Should Lego change the way they sell Track ?

[MikeJ]

As a new convert into Lego Trains, I see that unless I'm willing to spend a small fortune in buying the 9V straights, I have very little opportunity to extend the basic oval as supplied in the Cargo Set. Lego themselves are out of stock of the Straights/curves pack, the same goes for the points pack (not everyone wants to buy 1 x l/h and 1 x r/h in a pack. I know I don't) and as for the shops.....forget it, "not in stock"..."unable to determine next delivery"..etc, etc.

As a consumer, I believe that had I looked into this more thoroughly BEFORE buying the set, I would very likely have gone the OO route where track is available in multiple variants; crossovers, finescale, concrete / wooden sleepers, long / short points, etc. I don't want to run trains round and round (one sure-fire way of putting youngsters off buying trains is boredom, the big players in the OO producers quickly realised that, hence the "extras" they offer from the very beginning), but Lego is doing everything it can to disappoint the consumer.

I appreciate that AFOL's are the minority, but they are the ones with the funding, and for Lego to persist in their current way of marketing their products is a sure way to put people off buying their products. Just spend a couple of hours on internet auction sites and watch the prices of straights. The all-plastic variety is rarer than hens' teeth, and 9V track is being snapped-up by those that already have 9V gear. I have spent two nights checking the on-line auctions, prices are simply outrageous, and right now my brand new £129.00 (child's toy prices??) Lego Cargo set is looking more like being placed on an auction site than me keeping it. Disillusioned already.

[AndyC]

i think that's probably just a "run up to xmas" thing, as parents buying the train sets are probably buying some extra tracks to go with it. It's not usually hard to buy the all plastic track and I can't imagine it'll be long before they have some back in stock.

It's probably rarer on ebay because it's relatively new and so unlikely that people are selling off old collections of it. There's plenty of it for sale on bricklink.com though, so if you need some now it's probably your best bet.

[Duq]

Oh well. At least track is cheaper and we have more switches now.

Which brings us nicely back to the start. Straights are not cheaper now because you're forced to buy curves or flex along with the straights, making the combi-pack just as expensive as a 9V straights pack...

[andythenorth]

I'm guessing the non-availability of the current track pack is because it's being discontinued for 2011 and replaced with pack of straights + flex track.

Christmas might not be the best timing for that

Could be wrong though.

The new pack should correct the current insane prices of curves (low) and straights (very high) in secondary markets (ebay, bricklink).

@MikeJ: sell the cargo train to me at knock down price. Or split to individual vehicles and sell on ebay - I reckon you'll make more than £129 that way

I'd take Lego trains over other toy trains any day. I had 00 trains as a kid. Lego is way more satisfying and allows for spectacular crashes...

[LEGO Guy Bri]

I appreciate that AFOL's are the minority, but they are the ones with the funding, and for Lego to persist in their current way of marketing their products is a sure way to put people off buying their products. Just spend a couple of hours on internet auction sites and watch the prices of straights. The all-plastic variety is rarer than hens' teeth, and 9V track is being snapped-up by those that already have 9V gear. I have spent two nights checking the on-line auctions, prices are simply outrageous, and right now my brand new £129.00 (child's toy prices??) Lego Cargo set is looking more like being placed on an auction site than me keeping it. Disillusioned already.

The low price of those RC track is appealing. But as an owner of many 9v motors/trains, would it be cost effective to switch to PF? With the price and hassle of changing batteries (FOREVER ), spending roughly $90 dollars per loco, and just the fact you have to figure a way to hide a GIANT battery box and sensor. Or spending that "small" fortune, getting 9v straights, switchers, and the 9V motors. On that note: What is too much? (I know; how important are these and what individuals are willing to pay... but monetarily speaking?)

The prices are going up and probably aren't coming back down, for straights and switches. I have been tracking and buying these for the past year and recently hit a wall. In less than six months the price has gone from $35-$55 for eight straights to 4 pcs for the same price. Besides that, trains like 4559 Cargo Railway have no clean way to integrate PF and 4558 Metroliner would lose either its cargo bay or the little "electric motor" in the lead car . I gotta say I'm financially stuck between a rock and a hard place on this matter. Sell 9V go PF or try and merge the two? What to do...

