zephyr1934 Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 My 60052 set has turned into an expensive parts pack. The only things left intact are the gantry crane and fork lift. MOCing is a terrible disease that can eat away at your sets. I don't know, 60052 seems to be a fairly cheap parts pack if you use all the train parts.
dr_spock Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 It can eat away at your wallet as well from making a heap of Bricklink orders so you can amass a fleet of MOC's, trust me I know all to well. That's true. I try to stick to simple MOCs in the style that LEGO would make and use mostly parts from the Pick A Brick Wall. It seems like the more detailed, the more expensive it gets too. I don't know, 60052 seems to be a fairly cheap parts pack if you use all the train parts. I guess compared to Bricklinking all those train buffers and wheels and tracks separately. I managed to reuse most of the 60052 train and non-train parts in MOCs and other things. In that sense it was a good buy.
andythenorth Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) Moc trains never look as good as official sets imo https://www.flickr.com/photos/andythenorth/sets/72157624453772117 Edited May 22, 2015 by andythenorth
Duq Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 Moc trains never look as good as official sets imo https://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/ I just don't get this new Heavy Haul train. You could criticise it for being lame with two flat cars, you can moan about the cargo or the fact that the engine look like the yellow one only more boring with the sides made from 6x16 tiles instead of brick-built with doors or complain that while it's got 12 straights it has no points. But the main thing I don't get is: they're already selling a freight train and it's better. Who do they think will be buying this set?
Redimus Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 Moc trains never look as good as official sets imo Really? Take a look at *any* of my MOCs (I've posted several on this forum). Tell me honestly that you think they are not better than official Lego builds. About the *only* Lego design that comes close to the level of detail that I expect from my own mocs would be the Maersk train. Sure, not all mocs are created equally, but to write off the vast majority of train mocs because you've seen some first time mocs that weren't very good is a little unfair to the rest of us.
andythenorth Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 Take a look at *any* of my MOCs (I've posted several on this forum). Tell me honestly that you think they are not better than official Lego builds. Off-topic: how crashworthy are they? Have you tested them?
Redimus Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) Off-topic: how crashworthy are they? Have you tested them? On the layout (ie collisions and minor derailments), my builds tend to be every bit as solid as Lego builds (I tend to over engineer where space permits). As for bigger incidents, none of them have fallen off the table yet (largely due to them being reasonably heavy, and powered by the rail powered motor which isn't as powerful as the PF one, plus the fact I like to trial and error them until they're reliably stable), but I find it hard to believe any of them explode as spectacularly upon hitting the floor as Lego's own Horizen Express. Where my mocs do fall down compared to Lego's own designs (other than sheer cost/parts count), is that some of the assemblies can be a real bitch to put together (the 6 wide Pullman's ends are exceptionally fragile until everything is in place). EDIT: It just occurred to me that the Q class did fall off the table once too (I think it was a cat related incident). The boiler separated from the main loco and the tender broke into a couple of assemblies, but other than that, the only real problem was the 50 odd loose black 1x1 cheese wedges that I use for coal. Those went *everywhere*! Edited May 22, 2015 by Redimus
zephyr1934 Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 Off-topic: how crashworthy are they? Have you tested them? Many if not most of my MOC's are far more crashworthy than the recent lego sets (and yes, I have unwillingly tested several of them at various shows). That is one of my complaints about the newer sets, they tend to sacrifice structural integrity for a combination of looks and low part count. I build my trains such that they can travel long distances packed 10 to a box and stuffed in the back of a car. Perhaps my most durable locomotive of recent times was specifically designed to be kid tough. This one is about the only train that has survived my son and it is approaching three years. In that time both the yellow and blue freight trains have slowly been ground into random bricks. He even shot this engine off of the table in the Brickworld train drag race (that one took about 20 min to rebuild though).
Chess Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 Duq, would you mind explaining me why the existing freight train is better, and what set are you talking about? I'm looking to buy the new set myself, but ofcource the better old set is welcome as well. ;)
davidmull Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 Off-topic: how crashworthy are they? Have you tested them? Crashworthy? I really don't get why people like destroying there sets. What's the fascination?
