New Trains for 2010?

Check out this video.

News story.

At about the 1 min. 35 second mark where the LEGO exec is taking you can just spot what looks to be the rumored new 2010 train sets in the background.

Cale

those shelves at the stores looked pretty well stocked to me? Are there any other pics of the train sets anywhere else that you know of?

Not that I know of. I found that link on Eurobricks.

Cale

Oooooh. That yellow whateveritis looks really cool.

Well I'm definately going to be getting the train set I think. I've been waiting and now is the time to do it I think. The trains looked pretty cool. Now which to get Freight or Passenger! Oh my!!


She looks SO happy. You can see both (Red- Passenger)(Yellow-Freight)

Found it!
Definitely getting the Cargo/Freight Train.
.

I'll most likely buy one of each set. I am a train geek after all. And I'll probably pick up two of the passenger trains and use the parts from the second to build more cars for the set.

It still irks me though that LEGO continues to sell straight and curve track together. I'm seriously looking at making one of the main loops on our future train layouts Power Function only. Nate and I have the PF locomotives to do it and buying the plastic track (even with being forced to buy unneeded curves) would be much cheaper than paying those inflated prices for 9v on ebay or Bricklink. I would just end up with far more curve track than I would ever need.

Cale

maarek wrote:Found it!
Definitely getting the Cargo/Freight Train.
.

Cale,

ins't there a way to modify the all plastic track to be able to use 9v power by adding metal lining? is that not possible? or perhaps it's cost prohbitive?

maarek wrote:Cale,

ins't there a way to modify the all plastic track to be able to use 9v power by adding metal lining? is that not possible? or perhaps it's cost prohbitive?

It can be done with aluminum, cooper or some other conducting tape. How ever it's a pain to do and I'm not really interested any way.

Nate and I already have enough Power Function steam engines in our roster to make a Power Function loop a viable option. In fact we were running PF engines on one of the loops at Kids Fest 90% of the time. I have a set of Power Function Diesels in the works and another steam engine or two. The Sanders brothers now have a very nice PF train, and Nate probably has another PF engine or two in the plans. An all plastic Power Function loop at this point is a perfectly viable option. One loop would still remain 9v for older trains however.

This would be a much cheaper alternative to future layout expansion. All my current 9v straight track is taped out and Mike Tighe contributed @120 staights to the BrickFair and Kids Fest layouts. The larger layout we hope to do for BrickFair 2010 will need a lot more track. If we were any other club we might be screwed because of 9v dependency. But we're one of the few clubs out there embracing the new Power Function system so it's actually not a big deal for us. I just need to find a good use for all those extra plastic curves.

Cale

Cale, we could not agree with you more. The conducting tape is very difficult to use. We have aluminum and copper, but have yet been successful to completely electrify it and run 9v trains. Kyle and I have also embraced the direction of Power Functions, and with our trains and layout we have decided to go that route. We have the Reading Rambles Train and two diesels that need detailing that are power functions, pictures should be coming soon...

But the combination of curve and straight RC track is just crippling. We have enough 9v curves, why do we need more RC curves..? If LEGO would release the straight and curves separately I think the curves would sit on the shelves, and by combining the two (straight & curves) it keeps sales somewhat moving for the younger targeted age of the train line.

I know that Kyle and I would definitely be able to support and help with a Power Functions loop at the layouts.

-Joshua & Kyle

Not to sound like an ass or anything, but why not just call up lego customer service and order straight track. Tell them the part number for the straight and give them the quantity that you want. They will give you a quote with shipping.

This may be one of those item to put on the list for bulk buy

Evil Jack wrote:Not to sound like an ass or anything, but why not just call up lego customer service and order straight track. Tell them the part number for the straight and give them the quantity that you want. They will give you a quote with shipping.

This may be one of those item to put on the list for bulk buy

For our BrickFair 2009 layout we used 387 pieces of straight track. I was doing some doodles for next years track plan based on what MOCs are known to be in the works and have I have a rough dimension for and came up with a plan that uses 645 straights. I did not include the harbor since I don't know how large that will be yet and there is more that will probably come up so it could go larger.

So for next year if everything goes as planed we will easily double our track usage. If I call LEGO customer service asking for 300 pieces of straight track I think they may not be to cooperative (or they may not be able to help because they are laughing so hard). I may however contact Steve Witt after the new year and ask him if we can get some sort of special deal.

Cale

I think if you tell Steve that we are having trouble aquired the needed items for our layouts for 2010, he will definatly help. From what I learned talking to him, which I did alot of, he will do anything he can to help out clubs trying to build layouts. It the individual collector that he avoids.

Cale wrote:

It can be done with aluminum, cooper or some other conducting tape. How ever it's a pain to do and I'm not really interested any
This would be a much cheaper alternative to future layout expansion. All my current 9v straight track is taped out and Mike Tighe contributed @120 staights to the BrickFair and Kids Fest layouts. The larger layout we hope to do for BrickFair 2010 will need a lot more track. If we were any other club we might be screwed because of 9v dependency. But we're one of the few clubs out there embracing the new Power Function system so it's actually not a big deal for us. I just need to find a good use for all those extra plastic curves.

Cale

The 120 straight 9v track pieces I brought are less than half of my total so I can bring more. However, the total 9v track among us all is still finite. I like the idea of a Power Functions loop. It will let us expand our layout almost limit and will then free up our inventory of 9v track for the "older" trains sections of the layout(s).

I haven't had a chance to attempt any electrification of the PF tracks yet. (Its on my list of things to do for the new year...) But I do have a very few of the PF tracks, including some switches.

Early on LEGO did sell the straights and curves separately. As Cale put it, Im sure the reason to combine the two types was to keep inventory of both moving.

I like Joel's idea of asking Steve W. about buying a bunch of straights. We could also see about how many we couuld get from LEGO S@H parts department and see which can gety the most at what prices. Or perhaps a combination.


-MDT

Uniblab wrote:
I like the idea of a Power Functions loop. It will let us expand our layout almost limit and will then free up our inventory of 9v track for the "older" trains sections of the layout(s).

It also helps promote the new Power Function train system that LEGO is selling. Promoting their current line instead of clinging to a dead one is great for getting on the LEGO company's good side.

Uniblab wrote: I like Joel's idea of asking Steve W. about buying a bunch of straights. We could also see about how many we couuld get from LEGO S@H parts department and see which can gety the most at what prices. Or perhaps a combination.

There is a limit to what LEGO Consumer Service can do. Asking to buy a handful of parts may be OK, trying to buy several hundred pieces of straight track is another nut entirely. I highly doubt that they keep those kind of stocks on hand. I think our best is to talk to Steve Witt. That is more or less part of his job after all.

Cale