peterab

I'm glad there is still trains in the new Hello Kitty direction, but why do we need another incompatible track system. I'd like a word with our Hello Kitty ambassador.

You will probably find the 8878 will allow your trains to run longer on a charge, other than that there should be little difference in performance. 8878 is reported to have very good charging circuitry which might mean it last longer than your AAAs depending on how much care you take of them.

Or it could just be too early. As LT said Lego Australia don't have a release date yet, so I doubt it will be in any Australian catalog. By the way I think it is a very unsound idea to try and infer anything about international distribution from Australia. We are a very small market, and seen as difficult by TLG. Most of the timing of our releases is different to the rest of the world because of the time shipping takes, this means we either get things earlier or later than other markets. About the only time we see new stuff is if it is revealed in the catalog sent out to Australian Lego Club members in December like happened with Power Miners a couple of years ago. I've been told by a Lego Certified Professional that this set will be in the normal city line to replace the Yellow Cargo Train. The only way I can see this as being an exclusive is if a retailer is given it as an exclusive for the first six months as happened with the passenger train here in Australia. After that everybody got it.

The metroliner has already been re-released once, so I doubt we'll see it again. To change it to power functions would require new instructions so an added expense and I've read re-releases have not enjoyed good sales. This would be a good idea IMHO. Something like the old 4.5V engines, with a little modernization, but retaining the simple drive gear so it makes a good toy for kids. Add a couple of small carriages and you have a great small train.

Yeah, but it would never have been marked down to half price it it was selling well at full price.

Are you sure? I bought one at half price because they had to drop the price to get rid of them. At the time nobody wanted them at full price.

I'm surprised Jaster didn't mention it since it's his thing - the prototype doesn't have buffers so a custom plough might be better.

I thought that was what the internets was for :-)

Welcome along, can we expect a series of different coloured box cars being revealed?

A simple container with some mysterious printed panels; The printed panels were purchased at Brickvention 2011. They are printed in Denmark on real LEGO bricks, and will never be produced again. The seller wasn't at liberty to reveal any more details.

Doesn't that decrease the chance of getting it for your birthday? Wouldn't it be better if it were released a couple of weeks earlier :-) S@H says 1st April for Australia, but I'd be surprised if we see it in shops here till Xmas, maybe the June sales.

I think it was Mike who came up with the galvanised iron as he built the school, Tim and Mike worked together on the layout shown.

This all depends on local laws, and if it might have a severe financial effect on you prudent business practice would be to see a lawyer (I'm not one), but generally speaking I'll give some broad advice. TLG have in the past been quick to defend what they see as transgressions on their copyrights, patents and trademarks. Some of these legal actions they have lost, so maybe they have been too quick. I've been told their US legal team is particularly keen. On the other hand there are successful small businesses such as Big Ben Bricks, Brick Arms, Brick Forge etc. TLG has even worked with Ben from BBB so they are not dead against all third party products. A small business would be mad to even attempt to defend against TLG, purely because the cost would outweigh any profit you might make. It is far better to avoid any possible problems. Here are a few suggestions; Don't infringe on any copyrighted material, which includes set designs, part designs, sticker sheets, instructions, set photos etc. If you need to use an official TLG set or part as an illustration, make your own photos and be clear the LEGO design isn't for sale. Anything you sell should be completely built yourself, ie your own molds not re-molded or modified from LEGO parts. Don't infringe on TLG's trademarks, such as the word LEGO, the font used one their logo, the logo itself etc. This pretty much means don't use them on or in advertising for your product. I'm not sure if TLG patents each new type of brick, but if they do you can't use the same idea as those in the patents. How long a patent lasts and where it is recognized varies around the world, so check with your local patent office if unsure. TLG have a disclaimer they like fan sites to use to make it clear they are not involved, it would be wise to use that. They also have guidelines about the use of the word LEGO, only as an adjective, ie LEGO set, LEGO bricks. I think they also like it always in all caps. You can probably find this on their website. TLG see their most important asset as the LEGO brand. They'd probably much rather stomp a single small entrepreneur than face complaints from consumers who have confused the two. Even worse is TLG facing a law suit from a child injured by a faulty product produced by the entrepreneur. Make sure any product you make is safe, and is very clearly nothing to do with TLG. I've been told by employee's of TLG that many people can't tell the difference between LEGO products and clone brands, and ring up to complain about Megablocks, Tyco etc. To really avoid trouble you have to make it clear even to simpletons that your product is in no way associated with TLG. Of course for marketing purposes you probably want to make it clear it works with LEGO bricks. That's why so many clones refer to things like 'other brands'.

This shows a great galvanised iron effect on the school building roof and fence. It's these in silver and grey for alternating sheets. It's the best galvo I've seen

I've been told by an informed source that 3677 is intended to replace 7939. So once 3677 starts being produced I doubt 7939 will be made anymore. What I don't know is when 3677 will be released, or how much stock of 7939 is still around. There have been reports of people ordering 7939 and having the order canceled because it couldn't be filled, so I'd guess it is no longer being produced at least in some markets. All this suggests to me that if you wish to buy 7939, you should do it as soon as you can.

I sometimes wonder if you are very young. Octan is a fictitious company made up by LEGO. They own the rights so they don't need to be licensed to sell them anywhere. Octan sets such as the eight wide tanker train carriage have been sold in the US.

Not for long discontinued sets they wont.

From a price per part view they are great value for money. The design and building techniques are great too.

Yep, a green helmet, and a frog make an excellent turtle, I've seen it a couple of times now.

I'm pretty sure someone reported earlier that the Yellow Cargo train doesn't appear in a European second half dealer catalog, though the passenger train does. No trains appear in the current Australian dealer catalog that I scored at the Melbourne toy fair, but only fairly new stuff seems to be in it. I'm guessing stocks of the Yellow train will be allowed to naturally run down for the rest of the year and we'll see the red one before Christmas.

Most people who build detailed trucks like yours also build 8 wide, since the trucks should be under the engine not sticking out. You seem to want to head in this direction anyway with your length. 6 wides involve many scale compromises but end up with easier to run models (particularly on the tight LEGO curves). The trade-off with 7 or 8 wide is you end up building a much heavier engine. That's OK, and in fact done often, particularly with big steamers. Many of them use 4 XL motors so they can pull reasonable loads. A 7 wide base has its own problems, mostly due to the odd numbers, and how to get the motor axle hole centrally located, 7 wide cab on an 8 wide base is easier.

My guess is since he has modified LEGO bricks, it would be possible for these to be confused with an official LEGO product. LEGO would be within their rights to demand he not sell anything with their logo on it. I would imagine LEGO would also want to avoid any association with a third party electrical product.

No sign of it in the dealer catalog.

To lessen the binding on curves, is it possible to move the wheels closer to the center? Wheels are very rarely on the very end of two axle carriages.

I think he means that if they are built out of metal, and therefor carry current, anybody who only wants them to expand a 4.5V or PF layout doesn't need that feature.