Redimus Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 A lot of us have our railways on tables. Tables have the unfortunate habit of being a fair bit off the floor. Also, due to space limitations, the track is normally near the outer edge. Also, Lego uses toy train curves and rubbish point geometry. All this leads to potential train suicides. This is the reason most people worry about crash worthiness. (There are some who just like to create train crashes, I don't understand the fascination with that either.)
davidmull Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 A lot of us have our railways on tables. Tables have the unfortunate habit of being a fair bit off the floor. Also, due to space limitations, the track is normally near the outer edge. Also, Lego uses toy train curves and rubbish point geometry. All this leads to potential train suicides. This is the reason most people worry about crash worthiness. (There are some who just like to create train crashes, I don't understand the fascination with that either.) That explains it :)
andythenorth Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 Crashworthy? I really don't get why people like destroying there sets. What's the fascination? Eh well, the Lego trains in my house are for kids to play with. Strange idea, I know. Meanwhile (not my videos): Maersk Canyon Jump (spoiler, it fails): City Train water test:
dr_spock Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 Crashing trains into things is fun. I think there is an audience for train wrecks. The train kind and the people celebrity kind too.
GSD Jerrys Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 (edited) David Mull. How would you know how good everyones moc are. Most are unseen. Edited May 23, 2015 by GSD Jerrys
davidmull Posted May 23, 2015 Posted May 23, 2015 David Mull. How would you know how good everyones moc are. Most are unseen. It's just a personnel thing. Not running down anyone's sets. I prefer original sets.
v6TransAM Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 A lot of us have our railways on tables. Tables have the unfortunate habit of being a fair bit off the floor. Also, due to space limitations, the track is normally near the outer edge. Also, Lego uses toy train curves and rubbish point geometry. All this leads to potential train suicides. This is the reason most people worry about crash worthiness. (There are some who just like to create train crashes, I don't understand the fascination with that either.) My boy is 5, we have at least one of every train set available since he was 3. They get crashed on a regular basis....... Even the Emerald Night we built out of parts we have around. He takes them apart, rebuilds them into new stuff, w/ PF functions intact(been doing that since he was 4) or simply crashes them into nothingness. (Only thing Lego off limits is my Ecto-1 and I do have two HE's tucked away for myself)
dr_spock Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 My boy is 5, we have at least one of every train set available since he was 3. They get crashed on a regular basis....... Even the Emerald Night we built out of parts we have around. He takes them apart, rebuilds them into new stuff, w/ PF functions intact(been doing that since he was 4) or simply crashes them into nothingness. (Only thing Lego off limits is my Ecto-1 and I do have two HE's tucked away for myself) Must be a kids thing. Mine liked crashing spaceships and airplanes too. And then rebuilt them...
zephyr1934 Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 Eh well, the Lego trains in my house are for kids to play with. Strange idea, I know. Meanwhile (not my videos): Maersk Canyon Jump (spoiler, it fails): City Train water test: If you want to cringe, watch this . Then are amazing unto themselves, the crashes are just a bonus. It's just a personnel thing. Not running down anyone's sets. I prefer original sets. There is absolutely nothing wrong with preferring the stock sets. They do not have as much detail as many of the MOCs, but they are pure lego, closer than any MOC can get. Each AFOL is entitled to their own preferences after all.
peterab Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 I just don't get this new Heavy Haul train. You could criticise it for being lame with two flat cars, you can moan about the cargo or the fact that the engine look like the yellow one only more boring with the sides made from 6x16 tiles instead of brick-built with doors or complain that while it's got 12 straights it has no points. Or you could applaud that they've had another go at the successful yellow cargo train but this time in a colour used far more prototypically. They have included two flat cars like the blue cargo train with larger loads and a hopper which is far more realistic than the joke of a cattle car in the blue train. You also get two vehicles and a crane. As a bonus shout out to AFOLs we get more straight than curves. But the main thing I don't get is: they're already selling a freight train and it's better. Who do they think will be buying this set? Obviously not you, but I love the heavy haul train despite having an unnecessary helicopter. I think it is way better _for my needs_ which is the only real way that makes sense to evaluate stuff IMHO. I like aspects of the blue cargo train but really only bought it to keep my collection of PF trains complete. I think the heavy haul train will have good sales in Germany so should do pretty well overall since Germany is still a huge market for LEGO.
