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Motive power comes second. Building models comes first. If you can build it then there's a way to power it, and therein lies the challenge, and a reason to get into LEGO trains.

--Tony

Very 'pure' approach to 'training'!

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Personally I've never understood the nostalgic 12v thing. Sure the powered switches & crossings are neat but that's what you really want then you can get those parts and add them to a 9v, RC or PF layout, can't you? Most of the models don't appeal to me, they just seem simplistic.

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I guess it is a collectors thing. And when has that ever been rational?

Edited November 13, 201113 yr by harnbak

for the critics:

May be, but your skin compared to that of a 2 year old is a lot different. So best to be save then sorry. That I try to keep a child save doesn't mean it's wrong

I'm sure it is and there's nothing wrong with keeping your children safe. All I'm saying is that the 9V or 12V of a Lego is perfectly safe and harmless or else Lego wouldn't be selling it.

I must confess that this thread and the ToysRUs BOGO this weekend convinced me. However, more importantly, the information in this thread helped convince my wife that this will be something our kids will be able to fully enjoy more later, and it's ok for me to enjoy it now. I now have the two latest PF cargo trains (7939 and 3677). I actually thought my daughter would enjoy the passenger train more than two cargo trains, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy what appears to be a rather boring passenger train set (7938) when I could get the cargo train for half off.

Everything is still boxed up, so we'll have to start exploring over the next few weeks.

I must confess that this thread and the ToysRUs BOGO this weekend convinced me. However, more importantly, the information in this thread helped convince my wife that this will be something our kids will be able to fully enjoy more later, and it's ok for me to enjoy it now. I now have the two latest PF cargo trains (7939 and 3677). I actually thought my daughter would enjoy the passenger train more than two cargo trains, but I just couldn't bring myself to buy what appears to be a rather boring passenger train set (7938) when I could get the cargo train for half off.

Everything is still boxed up, so we'll have to start exploring over the next few weeks.

I am now in the process of selecting my first Lego train. 7939 Cargo Train is my first choice as you get lots of goodies to play with and a good number of tracks but when I think of my daughter 7938 Passenger Train seems more suitable as girls do not tend to play with loading/unloading containers, driving gantries they tend to play more socialised games... For helping my decision I would like to ask which one you have bought.

I am now in the process of selecting my first Lego train. 7939 Cargo Train is my first choice as you get lots of goodies to play with and a good number of tracks but when I think of my daughter 7938 Passenger Train seems more suitable as girls do not tend to play with loading/unloading containers, driving gantries they tend to play more socialised games... For helping my decision I would like to ask which one you have bought.

I bought the yellow and red cargo trains. My daughter likes them, but mostly takes the roof off the little cars that came with 7939 to use as blankets for the minifigs when they go to sleep. I did not buy the passenger train as it simply didn't seem like nearly as interesting of a set.

I bought the yellow and red cargo trains. My daughter likes them, but mostly takes the roof off the little cars that came with 7939 to use as blankets for the minifigs when they go to sleep. I did not buy the passenger train as it simply didn't seem like nearly as interesting of a set.

Thank you very much for helping me make my mind.

I must confess that this thread and the ToysRUs BOGO this weekend convinced me.

These past few BOGO sales + Black Friday deals are the reason why I've got eight train sets in my basement right now! I've had a blast with them so far - I can only imagine the future getting better.

A couple months back I went looking for a LUG in my area - the only one being NILTC. I was a bit apprehensive due to "trains" being in the name ... and I made sure the guys knew that trains weren't really my thing - Technic + Mindstorms + Modulars being my favored cup of tea. I'm still waiting to attend my first meeting with them, but I'm sure a few that I've already met will have a good laugh when they see how obsessed with trains I've become in just a handful of weeks

Cheers ~ Perry