Kivi

As my first criterion when buying a set is the usefulness of its inventory I always take them apart after some time and use parts for MOCs. Same for MOCs, it would simply take up too much space and resources if everything stayed assembled forever.

Unfortunately (or luckily, perhaps) the nearest Lego shop is 500 kms away (well, there are actually two of them). Since I greatly reduced buying sets recently and focused more on individual parts that makes it more tolerable, and it's still great fun when I actually make the trip there, full of expectation what I'm going to find on PaB wall. Yet sometimes I wouldn't mind having a shop closer, just for PaB.

Not once so far. Though when I came back from dark ages and bought myself 6243 Brickbeard's Bounty, I must admit it didn't quite fulfill my expectations. Maybe because I badly wanted a pirate ship ever since I first saw Barracuda when it was released in 1989 and this one didn't quite come close.

I had virtually the same dilemma back in 2010 when I decided to get my first train set and I settled for 7939. As the other have said, it is a very good choice for a start, with points, lots of straight tracks and other stuff, even if a bit pricey. And the engine looks great when hauling either cargo or passenger cars. However, if money is no bigger issue, I would also recommend what one of my fellow AFOLs once mentioned: get yourself two 7938s and Maersk/Horizon. The benefits you get from all those are: - two full circles of curved tracks which are currently not available in track sets - two extra passenger cars from second 7938 - one original and one MODed from the engines - motorization for Maersk/Horizon from second 7938 - full Maersk/Horizon

This is absolutely amazing. I like how perfectly you managed to create all those round shapes on such a small scale. It must have taken some interesting techniques to create all those details. I hope the creation is still sturdy enough for normal handling. Having seen a lifesize replica in NRM York some years ago, I must say that this one looks even better than the real one.