas. For a big surprise, look in the vacuum closet." I opened it up, and voila! It seemed like such a MASSIVE box, obviously the largest LEGO set I had ever received. The massive flap on the front when you opened it up - for a 7-year old, it was pretty awesome! I know it's just "stuff," and me being an AFOL today hearkens back to a nostalgia for better times and I know TLG is laughing all the way to bank as they cash in on my nostalgia. But that memory still sticks with me today. I can relate to a previous poster, as we were certainly not wealthy, and I know that thing cost my folks $99.99 (before tax). It was still quite the experience to receive on Christmas and simply be overwhelmed by the size. It also reminds me of how much my folks sacrificed for me.

Excellent and clever parts usage. I especially like the use of the window frames with gold latice - such a simple use, and it looks like gilded bottles or merchandise in a high-end department store. Fantastic. I will let you know right now, I will be borrowing every single one of your ideas you present here. :) Hopefully you consider that a form of flattery and not thievery. Cheers! one other suggestion - if you have any of the 1x2 tile pieces from the CMF lines with cell phones (I think the socialite from Series 10 with the chihuaha; some of the pink Friends phones; the Good Cop/Bad Cop from the Lego Movies series) - those would also make good displayable merchandise (and maybe even preferable to the generic dashboard/gauge tiles you have right now).

This is a great building. Do you have a picture of it with other modulars on either side? As other posters have said, the entrance is fantastic - It has a real "hole in the wall" feel (like you'd miss if if you walked past). I bet a photo of it integrated in to a street layout would make your presentation even better.

I haven't seen these posted in this forum before, so I'll send this link: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/collections/display/cubesCases?productId=10022884 I have 3 of these, and I really like them; the figures don't stay in place, but you can tack down baseplates if you want. The stacking platforms are also nice, and they are good quality.

Ugh, just read some other press releases - the Simpsons CMF will jump to $3.99 EA in May. That's getting to be a little much...

And he has a lot of stiff competition within the great sets he's created thus far for TLG. He is definitely one of my favorite designers. I wonder if they'll ever turn him loose on a modular...

Great entries this year. I had a really hard time narrowing it down. But I can say unequivocally - these were my choices for most emblematic of the "spirit of the holidays" and most "like" official LEGO sets. I could incorporate these into my layout and they would be a perfect match: 26. Moctown - 1 27. Galaktek - 1 38. Vecchisasignoraceppo - 1 51. Righty - 1 53. Cara - 1

I was fortunate enough to find all of them (plus a couple of extras for the ones I wanted doubles of) at a local Target. Spent about an hour feeling through packages. Word to the wise - I found this series the hardest to discern by the "feel" method. A lot of them feel similar, with only a handful of differentiating pieces, which can be stuck between the included check sheet and minifigure base. The cat lady, Velma Staplebot, Shakespeare, Mermaid, and Abe Lincoln were the hardest to find, and the rack I searched through seemed pretty untouched. I found tons of cops, tons of Emmets, and lots of Taco Tuesday guys. Anyways, good luck searching. :) It's a fun series. I got doubles of Wiley Fusebot, the Calamity Drone, and Wild West Wyldestyle, they'll make good accompaniments to my Lone Ranger figs (heaven knows if and when we'll ever get a Western theme again...)

Thank you, this is an awesome post; he's captured the 6W train on 4W gage track look, which looks amazing!

Thank you for posting, I was able to find some other places for inspiration as well. I'll tackle the bricks tonight! I guess "narrow gage" is probably not the right term for me to have used; more, 4-wide track layout with a mini train.

Although not yet official, there are likely 2 new trains set for release Summer 2014. So the two in question (red passenger and yellow cargo) are likely going to be in short supply between now and then. If you have not already, I'd jump on purchasing one or the other. The yellow cargo is superior in terms of play value. It's easy to supplement, and there are enough complementary "work" vehicles sold by LEGO right now to enhance the play value (cargo trucks, cargo trains, etc. etc.) The yellow cargo was my 2nd train (after the Emerald Night) and still one of my favorites. :) I was one of those kids that always looked fondly at the train adverts included with my LEGO sets, but my folks never got them for me. I've made up for that and then some in my AFOL years. Cheers!

