Winter Village Express-- A new project at LEGO IDEAS-- Coming Soon&#33

[James Mathis]

It's here! Or, rather, over there, at LEGO® IDEAS.

Thanks for checking this train project out.

If you like it, I'd appreciate your support vote at the IDEAS project page.

If you don't like it, or might like it, let me know in the comments what you would have modified or added.

with gratitude,

James

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85295

Custom Winter Village™ LEGO® train project, arriving soon on track LEGO IDEAS™. Can you smell the coal, oil, steam, and pine? Can you feel the crisp chill in the air against the warm aroma of spiced cider and nutmeg atop a mug of nog? This project awaits approval, after which your support would be greatly appreciated to enable potential production and begin revenue service. Check back in about one week for additional "Winter Village Express" train project details and get your ticket to travel back in time on a winter holiday as this project goes "live" on LEGO IDEAS.

"Tickets, please." ;-)

Thanks for checking it out.

sincerely,

James Mathis

Edited November 11, 2014 by James Mathis

[Duq]

Hey, look who's still alive! ;-)

Promising teaser, I'll definitely check out the project when it's up.

[dartmar]

I love the Winter Village sets and already planning a big lay out for them. And I am just enoyed with myself for not buying the holiday train.

So I am really curious about this project.

[Paperballpark]

I'd almost laugh if it didn't get approval now that you've announced it.

Anyway, whilst I'd love to buy such a set (generally - will have to see it fully first), I really think you're doomed from the start. Why would they approve a 'winter village' ideas set? They'd only be able to sell it for about 3 months each year, and in those three months it would cannibalise sales from their normal yearly winter village release. Business case: Failed.

I'm afraid it's as simple as that. I applaud you for doing the work to put it together, and for what looks like a great set, but unfortunately I don't share your optimism that it'll get through the Ideas process.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Paperballpark

[dr_spock]

Interesting idea. I just finished building a Christmas train and station for the local LEGO store community window display. I don't think I'll submit it.

[James Mathis]

I would hope that this train project at least gest approved for open support voting. The business decision is indeed a process of its own. To even get a few votes would be nice. Comments-- even disparaging as they may be-- are welcome; sanity checks a good thing. 10,000 supporters.... Challenging for sure. In the absence of an official LEGO® Creator Winter Village train set, coupled with my interest in realizing one, paired with an existing Winter Village customer base; I figure, why not try. How does one reach out to all of the existing customers who have bought into the Winter Village sets. Seems a train would have potential, but as LEGO Group themselves has not offered a train set, then perhaps there really is not a market for a train?

(iPhone interface doesn't seem to have the "insert image link" tool? Bummer.)

Best regards,

James

dr_spock: cool that you have your Christmas train and station on display at a store. Quite the honor. I hope you get nice feedback!

-James

Edited November 10, 2014 by James Mathis

[dr_spock]

Thanks. It is not installed yet. It's scheduled to go in for December. I'm just trying to get it done before panic sets in.

It'll be interesting to see what feedback we get from the store mgr. Maybe we can get some idea of what kind of demand for winter train sets. Personally I equate trains with Christmas but I'm old school. I am not sure what kids and young parents think these days. I think it could be a good sign if many people ask the store folks if they can buy it.

[wondermonkey]

I'll be happy to see more, but I like it so far. Wanting a train for our Christmas tree is what brought me back to the hobby. I think this, more than most sets, would appeal to the majority in a family.

[dartmar]

dr_spock could we expect some pictures off you window display?

Back on topic: I would love a Winter Village train set. That would really finish it off in my book.

[Doom2099]

Looks like fun! I'd love to add one to the winter village collection. Thanks for posting James, your stuff is always great!

[James Mathis]

Duq: yeah, still alive. "Dormant" seems appropriate, or maybe "hibernation"?

A few more pics as the projects gestates in the IDEAS™ "awaiting approval" queue, and we wait for the train to arrive.

Pack your chest with treasures... skis, snow-shoes, and sweaters. And, just in case you want to go ice-climbing, you can always repurpose the automobile bumper.

-James

[Lind Whisperer]

It looks beautiful! I'm really looking forward to it!

Edited November 11, 2014 by Lind Whisperer

[James Mathis]

It's here! Or, rather, over there, at LEGO® IDEAS™.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85295

Thanks for checking this train project out.

If you like it, I'd appreciate your support vote at the IDEAS project page.

If you don't like it, or might like it, let me know in the comments what you would have modified or added.

with gratitude,

James

[dartmar]

Looks nice but for a Winter Village set it might be a bit too big. That could be a problem for marketing reasons.

[AgentRick]

Yeah, if this were made into an actual set, I could see several changes to it to cut down on the price.

• No track, like the older Holiday Train
  
• Cut out the water tower
  
• Lose the snowbanks
  
• Change the car to a flatbed truck to interact better with the luggage
  
• Change one of the freight cars for a second passenger car. Keep the tank wagon though
  

If I remember correctly the large train wheels are gang-molded together to make two blind wheels for every four flanged wheels, so you might want to keep that in mind too. Also a better shot of the included minifigures might help too. There aren't that many good shots of the figures included, other than the engineer and the man in the car. A group shot could help too.

