LEGO Trains 2024

[Vilhelm22]

Happy 2024 everyone.  I figured that as it's now three days into the New Year it's time for a new discussion thread!  So here goes with the same old history of the past few years:

Standardised Train Sets

2024

• ? 60423 Tram & Station ?

2023

• 21344 Orient Express
• 76423 Hogwarts Express & Hogsmeade Station

2022

• 60335 Train Station
• 60336 Freight Train
• 60337 High Speed Passenger Train
• 76405 Hogwarts Express Collector's Edition*
• 10308 Holiday Main Street (trolley/tram)

2021

N/A

2020

• 10277 Crocodile Locomotive
• 40370 Trains 40th Anniversary Set (GWP)
• 60271 Main Square (tram)

 2019

• 70424 Ghost Train Express
• 71044 Disney Train

 2018

• 75955 Hogwarts Express
• 60197 Passenger Train
• 60198 Cargo Train**
• 60205 Tracks
• 60238 Switch Tracks

 

*not L-gauge 

**except Europe

Sets with a strikethrough are retired.

Italicised sets are ones with expected imminent retirement.

 

No actual rumours or information yet on any 'standard' 2024 trains, though this should be the place to discuss them.  Fingers crossed it won't be another empty year like 2021 but I guess we wait and see!

I was expecting 60198 Cargo Train to be retired back in 2022, but it seems it has replaced the 3677/60098 slot as a second available cargo train to complement 60336.  

 

Bricklink Designer Program

Separately, several trains-related BL Designer Program sets have been chosen for crowdfunding, some which I'm certainly looking forward to:

Series 1 (Crowdfunding February 2024, Production and Shipping July 2024):

• Old Train Engine Shed by Mind_the_Brick

Series 2 (Refining Finalist Details September 1st 2023 - May 1st 2024, Crowdfunding June 2024, Production and Shipping November 2024):

• Brick Cross Train Station by brickester
• Logging Railway by ties25

All require 3,000 preorders to be made and have a maximum of 20,000.  I can't remember how successful preorders for Studgate were bur that can probably lead to some kind of predictions for this.

Series 5 (2025) has another train set in it.

 

I'm interested to see how these play out and how popular they are.  I think it could be quite an interesting year.

Discuss below, and @JopieK maybe pin the topic at the top?

Edited March 19, 2024 by Vilhelm22
Added BDP series 5 note

[JopieK]

Thanks! Done. I also unpinned 2023! Hope to get some great trains in 2024 but as always with LEGO we need to wait patiently.

[RedBrick1]

If you count the potential Bricklink Designer Program sets, this may be one of the best years ever for official LEGO Trains releases. The Orient Express, the first new engine shed since the 9V era, the only station ever released that matches the existing modular sets, and a wonderfully unique consist headed up by a steam tank locomotive in the logging railway. Looking forward to seeing if there are any other releases added to the mix!

[RedBrick1]

Old Train Engine Shed to be priced at $229.99. Limit of two per order. 

https://www.bricklink.com/v3/designer-program/main.page

[Murdoch17]

I like the Old Train Engine Shed, and might use the PDF instructions to improve my skills once they are released. However, as it is it's too small for even my smallest locos, and I don't want to spend a fortune on something I'd have to double or even triple in length just to get close to most of my locos. I am also eyeing the 0-4-0ST from the Logging Railway. (Of course, it would have to be slimmed down to 6 wide and use BBB medium driving wheels to satisfy my tastes!) I fear the trestle from that set is going to frustrate so many people, as it doesn't appear to be track compatible in any way and looks incredibly fragile. These are much like the narrowness between tracks / side clearance issues like the older Studgate Train Station model seemingly has.

[ivanlan9]

@Murdoch17, I don't understand what you mean when you say it's not "track-compatible in any way."  On the logging rr page, it says, "The train can run on standard tracks, and uses standard buffers & magnets. It's also designed with the option to add a motor and battery box (not included)."  One of the comments complains that there aren't any track pieces to go from ground level to the trestle level.  That part's always been left "as an exercise for the reader." 

[zephyr1934]

You know, now that Murdoch17 mentions it, the tracks for the engine shed are off-center. The spacing is correct (16 studs center to center) but it is 2 studs on one side 6 studs on the other. Not the end of the world, just something to be aware of. As for the trestle, I had not noticed that before but the rails are just 1xN tiles held in place by 1x1-tile-with-clip. Looks good, not too hard to integrate with track, but probably beyond the ability of a pure novice to do so. I would hazard to say that that set is more about the trestle than it is about the train (though both the trestle and train are nice looking)

 

[Murdoch17]

1 hour ago, ivanlan9 said:

@Murdoch17, I don't understand what you mean when you say it's not "track-compatible in any way."  On the logging rr page, it says, "The train can run on standard tracks, and uses standard buffers & magnets. It's also designed with the option to add a motor and battery box (not included)."  One of the comments complains that there aren't any track pieces to go from ground level to the trestle level.  That part's always been left "as an exercise for the reader." 

@ivanlan9 The train is compatible, the trestle is not. The trestle is brick-built - no track pieces used. I also suspect it doesn't match any radius of track, custom or otherwise..... but I'd love to be proven wrong there, as it's just my suspicion.

