Iv been only getting into collecting trains and am thinking about buying the maersk

My question is that it looks quiet similer to the current 60052 that Iv just bought. I know the creater sets are more detailed but what is the big thing about the maersk?

Iv also been looking at getting a level crossing. The most recent being 7936 but it's very expensive €88 cheapest new any reason why for so little parts?

Edit that should be cargo 60052 train in heading.could admin edit please.

Edited January 24, 201510 yr by davidmull

If you really care about the detail, you'll appreciate the Maersk. Those who care for it will obviously pop up here and advocate for it.

If you just want to watch the trains go round, the Maersk is over-rated, and really little better than the 60052. Right now, the engine alone is listing for £86 (sterling) upwards on Bricklink, and the full set looks like about £150. And you need the PF on top. For that money, I'd definitely buy another 60052 set, and have more track, more wagons, and two engines. You can parts-bin the second crane and office. My kids have two 60052 sets, no regrets. Our Maersk is smashed up somewhere in the loft.

Don't buy a crossing, especially not for that silly money. The only significant parts you need to make your own are the slopes, which are about £0.40 on on Bricklink. http://www.bricklink...1265&colorID=86 The barriers are technic pin joiners, you'll have those already.

7936 has a nice excavator, but not €88 worth. That's some serious gouging

Buy this excavator instead, a happy £7 http://www.bricklink...asp?itemID=4402

If you do want to spend money on old sets, the 4552 Cargo Crane is actually worth the £30 lowest price, IMO. http://www.bricklink...asp?itemID=4419

This is fun as well http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=4414

Edited January 24, 201510 yr by andythenorth

Mearsk is a great build and looks great when you're finished. I got mine for around what andythenorth quoted and I haven't yet regretted it. It's the only official Lego build I've seen that even comes close to the lever of detail I'd like to see.

Personally I have very little interest in the current freight set. The loco looks a bit small and weedy (and not as nice as the electric from the last freight set to my admittedly European eyes), and the wagons all either look lazy of daft (that cattle wagon....). I have to say I do like the look of the van and loading dock though.

If you haven't got much track or rolling stock though, you're probably better off getting the cheaper and far more complete freight set, and hoping that the Mearsk set doesn't get too much more expensive in the near future (prices have been reasonably stable in the time I've been looking). Also, there's nothing stopping you looking up the instructions online, and using LDD designing your own version (using easier to find colours) and ordering the bits on Bricklink. I build a couple of extra (slightly redesigned) wagons and a couple of (considerably redesigned) containers to complement mine.

Thanks guys for the info. I can buy a misb copy of the maersk for €190 and its local too. I also like the look of 7939 cargo train so just not sure which to get first.

Give that you already have the 60052, maybe you should look at some of the other no longer sold City Cargo trains like the 3677, 7939, 7898 (older 9v) and 4512 (older 9v). Depending on the set, and your location, these can be more affordable then the Maersk. Sure the Maersk is a nice build, but it is expensive IMO.

If you do pickup the older 9v sets you will have a little challenge on your hands converting the trains to the current Power Functions controls - this is assuming you want to run them on the current all plastic rails. You can run the current Power Functions based train on 9v tracks - or you can sell/trade the 9v track to someone who prefers it.

Santa brought us the 60052, and recently I picked up a used 3677 for a fair price from eBay. And I'm keeping an eye on a used 7939 on bricklink, I like the carriages (and more track is always good), less so the engine - it is based off an electric engine, and the 60052 and 3677 are diesels - if I get it, I'll tweak it to fit with the others.

Long stort short, are you buying to play with, or to display?

I'm buying to play and display. The emerald night looks very nice too :)

Did you win the Lotto? :p

Maersk is so much better in looks. It has a more appealing build and a better result. One thing good about 60052 is that it has everything you need to run the train. Get the Maersk train.

Edited January 25, 201510 yr by Legoboy22

Get both, build them, then sell what you don't want anymore (ha ha, as if it's going to happen... ).

Seriously, get both, it will be a good learning experience and worth the expense.

One of the interests of the Maersk train is also its unusual color (unique to the few Maersk sets)

Edited January 27, 201510 yr by antp

Picking this up this evening misb for €180. Hope it's worth it. Best price i can get.

You'll be very happy. The build is good with some interesting techniques. You have to get an Emerald Night as well (if you can bear the cost). Like the Maersk train, the level of detail is fantastic and you won't regret getting it. It's powered (optionally) by an XL motor so you probably have most of the bits to motorise it already. Slowly slowly collect the older ones - the Metroliner is worth having as well as the classic InterCity 7740.

