new track?

[WhiteHexagon]

I saw the new IR trains are in stock here in Germany. But I haven't seen any track for them yet... Is this something that they are waiting to see if people buy the IR stuff first. I found one store selling of the 9v track quite cheap, but no replacement in sight. whats the story?

As a child I had some basic blue track and then some 12v tracks and I wouldn't mind to have a couple of trains again but don't know if I should wait. Seems like the IR line isn't the smatest idea. Why didnt the go for RF or even bluetooth :)

Peter

[Hobbes]

I saw the new IR trains are in stock here in Germany. But I haven't seen any track for them yet... Is this something that they are waiting to see if people buy the IR stuff first. I found one store selling of the 9v track quite cheap, but no replacement in sight. whats the story?

Well, new track are available online at S@H and I've seen them at a local TRU. So they're definitely out there. Maybe your store just hasn't gotten them yet or not put on the shelfs yet.

As a child I had some basic blue track and then some 12v tracks and I wouldn't mind to have a couple of trains again but don't know if I should wait. Seems like the IR line isn't the smatest idea. Why didnt the go for RF or even bluetooth :)

I guess that's the mother of all questions. But TLC definitely sells that train as a "play train". Meaning, they don't expect them to be bought by people with complicated layouts (i.e. tunnels). For an oval track with just a few buildings (if at all) it's ok. Playmobil's train uses the same R/C (coincidence?) and it sells quite well from what I read/hear.

As for waiting or not: well, depends on what you want to do? If you want to build a layout (i.e. permanent setup with a town and a train going around/through it) and if you're thinking of expanding, get them cheap 9V tracks as long as they're available (what do you mean by "cheap" anyway?) and see if you can find some motors. Even if production will be stopped that stuff will be available at ebay or BL for a long time (just look at all the 12V stuff that's still available). So, expanding will be possible for a long time, maybe sometimes a bit more expensive than now, but possible.

If you just want to have a train going around your christmas tree in a circle buy the new stuff (and get pissed off at the poor quality and risk that your kids never talk to you anymore ;-)).

We recently heard about a designer-style train set for next year. That is definitely aimed at AFOL. And I've read on 1000steine that someone bought switches the other day that came in blay, so they're still producing. So there is hope 9V will continue for some time...

[WhiteHexagon]

As for waiting or not: well, depends on what you want to do? If you want to build a layout (i.e. permanent setup with a town and a train going around/through it) and if you're thinking of expanding, get them cheap 9V tracks as long as they're available (what do you mean by "cheap" anyway?) and see if you can find some motors.

Thats what I'm looking to do :) The 9v tracks were 10eur a box instead of 17? I have to check the part #

We recently heard about a designer-style train set for next year. That is definitely aimed at AFOL. And I've read on 1000steine that someone bought switches the other day that came in blay, so they're still producing. So there is hope 9V will continue for some time...

I haven't seen any 9v trains for sale here though :( guess I rediscovered lego just a year too late... Will the designer set be 9v?

Much as I strongly hate modding, the trains are just crying out for someone to build RC/RF or bluetooth mods! And I really like the idea or controlling them from the PC... :) maybe a trains + NXT solution.

Peter

[Hobbes]

The 9v tracks were 10eur a box instead of 17? I have to check the part #

10 Euro is cheap 8-

[WhiteHexagon]

Well I went down to the local electronics store here today, and it's not going to be cheap or easy to get it all running from the PC. Plus I wanted to find some way to know where the trains are on the track, but that's going to really complicate it. Maybe I leave this project for a while and concentrate on getting the village a bit more organised.

I was also looking for some mini LED for some street lights, but no luck as yet on a good solution for that.

Peter

[Jipay]

Just to make it clear : both track systems are compatible, unlike your old ones. So it's just a question of look in the end.

As for bluetooth, maybe they wanted to avoid the mindstorm issue that happened some years ago.

[WhiteHexagon]

As for bluetooth, maybe they wanted to avoid the mindstorm issue that happened some years ago.

? I remember mindstorm a little, but what issue do you refer to.

[Jipay]

The software provided with the first version was so sucky that the fan community released better versions of it, correcting themselves the bugs and everything. So it's not really something that could have been called "plug and play". This is a risk they can't take with trains obviously aimed at kids.