[fred67]

... But as an owner of many 9v motors/trains, would it be cost effective to switch to PF? With the price and hassle of changing batteries (FOREVER ), spending roughly $90 dollars per loco, and just the fact you have to figure a way to hide a GIANT battery box and sensor. Or spending that "small" fortune, getting 9v straights, switchers, and the 9V motors. On that note: What is too much? (I know; how important are these and what individuals are willing to pay... but monetarily speaking?)

It's a tough question. Right now I have a lot of newer RC track that I use for display purposes, but still run my trains 9V because I was heavily invested in it. If you're like me, you have a few trains, run one or two at a time on some 9V track you already have, with the rest in the "yard" or not on the track at all. I think that's like most people. Even a city layout.

So when you look at financials, you can buy a 9V motor off bricklink for $43 average new price, or buy a new train motor ($11), rechargeable battery ($50) or 9V-AAA battery box on BL ($15 average on BL, plus batteries), IR Receiver ($15), remote ($13), and PF connector ($4).

That's the price PER train. There's also a one time $25 for the charger, if you go that route, but you could use it with all your trains.

So... from a purely financial standpoint, if you've already got a lot of 9V track and won't need to add a lot, and just replace pieces as they go bad, 9V still looks great... and with how I personally use trains, I get zero benefits from the added features of PF. Sante Fe with five cars is the biggest I ever cared to pull, so the arguments about stronger motors mean little to me. What I wish they did was used PF, but allowed you to power it with the track, giving the best of both worlds, but that's just me.

However, if you like running more than one train at a time on the same loop of track, have track configurations that make 9V impossible, and have added features to trains (like crane arms) powered with PF motors and using PF remotes... OR if you are starting from scratch, PF makes a lot more sense.

Edited December 15, 2010 by fred67

[andythenorth]

Sell 9V go PF or try and merge the two? What to do...

Merge the two. It's all just lego right?

Run a 9v loop with your existing stuff. Buy some RC or PF trains that can go anywhere on the setup. Extend the setup with whatever track you can find cheap, accept the limitations, and have fun :)

[peterab]

Merge the two. It's all just lego right?

Run a 9v loop with your existing stuff. Buy some RC or PF trains that can go anywhere on the setup. Extend the setup with whatever track you can find cheap, accept the limitations, and have fun :)

I'd add to this that over time you could sell off your 9V track and motors to finance cheaper PF stuff. PF hasn't started to hit the second hand market in large amounts yet but it should eventually. RC stuff seem to me to be starting to.

Since the price of 9V doesn't seem to be coming down anytime soon it's a reasonable investment for the near term at least. I'd imagine the price will eventually fall a bit again, since the number of people collecting it will probably taper off, much like the grey and blue 12V stuff now. That could be a decade or two off though.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

Thanks for the input fred67, andythenorth, and peterab. You all made good points. Reality is that a larger rail line will need the integration of both systems or drop trains all together and just stay with what I have. Out of the 9 or 10 trains in my yard only 1 is PF. I like the cars on the new cargo train with the six wide containers but the passenger I will probably not purchase. It seems very similar to the metroliner. Atleast there is plenty of time before a new train comes out. Thanks again everyone!

[Itrain]

Thanks to a poster in the Lego Town theme, the Lego site has been updated. 7499 Flexible Tracks has been added - looks like 8 straights but only 16 flexible pieces = 4 standard piece lengths.

Follow this link

No price yet.

Regards,

iTrain

[Jargo]

Don't really do much with trains in my city layout but the one thing I do want is straight track. I'd welcome the availability of straight track sold separate to curved or flex. It irritates me that it's bundles of mixed track in the same way as it irritates me how road plates are bundled together. Also I think far too many people and Lego themselves underestimate young Lego builders. Children have very clear ideas of what they want to build and which parts they want and should be given the opportunity to pick and choose. It seems quite insidious and cynical to dictate to children what they should want or should need. equality right through the lego range of products available I say.

Anyone want a drawer full of curved track......

[gotoAndLego]

Let me get this straight: "Your comments are being passed on to the appropriate departments so they can be reviewed to help us improve our product line" ??? Is that really what they replied? Was there some elevator music in the background?

Suit: We have top people working on this.

Indy: Who?

Suit: Top people.

