Forenth

The old buffers move not only side to side but can pivot up and down. This is useful for trains which go up and down inclined track as they don't lever apart when track changes from flat to inclined. The new buffers don't appear to be able to pivot up and down and if so are they weaker when starting up inclines? This could affect the weight and length of the trains we can make. Does anyone know?

Anyone collecting 9V trains, especially just starting out, should keep in mind not only the dark grey / dark bluish grey track colours but also that the whole system has been discontinued for a while now and parts such as track, motors and controllers will only become rarer and more expensive. The problem will change from deciding what to get to if you can get it at all. 9V train motors sold out in the US a month ago with just a few still in outlet stores.

Hi CopMike, Before anything else I don't want anyone to think I don't love Lego, I do and have for many years. However, I do have problems which I hope someone can answer: I ordered from S@H in June and the order arrived missing two sets. This is now 3 out of 8 S@H orders that have been wrong in some way. I used the website to contact them but no reply so I called the Australian contact number and they said they have nothing to do with S@H but took my details anyway. The missing sets arrived soon after in July. They came with a new invoice for a strange amount but my CC showed no new charges. Then in August TLC did charge my CC for the cost of the missing sets. Right now I'm still trying to get my double charge back from TLC. Why is S@H so bad at getting orders and charges correct and customer service so non existent? If I had a reasonable alternative I really wouldn't buy from S@H at all as I expect them to get it wrong when I do. Why the huge price differences between the US and everywhere else. Recently S@H had the discontinued 9V train motors at $9.99 for the US and sold out in a week. They've put them on sale here to Australia at $45 (down from the usual $65). Why still 4 x the US sale price, we have only 10% sales tax. Every set here is priced well above any exchange rate or tax effects when compared to the US. I'm not hoping for preferential pricing just equal. Finally, it would be great if TLC opened an outlet store somewhere on this side of the planet, maybe Sydney or Melbourne. I visited every west coast one in the US when I was there. Lego is the best toy ever but sometimes TLC don't make it easy to be a fan. Only my love of the brick keeps me building :)