I looked for another comparable topic, so thought I would start a new one. Has anyone had success with a motorized narrow gauge railroad? I have been perusing Eurobricks, and finally have a design concept in mind - I found this little gem on Cuusoo, which I intend to borrow heavily from. http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/35520 Railbricks Issue 12 also has instructions for a mining cog train in 5-wide, that required a modification to the small train wheel to fit a Technic axle pin. I figure I will: 1) Build the locomotive, and two carriages - locomotive will have a modded small train wheel 2) Second carriage will house a PF M motor 3) Third carriage will house power supply (modded PF cable and standard 9V battery, per this page: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/168223) Oh, I wish LEGO would relase a "S" PF motor... It would make things so much easier... Has anyone had any other success using "illegal" techniques - such as third party motors, or power supplies to cut down on weight/size? Anyways, post your solutions and/or successes below.

It would not be the end of the world, as long as the nose fit actually fit and sat flush with the train base. I really want to love the 7897, but those flaws just stick out like a sore thumb. I would like a re-boot of a German style ICE train, however.

Probably my second or third favorite of the line. And I think the minifigures are great. Could have used a "plumber's crack" for some back printing, however. :)

Agreed. The alt face is very eery and disturbing.

I found the last copy of this set at my local LEGO store and picked it up for me and my 4-year old to put together New Years Eve. She loves it, and so does dad. It's super-fun. I just left it as the alt-model for her to play together with her cousins (that and the Cloud Cuckoo Palace) and they were occupied for hours. Good show, TLG.

Not that I'm complaining about more inverted domes- but it is curious they did not re-use the plunger piece from the CMF series.

Someone else noted the icecicles. Very simple, but a great detail. I don't like the "trans blue flame" piece on the Winter Village post office, but I know now what I'll be replacing them with.

Agreed.

thank you!

I LOL'd at this. I would like to hear other AFOL perspectives on the significance of a "winter market." I for one love to visit quaint villages during the holidays, where I can window shop and go indoors to brick-and-mortar storefronts to escape the cold. The prospect of outdoor carnival food and a carousel during the winter just sounds cold. I agree also with the vendor stands. When I was done with the cottage, I felt like it was a $100 set. When I finished the market, I was like "that was $100?"

Oh, boy. About what was to be expected. I'm going to have to get a complete set, it would appear (although the Simpsons are about 10 years past their prime). Now, if this were to open the doors for a Futurama line of minifigures, THEN I would be excited.

I finally got around to pulling out the holiday decorations yesterday, and set up my Winter Village. What a great feeling it is every year to open up my dedicated tub and set up my tableau of winter sets! It's gotten now to where it's so big, I'm going to have to find a new way to display it. Currently, they're arranged on top of my piano, but I've run out of room! So my question is: Which Winter Village set is your favorite? Least favorite? And why? As a reminder, the 5 "official" winter sets (excluding polybags & exclusives) are: 10199 - Winter Village Toy Shop (2009) 10216 - Winter Village Bakery (2010) 10222 - Winter Village Post Office (2011) 10229 - Winter Village Cottage (2012) 10235 - Winter Village Market (2013) My favorite: I have really become fond of the Winter Village Cottage. It was a delightful build, the color scheme (light blue, gold, dark brown, some splashes of red/green) is not necessarily traditional but it works, and I love the roof with with the heavy dense snow effect over the eaves. The interior details are also perfect - tiled floor, fireplace, grandpa sitting by the fire with a newspaper, etc. This has grown to my favorite of the pack. Even the mini builds (igloo, wood shed/shop, and snow plow) add to the Winter Village and aren't just redundant structures. This set made me the happiest when I pulled it out, and has really grown on me. Don't forget the little sled (creative use of parts), and a perfect Stihl chainsaw. Least favorite: I still think the Winter Village Post Office is the "odd duck" out of the five. The post office van (like the red truck Brick Friday freebie this year) doesn't work as a 6-wide vehicle with 4-wide windshield. The stickers have peeled a bit and the french horn design is uninspired. The pavillion, although creatively designed, doesn't add to the set and its playability is limited as the techniques used to get the angles on the sides make it difficult to put more than one minifigure inside it. And let's not forget, why would a boy have a green hoodie with a grey shirt? Or a small boy playing outside with overalls but no winter coat? I kind of feel this set has the least unifying thematic designs across the board, unfortunately. And the ugliest street lamp design of all five. Anyways, please post and comment!