[MojoLego]

Thanks to a poster in the Lego Town theme, the Lego site has been updated. 7499 Flexible Tracks has been added - looks like 8 straights but only 16 flexible pieces = 4 standard piece lengths.

Follow this link

No price yet.

A British store is showing it available Dec. 17 at £13.95. I expect $19.99 in the U.S.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

YES.

As I've written in a number of posts. I'm sure curves have over the years not sold as well as straights. That should be a signal to production to produce more straights, not to marketing to try and force people into buying those curves.

So please Lego, go back to selling boxes of 8 straights.

YES, also for me! This is the reason why the new train set 7939 is so cool

[jojo60]

I think TLG has already changed the way they sell tracks : 7896 seems discontinued since this winter ...

Nevertheless how will I buy curved tracks ?

Is 7499 the only choice ? to me it is even worse... I already have enough of those flexi-tracks with my cargo train...

Edited December 19, 2010 by jojo60

[Rustie86]

If the straight/curved track pack really is toast, then I've got a problem as I need another circle for my upcoming layout!

[Snapshot]

If the straight/curved track pack really is toast, then I've got a problem as I need another circle for my upcoming layout!

Don't worry, curves are cheap on Bricklink at the moment. They're often a tenth the price of straights. Alternatively, I expect most of us have surplus curves we'd be happy to shift....

Jonathan

[Cinderbike]

It looks like the curved & straight pack may actually have been discontinued. The local LEGO store said they are not expecting to receive any more shipments, however the LEGO Outlet store does carry them, for $14/pack.

[LEGO Guy Bri]

What I don't understand is why TLC sold out there straight/curved rail packs before there replacements were available. I was selling some of my curved RC tracks (my city runs 9v ) and wanted to get an idea of there price. I was very suprised to see 'sold out' on there availability. I hope this means TLC took notice of the criticism of selling them together, as well as, the fact that that expansion pack didn't even cover a full loop. Also, is the double switch track un available as well?

[Cinderbike]

What I don't understand is why TLC sold out there straight/curved rail packs before there replacements were available. I was selling some of my curved RC tracks (my city runs 9v ) and wanted to get an idea of there price. I was very suprised to see 'sold out' on there availability. I hope this means TLC took notice of the criticism of selling them together, as well as, the fact that that expansion pack didn't even cover a full loop. Also, is the double switch track un available as well?

It does appear the double crossover was discontinued. I'm a bit bummed, the Outlet store had a few track packs left (I need curves!) and some jerk swooped in and bought ALL OF THEM last night. :(

[hoeij]

Thanks to a poster in the Lego Town theme, the Lego site has been updated. 7499 Flexible Tracks has been added - looks like 8 straights but only 16 flexible pieces = 4 standard piece lengths.

Follow this link

No price yet.

Regards,

iTrain

Available now, it is $20, so if you count the 16 flex as 4 straight, then 8+4 straight cost $20, or $1.66 per track (about the same price as 9V straight track used to cost on lego.com).

I just noticed that the "straight + curved" boxes of tracks have sold out. Perhaps this explains why my eBay listing (all the track that comes with the new cargo train, $49 + $10 shipping) sold quickly.

[Cinderbike]

Yep. Bad news guys. Got off the phone with the LEGO Store. The 7896 Straight & Curved Rails has been discontinued and has been replaced by 7499 Flexible Track.

:( A sad day indeed. I needed 8 more curved and 8 more straight rails to finish my layout. Bricklink or eBay looks to be my only choice.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Cinderbike

[The Yellow Brick]

Yep. Bad news guys. Got off the phone with the LEGO Store. The 7896 Straight & Curved Rails has been discontinued and has been replaced by 7499 Flexible Track.

It looks like the curved track is being replace by Flexible track , I'm starting to wonder if this will have a impact on current and future lego trains.

[Rustie86]

Don't worry, curves are cheap on Bricklink at the moment. They're often a tenth the price of straights. Alternatively, I expect most of us have surplus curves we'd be happy to shift....

Jonathan

I did go ahead and order my circle on Bricklink. The issue is, I had been hoping to get some more straights to go along with.

Lego really needs to sell it's train track system in the same manner the model railroad companies do. It would put an end to all this drama.

[The Yellow Brick]

Lego really needs to sell it's train track system in the same manner the model railroad companies do. It would put an end to all this drama.

I couldn't agree more.