When is Lego not Lego?

[Brickimad]

I know it's not Lego, but this company looks like they bought the dies from the Lego discontinued range. Has anybody bought them and what is the quality like, compared to original Lego.

I normally don't buy non-Lego, but unfortunetly Lego never really have pushed the Train range well, but this company looks like a promising future...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/lots-of-train-series...=item3ca7cf3912

[Siegfried]

Looks impressive... but clone brands go in community. I'll move this there now.

[The Who]

That does look pretty impressive for a clone/'off' brand.

Is that all one set, or a bunch of smaller ones combined? (Probably the latter) I kind of like the Santa Fe on the left side...

[Jameson42]

Looking at the closeup photos, a few of those designs are stolen directly from LEGO. I'll bet many of the part designs are still patented by LEGO.

"Enlighten" has been doing this kind of stuff for a while now:

Personally, I wouldn't touch it with someone else's 10 foot pole.

[Spyder]

Unfortunately, most of the Enlighten sets are rip-offs of Lego sets and illegal. Some of the sets look nice, the quality isn't too bad, but that Santa Fe train sure looks a lot like LEGO's.

[Jameson42]

Also, what the heck is "nocuity"?

[lightningtiger]

You got to be kidding ?

How can Lego let them get away with rip-offs of World City Trains !!!!

Just grabbed these to post so you don't have to go to Ebay to see them.

And even more there too.

Lego better do some more trains before they miss the train, so to speak.

Besides that some of the designs are not that bad and even some I question even if Lego has done some of them yet.

[MetroiD]

I normally don't write in these clone-brand themes, but I'll make an exception...

Don't buy Enlighten. That way you're not just condoning piracy, you're also spending your money on a product of low quality. Their brick moulds are OK, I guess -there are far worse rip-offs. But you definitely won't get 100% precisely what's shown on the box art. Besides, even if a design looks as if it resembles an original LEGO model, more often than not it turns out to be just a sub-par copy.

[Ratshot]

If its so "Illegal", than why doesn't the Lego Company just sue them?

Edited November 30, 2009 by Ratshot

[wooootles]

If its so "Illegal", than why doesn't thr Lego Company just sue them?

If it was that easy by just 'suing' them, the rest of the companies of different categories in the world would have done it already, including LEGO. China bootlegs everything, from toys to model kits, appliances, even cars. That said, I will never buy bootlegs or even consider them.

[Commander Flash]

Well, to start, there was something that said LEGO couldn't sue them since Lego was using an un patented locking brick design already invented, so it didn't violate any rules.

About the obvious bootleg sets, I don't quite know yet. To the google!

[lightningtiger]

If its so "Illegal", than why doesn't thr Lego Company just sue them?

Because it's only the trademark that they sue over not ye olde brick !

I believe it patent has run out !

But in this case it's design which could be considered a problem for Enlightened Bricks, using someone elses design to profit by and as far as I know have not paid any fees to Lego. And they would not offer them to any one else anyway !

[Spyder]

Well, to start, there was something that said LEGO couldn't sue them since Lego was using an un patented locking brick design already invented, so it didn't violate any rules.

Yes, but they copied the design, and maybe the basic brick patents have expired, but not some of the newer bricks.

[The Brick Rat]

If its so "Illegal", than why doesn't thr Lego Company just sue them?

LEGO does pursue legal action against companies like this, but it's not easy and takes time. Here's an article about a past success.

[Brickimad]

LEGO does pursue legal action against companies like this, but it's not easy and takes time. Here's an article about a past success.

The problem is that Lego don't produce these sets now, and getting the Santa Fe, for example is nigh impossible. Also they've got a couple new designs which Lego never brought out. The problem with the Lego Group, is they are very slow to bring some designs to their full potential. Take the Emerald Express. Why don't they just sell the carriage as a separate kit?

This train needs more than one carriage, say 5 or 6 plus a sleeper car, so one has to but two or three Emerald kits just for the carriage and sell the engine/tender. I say good luck to them and do fancy then dark coloured engine/carriage kits.

[Rick]

That yellow on the train station looks like it lights up in the dark (is that why they're called Enlighten?). More and more of these clone brands are starting to show up here in the Netherlands, but I'd never consider buying any of this ^%*&.

[Thee Pirate]

I just wanna say, I wouldn't trust a company that calls what is obviously a caboose, a dining car.

Entan, Frisco Fe? That's also worth a good laugh.

[Cwetqo]

My thoughts exactly! Even if I could live with the fact that it's not LEGO (which I never will), this sets lack most of the detail that make Lego so Great.

[Peppermint_M]

If they become possible for me to buy, I will get one and review it. I would also love an Oxford train, I really want some trains that do not cost the earth to buy. Plus I feel I have a duty to review them, for impartiality!

[peterab]

If its so "Illegal", than why doesn't thr Lego Company just sue them?

It would be illegal in almost any part of the world except China. China doesn't recognise international copyright, so it's not illegal for Chinese companies to make direct copies of Lego sets. It may be illegal to import those sets to western countries, however thats pretty hard to enforce since it's a matter of sueing a zillion little importers.

[Matt Dawson]

in one of their [Enlighten] pirate range (http://www.yahobby.com/enlighten-building-blocks-corsair-navy-station-lego-compatible-p-86.html?currency=GBP), a lot of parts are direct clones of lego. That map, for example.

[Brickimad]

in one of their [Enlighten] pirate range (http://www.yahobby.com/enlighten-building-blocks-corsair-navy-station-lego-compatible-p-86.html?currency=GBP), a lot of parts are direct clones of lego. That map, for example.

Its not a small operation. I reckon they have more kits than Lego do at the moment, and other themes as well, which Lego have not gone into yet.

[knuclear200x]

Is this the same company who makes the Equation Racer...thing? I go to Chinatown here, and there are boxes of Spider-man riding a go kart (the aformentioned equation racer) or space craft for 99c.

[Diamondback]

I'm not sure who now owns the former St. Louis - San Francisco (the "Frisco" whose logo appears on the knockoff SC F7's nose), but both they and Union Pacific have some serious Intellectual Property Infringement suit potential here.

And since UP is known to have a very aggressive Legal Dept., I'm surprised the Cease & Desist order hasn't already been filed.

[Liutas]

Interesting

Of particular note is the last paragraph:

In conformity with the foregoing, the “Brick” toy you propose to import, namely, “Enlighten® Brick No. 0045” bears a mark counterfeit of Kirkbi AG Corporation’s product configuration trademark (PTO Reg. No. 2,273,314; Customs Record. No. TMK 02-00052) and is subject to seizure and subsequent forfeiture under 19.U.S.C. §1526(e). In addition, please be aware that anyone attempting to import such products may be liable for a civil fine under 19 U.S.C. §1526(f).