57 minutes ago, zephyr1934 said:

You know, now that Murdoch17 mentions it, the tracks for the engine shed are off-center. The spacing is correct (16 studs center to center) but it is 2 studs on one side 6 studs on the other. Not the end of the world, just something to be aware of. As for the trestle, I had not noticed that before but the rails are just 1xN tiles held in place by 1x1-tile-with-clip. Looks good, not too hard to integrate with track, but probably beyond the ability of a pure novice to do so. I would hazard to say that that set is more about the trestle than it is about the train (though both the trestle and train are nice looking)

 

@zephyr1934 You give me too much credit  - I didn't even notice that about the train shed! What I was referring to the old train station's tracks being too close together.

Edited January 12, 2024 by Murdoch17

[Carefree_Dude]

Looking back on the list of trains over the years, I've really come to appreciate the 40370 GWP set. It's small, and kinda cute. My son loves it and motorized it with powered up, and loves having it pull cars. For him it's hot so much more personality than the larger trains, while still looking like it could be based in reality.

I'd love to see more little trains like it released. 

[samsz_3]

19 hours ago, Carefree_Dude said:

Looking back on the list of trains over the years, I've really come to appreciate the 40370 GWP set. It's small, and kinda cute. My son loves it and motorized it with powered up, and loves having it pull cars. For him it's hot so much more personality than the larger trains, while still looking like it could be based in reality.

I'd love to see more little trains like it released. 

Agree, I think TLG is missing a trick here. They could have made a small 0-4-0 steam or diesel shunter for city with powered up (for steam would need tanks to cover it). Add in 2 wagons and a circle of track (no straights) and they may have been able to get a trainset out for under £100 in today's money.

[Darkkostas25]

Just new set in creator 3in1 train-based with proper scale and parts like they do with cars/buildings 

[SpiderFan44]

As seen through insta :

City Summer Wave 

60423 - Tram & Station - $79.99

If that counts 

[bricks4live1972]

Yes city tram cool....

[Vilhelm22]

I’ll be interested to see what the tram looks like - the last one I thought was a real let down compared with the previous 2.  Never liked that 60197 train nose which they also used there.

Also will be interested to see how people motorise it afterwards (even though we don’t know what it looks like yet).

 

 I’ve also updated the first post accordingly.

Edited January 17, 2024 by Vilhelm22

[Vilhelm22]

According to Brick Fanatics, 76405 Hogwarts Express Collector's Edition is going to retire this year.  Not surprised in the slightest though - hopefully this might tell TLG that bigger is NOT always better, and we want an actual train we can run!  It won't have even lasted 18 months assuming it has a December 31st retirement date.  In the Harry Potter theme you would expect a big market too - the Hogwarts Castle 71043 will have been around 6 years this September and shows no signs of retiring any time soon.

[mod123]

On the lego website the 2018 cargo train is retired however on this list it isn't. I was just wondering/ letting you know it may need an update

[Murdoch17]

1 hour ago, mod123 said:

On the lego website the 2018 cargo train is retired however on this list it isn't. I was just wondering/ letting you know it may need an update

You're right! I've tagged @Vilhelm22 so he can fix it.

[Vilhelm22]

@mod123 @Murdoch17 That's bizarre - in the UK there are no signs of it retiring anytime soon hence my inclusion of it on the list.  I may therefore keep it that way for the moment - when did it retire in your country?  

[Murdoch17]

13 hours ago, Vilhelm22 said:

@mod123 @Murdoch17 That's bizarre - in the UK there are no signs of it retiring anytime soon hence my inclusion of it on the list.  I may therefore keep it that way for the moment - when did it retire in your country?  

According to Brickset, it hasn't been officially retired, but here in the US it is anyway.  I guess it depends on your country.

[zephyr1934]

12 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

According to Brickset, it hasn't been officially retired, but here in the US it is anyway.  I guess it depends on your country.

The 2018 set 60198 cargo train is retired and should be listed as such in the first post of this thread (it currently is not crossed off).

The current freight train 60336 is not retired and is correctly listed as active since 2022

 

 

[Vilhelm22]

Apologies - I’ve changed it now.  It seems that although it’s retired in most of the world, European shops still have it in stock with no issues.  There’s a ** which says this which I’ll later delete when it sells out in Europe.

[Lion King]

I don’t know anything about train stuff but I just looked at the first post. I’d like to ask you for your option.

is it likely that lego would do Bullet Train (Japanese train) in future? I know bullet Train is competely different from European and American versions - I think Bullet Train doesn’t have wheels.

[Murdoch17]

2 hours ago, Lion King said:

I don’t know anything about train stuff but I just looked at the first post. I’d like to ask you for your option.

is it likely that lego would do Bullet Train (Japanese train) in future? I know bullet Train is competely different from European and American versions - I think Bullet Train doesn’t have wheels.

All versions of the Japanese bullet train have wheels. You're thinking of a Maglev / monorail.

[M_slug357]

@Lion King Maybe not a Shinkansen, but a Chinese High speed train would maketh more sense considering TLG’s Monkey Kid theme and recurring Lunar New Years’ sets.

[Lion King]

1 hour ago, M_slug357 said:

@Lion King Maybe not a Shinkansen, but a Chinese High speed train would maketh more sense considering TLG’s Monkey Kid theme and recurring Lunar New Years’ sets.

I see some Japanese-themed sets, such as Himeji Castle, Tranquil Garden, Hokusai - Great Wave, Cherry Blossom, and Japan Postcard. So i feel Shinkansen is kinda iconic becuase it has been seen in movies and tv shows and it also drives past Mount Fuji, I beleive. 

However, I think you are about Monkie Kid and Lunar New Year sets. Lego is trying to push them into Chinese market so you could be right.