This page will deal with Lego brand brick style model trains. If you
get into the "L-Gauge" world of trains and find that Lego does not offer you
everything you are looking for, you can go to either non-Lego brands or
custom builds which (usually) start off as someone else's MOC.
Lego offers few American style trains and/or locomotives except for sets
like the Disney collection.
Track. The track the models ride on requires a section all to itself.
The out of the box track that Lego supplies are in 5 inch sections for the
straight pieces, and R40 radius for the curved sections. 40 refers to
the radius, measured in the number of studs. You will find that R40
track sections are really only usable for their short-wheel base intercity
trains. Most steam engines and SD type locomotives will probably jump
the tracks on R40 curves.
Couplers. Standard Lego couplers are magnetic, and I have seen 20+ car
trains being pulled by two locomotives at the train shows with no problem.
There is someone who makes a transition piece, so you can use standard "O"
Scale couplers - I'm looking for info on them.
A lot of sellers on EBay will
often split up a set, and offer you the
already built or un-built cars and engines separately from the boxed set
(7939 and 60052 are examples).
While it may seem wrong to split up a set, it does give you the opportunity to fill-in
a set that may be missing a certain piece, or maybe you want to add to that
in a string of freight cars. Here is one example:
Notice that the stuff I have listed is a combination of material from EBay,
Lego, and elsewhere, and most of the screen captures are dated so you have
some idea of when the listings were found, so if you go looking, and don't
find an item, you'll know why.
Acknowledgements:
Denver Todd
lego.com
Ebay
Websites and other additional information sources of interest: As needed
This is a retired set with 839 pieces. Also shown are pieces
from the set that have been offered individually. As of summer
2023, $370 seems to be the going price for a NOS set, never opened.
This kit is unpowered, and requires the purchase of a motor kit. It is
patterned after European prototypes.
Easily built in three sections, and easy to connect the two "outer" sections
to the middle section. The kit does not come with a battery
pack/controller or motor, but they can be bought separately. In order
to install them, the "modeled" interior must be removed.
Being released on December 1st, 2023, this train set includes a "Royal Blue"
colored train with two very well detailed insides. Unfortunately, the
steam engine IS NOT powered - Jay says in his review below, that the
designers deemed the train set too heavy to be powered, but I don't think
that will stop many railfans from trying. The train set is 10 studs
wide as opposed to a (more or less) standard 8 studs wide - this is to show
off detail inside the coaches, of which there is plenty! The set has
2,540 pieces, and includes 8 figures. Jay doesn't say, but it looks
like the set includes non-standard track to display the model on. The
set includes a several new pieces including a piece to make the windows, and
one for the driver rods.
The Block Zone also offers a version of the train, but with a green colored -
slightly more detailed locomotive, and one coach - their locomotive is powered.
https://theblockzone.com/products/3897pcs/
This is another set that is part of Lego's City series,
and contains 888 Pieces. The engine is powered and uses a remote
control. In comparison to most Lego train sets which feature European
styled trains, this set features an American style locomotive. In
addition to the regular assortment of straight and curved track, it includes
a pair of L/R switches so you can add a siding to the basic oval. The
set includes a cattle car, a flat car with two spools, and drop center flat
car, all of which have loads, and a crane for loading the cars.
This set is part of Lego's City series,
and is pretty comprehensive in terms of accessories. Besides the
powered locomotive, the 1153 piece set includes a three car freight consist
including a car carrier that includes two cars, an oval of track with a
siding (16 straight and 16 curved sections with one RH switch), a crane,
loads for the freight cars, and six minifigures.
Another set that is part of Lego's City series.
The kit contains 764 pieces and includes a powered locomotive with dimmable
headlight, 2 passenger cars, an oval of track (24 pieces), a platform, and 6
minifigures.
Too bad they didn't produce this set longer, probably coulda kept selling it
forever! This 2925 piece set makes a train with two cars and an
accompanying station. It's patterned after the Disneyland train.
A 699 piece set that includes an American style 4-6-0 steam engine/tender, two
Euro styled freight cars with two axles, 7 minifigures,
a loop of track (4 straight and 16 curved), and accessories that include a
water tower and a gatling gun.
There are basically two kinds of Lego track: Powered and non-powered.
Powered track goes back to the 1990's, and was an attempt for Lego to
replicate the powered track of Lionel and MTH, where you could power your
train thru the tracks. The system operated with a 9 volt power pack, and
supplied power to metal pieces shaped to fit over the plastic track.
Success was limited, and after a while, the connections between track
sections limited reliability.
Standard Lego straight track sections are five inches long, which means you
need two pieces to cross a standard 10 inch base plate, and three pieces for a
15 inch base plate.
From Lego's website, this is what they currently offer in the way of Track, Road, and Accessory Parts as of February 2023....
I won't go into all of the variations of this track style, as it is used mostly for
their roller coaters, please check their website for more information.
The straight sections, like the one shown, could also be used as ladder
parts on fire engines! :-) They come in grey, yellow, gold, blue, and
maybe others.
Disclaimers:
New format 10/26/23: Please check out my disclaimer page for my standard
dribble and contact info here