I did a little comparison of 60052 engine versus Maersk engine. You can see why some AFOLs favour the Maersk for detail, and it looks more imposing. Ignore the missing bits, my kids are slowly stripping the Maersk for parts.

Emerald Night is also quite bulky. This one tends to annoy the kids. They always pick it out to push around because it's big and green, but the wheels bind horribly (which is fixable, but yair, life is short, that's boring). Been chucked around the room a few times (not 'allowed', but eh...toddlers).

Edited January 27, 201510 yr by andythenorth

Thanks for the comparison. At one time I was thinking of MODing the 60052 into the Maersk GP40 design. Looking at the Maersk build instructions, it doesn't seem too hard (and expensive if you don't mind not having the Maersk blue colors).

You'll be very happy. The build is good with some interesting techniques. You have to get an Emerald Night as well (if you can bear the cost). Like the Maersk train, the level of detail is fantastic and you won't regret getting it. It's powered (optionally) by an XL motor so you probably have most of the bits to motorise it already. Slowly slowly collect the older ones - the Metroliner is worth having as well as the classic InterCity 7740.

I'd love to get an EN but it has gotten too expensive. I live in hope that Lego will rerelease it!

I doubt it, they've only re-released one train set in their entire history to the best of my knowledge.

Seeing them side by side really helps.

The maersk is built with more 'standard' parts but with advanced techniques.

60052 has parts only used for trains (roof, windscreen, doors, side railing).

So the value of the maersk is in the instructions and the peculiar and rare colors.. but it also means that by learning to build it, you learn to build a bunch of its potential variations.

I doubt it, they've only re-released one train set in their entire history to the best of my knowledge.

I'm sure your are right. That's why I said 'hope' not expectation.

I doubt it, they've only re-released one train set in their entire history to the best of my knowledge.

If they were going to re-release one, it would make more sense for it to be the Maersk.

I did a little comparison of 60052 engine versus Maersk engine. You can see why some AFOLs favour the Maersk for detail, and it looks more imposing. Ignore the missing bits, my kids are slowly stripping the Maersk for parts.

Emerald Night is also quite bulky. This one tends to annoy the kids. They always pick it out to push around because it's big and green, but the wheels bind horribly (which is fixable, but yair, life is short, that's boring). Been chucked around the room a few times (not 'allowed', but eh...toddlers).

So ur kids break up and mess around with the rare expensive ones? And play with the cheaper city ones lol maybe u should store the good ones :) does it not bother u parting out ur maersk?

So ur kids break up and mess around with the rare expensive ones?

Yair. It's Lego, if they want to rebuild them they can go digging in all the crates of parts. That'll keep them busy.

Also, I bought all the Creator trains when they were on general sale, not that expensive, about the same as any City set. Not too bothered what they're "worth" on bricklink or ebay, I'm not buying or selling.

There are a couple of sets that I'm a bit precious about, but just because I like them, not because rare or expensive. We have probably a hundred City and other sets (mostly small), I'd rather they wrecked something I don't like, there are enough of those.

There are a few MOCs that I'll be gutted if they disassembled, smash or rebuild. Mostly because they were so much work, and have no instructions

Edited January 27, 201510 yr by andythenorth

Just picked it up :) quick question why does it not say creater expert on this set?

Edited January 28, 201510 yr by davidmull

If they were going to re-release one, it would make more sense for it to be the Maersk.

Aye, I am far more interested in European (well, British) trains, but of all the Lego train sets there have been, it is easily the best designed, and most successful. I've seen people go to great effort to improve the HE, and EN, going to the point of building a completely new design to avoid the many problems each design had, and been very tempted to copy them. I've seen very few for Maersk, and the one I did see (a completely new design), while looking great, really didn't encourage me to even think about doing something similar to my one.

Just picked it up :) quick question why does it not say creater expert on this set?

The Creator Expert labeling is a recent thing. The Maersk set came out before that.

Our Maersk is smashed up somewhere in the loft.

Don't buy a crossing, especially not for that silly money. The only significant parts you need to make your own are the slopes, which are about £0.40 on on Bricklink. http://www.bricklink...1265&colorID=86 The barriers are technic pin joiners, you'll have those already.

How could you, that poor Maersk?

Agree about the crossing - not worth the high price these days as you can get the core parts much more cheaply separately.

As for the trains, the Maersk is a brilliant train to run (edit: and build!) but is very pricey these days. If you're just after something to run around tracks, 60052 is pretty good and has everything you need to get started too.

Edited January 30, 201510 yr by BricksMcgee