Helmantel

I have a lot of trains as well as an almost three year old son and although I certainly understand that you would like to buy him a train, I think he's probably a little too young for it. He will probably enjoy it more if he's older. On the other hand, it's Lego and therefore pretty robust so there's not much that can go wrong.

That could be very possible. I also have some of them and they all came with either the 7735 or 7745. I've also seen them many times in Ebay auctions and every time as part of these two sets.

You would rather cut of your nuts than to spend 200 Euro? I'm a big fan of the 12V trains, with the 7740, 7727, 7750 and 7760 being the favorites. Another favorite is an "official LEGO MOC" (LOC?) from the 7777 idea book: Oversized Image Removed Of course, from an objective point of view, those old trains are just rather crude kids toys and some of the MOCs of recent years are much more detailed, realistic and impressive. I like them alot (especially steam engines), but those old 12V trains from my childhood just as much.

Cool, another train, it's starting to look like 1981 :) (when there were two 12V passenger trains, a 12V freight train with steam engine, a 12V steam engine, a 12V diesel engine, a 4,5V freight train and a push along passenger train with steam engine.....those were the days!)

I agree, they won't very well. Reasons for their rarity: they were only available for a few years. They probably didn't sell that many because they were rather expensive so people probably spent their money on something more usefull, like remote points or signals.

Very nice! I have a lot of grey era 12V trains myself (actually, all of them), but I never seem to find the time to finish my layout....

What was they color of the bars if they were the wrong ones, and were they the long ones at the "front doors" (umbrella stand)? I have one engine with dark grey ones while they are supposed to be red. Could that mean it's a Limited Edition? Actually, since the only difference between the regular and the limited edition one seems to be a tile with a number, I don't really care if it is.

I'm a 80's 12V (grey era) collector myself, but 70's Lego is certainly nice, especially when you have a whole layout from the same time. I have a few of the 70's train idea books (239a 241) and they are great.

I own 7822 and 7824 to go with my 12V trains. I really like both but 2150 is the best station Lego has brought out in my opinion. I owned two which I planned to combine and use them with my 9V layout (just a Santa Fe and Emerald Night) and modular houses, but it looked so small compared to the rest that I decided to sell them. Unless Lego brings out a train station Exclusive/Modular, I guess I'll build my own (maybe 2150 inspired). I don't really mind if a layout is not so realistic or if the scale is off, as long as everything is of that standard. That means that I like an 80's house as much as new Creator house, but not side by side.

The curves of 4,5 V and 12V track have ribs only on the outer rails (and the inners are smooth), which allows some slippage.

The van from the Vestas windmill 4999 always reminds me of an older Fiat Ducato

I agree that it's really cool. I actually have two (one is not complete: the control tower is missing).

Early ones have a tendency that the bottom plates lets loose from the cover (I guess the glue they used doesn't last as well). Nowadays, that's an advantage, because it allows you to open the motor and make repairs. If they are still glued together, it's very difficult to open them without damage.

The details are nicer than the building, IMO. I agree that it looks a bit plain. I also really like the Creator houses and of course the Modulars (who doesn't?) although the Creator houses lack the nice City style details. It is nice though that Lego finally offers a house again in the City/Town line. Except for this limited edition one from 1996, the last regular one dates from 1990! Although the Creator houses sort of made up for it in recent years.

I just received and built mine, which was in "Mint in no longer sealed box and bags since we started building but never finished it" condition. There were some left over parts (mostly the typical 1x1 round plates and similar small stuff and, a bit suprisingly, a 2x6 plate), but no technic beams.