[James Mathis]

AgentRuck57 and dartmar:

Thank you very much for your thoughtful comments. I'm definitely considering them. I do like the car... I was thinking that there had not yet been a family car in the Winter Village offerings, and that another set(s) have offered trucks. I was thinking the snow banks would be a nice play or visual feature. Maybe make the snow banks on a pivot that can spin out of the way as the train ploughs through it? The water tower is a keep it or remove it, but I thought it might add a bit of "atmosphere" and a but of play value for filling the boiler; but, if it adds too much cost to the set, then it goes away. The focus and main character is the train. I hadn't really focused on the Minifigs; thanks to your comments, I'll see what I can "figure" out in the assortment within LDD.

Again, thanks the the great comments!

Mahalo,

James

[James Mathis]

Thanks a good point about the manufacturing set of the train wheels. I didn't know about that.

What do you think about the set having red coloured train wheels, buffers, and train motor decorative side element?

Any color changes or special elements that would increase the appeal?

[dr_spock]

It wouldn't be difficult for LEGO to mold an existing element in a different color if the mold already exists and still useable. I think making new molds would be challenging if the financial business case isn't there.

[zephyr1934]

I would agree that it is too large to be a production set, but that is fine for the conceptual stage. If it makes it to the big time Lego will figure out how/where to cut it down while maintaining their formula for play value, etc..

One obvious tweak is to repaint the tender from green to dark green and the coach from blue to dark blue (Lego does tend to toss in some dark/exotic colors in the holiday sets).

I think the snow banks and the snow on the ties are a great idea... though I suspect lego would not include the track, e.g., with the horizon express they chose to include minifigures instead of straight track. However, the part count for the current snow banks looks way too high. Perhaps a pair of LURP's on their sides plus a few bricks to finish them off would do, or maybe an obscure bionical part might look like a pile of snow. I also like the idea of shoveling out the tracks.

Looking at the engine, I suspect lego would favor a more "traditional" (read "generic") looking engine like a 4-4-0 even if it were less prototypical. Again, I do not think that is an obstacle in the concept phase.

[James Mathis]

Here's the original as-shown piece-count break-out:

total: 1846

locomotive + tender + IR receiver + train motor + battery box: 504

tank car: 124

passenger car: 245

flat bed car w/trees: 101

gondola car (with parcels): 155

station platform: 142

luggage cart (without parcels): 33

automobile (without trunk): 180

snow piles: 172

water tank/tower: 99

straight train track: 11

+ misc. "snow" bits of white 1x1 tiles and cheese slopes

I have been thinking of returning to the design to see if I could preserve the "look" while economizing the piece-count...

Thanks for the suggestions on what to keep, remove, and economize! As well as, of course, the fact that this is a long way from any kind of official review process.

I changed the colors (LDD naming conventions), and they look nice... and dark. These darker colors don't quite "pop" for the images.

locomotive + tender: earth green

passenger coach: earth blue

gondola car: new dark red

Truly appreciate the comments.

mahalo,

James

Edited November 14, 2014 by James Mathis

[BryanKinkel]

Hey James - I love this train and think it fills an obvious gap in the Winter Village line. I was just discussing how to setup our annual Christmas LEGO village with my wife this morning. This is the first design I have supported on LEGO Ideas!

My favorite parts are the blue passenger carriage and the luggage trolly. But I'm sure there would have to be lots of changes done to get this down to a reasonable price point.

My only real suggestion is on the engine. I would change it to use a more recognizable design and color scheme such as the black and red used by the German steam engines. Maybe 7810 using modern techniques and pieces.

As designed now, can this accommodate a Power Functions engine?

-- Bryan

[James Mathis]

Remember the 10183 LEGO Factory Hobby train set? Which locomotive from this 10183 assortment do think might be well suited as a Winter Village train candidate? Perhaps in another color?

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=228459

-James

[BryanKinkel]

Remember the 10183 LEGO Factory Hobby train set? Which locomotive from this 10183 assortment do think might be well suited as a Winter Village train candidate? Perhaps in another color?

#9, #21 or #27.

#9 with red wheels and details would probably be best.

I'm looking at this shot: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=3539623

-- Bryan

[James Mathis]

I chose the Brotli, and the Swiss Adler locomotive in particular, as inspiration because it represents a train oh, so, different. And, for me, the Winter Village sets, particularly that first one that set the stage and design framework, the Toy Shop (designed by Jamie Berard), represented something oh, so, different, as for an official offering from TLG. I'm very open to pursue the goal of offering a train/locomotive design that appeals to the general populous, no problem their. It's easy to go with my personal passion, but, of course, that doesn't necessarily align with popular consensus :-)

I want to mention some inspiration for revitalizing the Swiss Adler Brotli-Bahn set in this Winter Village format: The train man Bruce Chamberlain, he actually real-brick-built a version of the train. Sure, he had to change for some color substitutions, and I think he even painted the decorative 9v train motor side pieces, but, boy was that nice to see it in real-brick, on the table at a BrickFest on year... way back in July 2005!

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=135757

Full gallery and instructions to the old 2005 version here:

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=132846

-James

[BryanKinkel]

Thanks for sharing the inspiration for the engine. There certainly is some strange looking stuff in the real world of trains. But it does fit with the "old world charm" of the Winter Village.

My desire for a black/red German style train is simply due to Gray-era nostalgia.

Edited November 14, 2014 by BryanKinkel