Should I invest in Lego 9 Volt Trains or Power Function Trains

[jamesed_1971]

Hi, in a month I will have £300 to £400 pounds to spend on Lego, I am planning to buy the Lego set 10233 Horizon Express, i was wondering if I should invest in the Lego 9 volt Track (used), Motor(new), Train Speed Regulator 9V Power pack (new), Train Speed Regulator 9V Controller (new), 9 volt Train Track Contacts with Wire (new) or should I invest in the Lego Power Functions train Motor, Lego Power Functions Rechargeable battery and recharger, Lego RC Track.

[roj2323]

I personally believe you are better off going with power functions as the track is cheaper, parts are more plentiful and you have more options for motors and other ways to power your trains.

[Doom2099]

I resisted the move to power functions for quite a while, but there's a lot of advantages to the new system, mostly just the fact that you can get as much as you need without needing to back collect on Bricklink. Plus, it's nice to control multiple trains from a distance.

[dr_spock]

If you're starting new into trains, PF would be the way to go. Unless you have some need for 9V like compatibility with your LUG's train display layout.

[KringlesBricks]

I was skeptical going to PF mainly because I have some 9v. When I realized my layout is increasing, and I don't have any more 9v track and motors...it was going to get expensive. So, I scrapped the 9v way of trains, and went PF knowing it'll be cheaper in the long-run (for now anyways). As long as LEGO doesn't switch to another way or system.

Going the PF route requires a lot more equipment to hide in the engine (battery box and reciever; but, it's cheaper in the long run if you get a bigger layout and or more engines. Plus you don't have to mess with the wires running from the track to the control regulator.

Mostly depends on the size of your layout, how much you want to invest, and how many trains you want running on your layout.

[BimmerBoy]

With PF, you have more freedom in regards to where you place your layout. You do not need a power outlet nearby to plug into. No cords to trip over, either.

Edit, Kringle just beat me to it! :-)

Edited February 2, 2014 by BimmerBoy

[Lazarus]

I would say 9v as you have backward compatibility, if you do want to get into some of the older trains.

But if you are not jumping into trains like some of us are and spend endless amounts of cash on it. Ya go PF.

I personally just hate battery's.

[Bricktrix]

What would YOU rather have?

I'm with Lazarus on this, I hate batteries, they are always dead JUST when I want to use them, and even when I'm using them I'm always worried about them running out, ...yeah you can re-charge them but that takes time, or have replacements to swap over whilst others recharge. Unwanted faff to me. Personal experience with PF has been terrible, reception to control "can" be awful (yet sods law says its always perfect when testing at home!) and I seriously dont know how the guys who run with it (even at the shows I do) can do so, the fine control gets lost in big open areas with me at least, even if I take the reciever out and blatantly "plonk" it on top of the loco, it still just runs away out of control, until it comes back around to maybe one point where I can gain control again. But there are big players in the States, like Sava, Shupp, Cale, Jayhurst, etc who all appear to have no probs with it.

9v is gonna cost you nowadays, big bucks for a big layout, but if your happy with that then it opens up more posibilities, as your still able to run PF on it, plus 9v motors and if you want to go down a custom DCC route, its there for you also and the world is pretty much your oyster with that.;)

[DrJB]

While PF is more modern, has more control options ... Etc, it will cost you in terms of replacing/recharging batteries. Keep in mind that you are running motors, and those deplete batteries in no time. Yes, for a fixed amount of money, you get a lot more with PF in terms of parts than u do 9V, but in terms of operating costs, 9v is a sure winner.

If you're doing only loops, ie no train switches, then there is a way to take the new track (cheap) and convert into 9v with some copper tape.

What I would do is buy some of each 9V/PF, play with both, then decide.

What I really would like to see is the PF to be compatible with EV3, the same way 9V is compatible with the old Mindstorms RCX. That, 9V/RCX compatibility enables you to do way more today than you can with PF.

Edited February 2, 2014 by DrJB

[SMC]

If you new to it it has to be PF as you might be able to pick up the currant trains a little cheaper before they go and then you have all the new sets as great part packs.

[Lazarus]

Comes down to cost in the end and how much you want to put into the hobby, getting into any train hobby is going to cost. Lego is hands down cheaper than modeling N,HO,OO scale when it comes to cost of trains and rolling stock and switches can set you back $50 just one a single decent one and locos and be in the hundreds some close to $1000. Lego holds it value to this day the older lego stuff is worth more as long as it in good con. So you have resell there where normal model trains dont hold value.

If its all about playing go PF, if its about the hobby and its a long term thing go shows big layout and so on 9v hands down.

Where ever you invest the cash you will always get it back if you need to sell.

Ohh dont buy a new lego 9v thats a tone of cash just buy the cheapest used one and fix it if its not faulty. But with the HE if you are running two sets I would recommend 3-4motors unless you going to trim some fat off the model.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Lazarus

[jamesed_1971]

from what all you people have said, I will invest in Power Functions as I am Planning to build Steam Locomotives including the Southern Merchant Navy Class and the Southern Schools Class Steam Locomotives

[v6TransAM]

I'm new to the "new" Lego trains, but I'm always hunting around and looking for deals. There are not many to be had for the 9 volt stuff sadly.

Power Function should be around for quite awhile, so it is probably your best bet dollar wise.

Going with quality rechargeable batteries like Eneloops would come out cheaper than buying the Lego setup as well and give you more versatility. I'm still running on the first charge in my sons passenger set.

[brickbuilder711]

How about a Lithium rechargeable battery box? For $37 extra, you end up saving the costs of gas to the store and for the new batteries, etc. It'll probably last a couple of years which means 100s of dollars in savings.

I have been a longtime 9V operator but am fixing to cut over to PF. I have dead motors to fix but other than that I want to be able to run on pretty much any layout. My LUG has been running PF at shows on top of the 9V system and we've had minimal complaints. My motors have hated the layouts also and stalled in 9V so I feel like PF will give my power runtime in anything.