Steinkopf Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 (edited) It's just a personnel thing. Not running down anyone's sets. I prefer original sets. To be frank what motivated me to build my own rolling stock was the rather bland or highly unrealistic designs that came in the official sets, also a number of the designs in sets were somewhat <insert that tiresome argument> and rather lazy builds that are lacking in detail. Here is a picture of my take of the tanker that came in 7939 that you use as your avatar, the one in 7939 could have had so much more potential but instead the designers chose an rather simplistic build that spoiled the overall look that they were trying to achieve. Edited May 24, 2015 by Steinkopf
Redimus Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 From my point of view, this new set is better, rolling stock wise, than the previous one. The locomotive is a reasonably decent representation of a European loco, as compared to the blue engine, which is an unimpressive and somewhat weedy looking representation of an American loco (especially when compared to the Maersk loco), and as peterab said, that cattle wagon is an absolut joke of a wagon. It's totally anachronistic in a 'modern' set, and probably doesn't really have an equivalent from any point in railway history. To be frank what motivated me to build my own rolling stock was the rather bland or highly unrealistic designs that came in the official sets, also a number of the designs in sets were somewhat <insert that tiresome argument> and rather lazy builds that are lacking in detail. Here is a picture of my take of the tanker that came in 7939 that you use as your avatar, the one in 7939 could have had so much more potential but instead the designers chose an rather simplistic build that spoiled the overall look that they were trying to achieve. Ironically enough, that wagon is one of my favorite official Lego train builds, although it goes without saying that your version is a lot nicer!
zephyr1934 Posted May 25, 2015 Posted May 25, 2015 To be frank what motivated me to build my own rolling stock was the rather bland or highly unrealistic designs that came in the official sets, also a number of the designs in sets were somewhat <insert that tiresome argument> and rather lazy builds that are lacking in detail. Here is a picture of my take of the tanker that came in 7939 that you use as your avatar, the one in 7939 could have had so much more potential but instead the designers chose an rather simplistic build that spoiled the overall look that they were trying to achieve. You've got to keep in mind that there are (for the most part) two types of people on this forum: those who's interest in trains is expressed via lego and those who's interest in lego is expressed in trains. These lead to very different perspectives on "beauty" neither view is wrong, they just value things differently. I personally think it is neat to see how many different perspectives there are. But there is one thing most of us would agree on, "why a helicopter?" (look, I got back on topic!... grin)
Redimus Posted May 25, 2015 Posted May 25, 2015 But there is one thing most of us would agree on, "why a helicopter?" (look, I got back on topic!... grin) You can never have enough Helicopters... or police cars... or fire engines... or breakdown trucks... lol Also, this is a train themed forum, surely derailing a topic is always a little on topic!
Rail Co Posted May 25, 2015 Posted May 25, 2015 So I just found this post on toysnbricks (http://www.toysnbricks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=12590), It shows the box but also is showing that it is available at LegoLand Billund. It doesn't surprise me that it is available at that store but what does surprise me is the premiere price you have to pay for it (around $225!!!). In my personal opinion it is an "okay" set, the engine looks better than the 7939 Cargo set we had in 2010. It has a nice coal deposit and loading center which is 10 times better than the one we found in the 3677, this also includes one of my favorite crane pieces, the "Crane Bucket" or what I like to call it is the claw. sure the 2 flat wagons are a bit basic but I think we need to remember that these sets are aimed for children and this set is more of a starter set to get someone into the train theme. I feel like some people are being harsh and criticizing it because it doesn't have what an AFOL wants but these are not meant for adults that is what the Expert trains are for. So personally I do like many of the elements of this set for my wants. That is my 2 cents -RailCo
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