Introduction / In General
Lego Trains
Train Sets and Locomotives
Lego 4558
Lego 7939 -- Cargo Train
Lego 10014
Lego 10277 -- Crocodile Locomotive
Lego 21344 -- Orient Express
Lego 40138 -- 2015 Christmas Train
Lego 40262 -- Christmas Train Ride
40370 - 40th Anniversary Steam Engine
Lego 40518 -- High Speed Train
Lego 60052 - Cargo Train
Lego 60098
Lego 60197 -- City Passenger Train
Lego 60036 -- Freight Train
Trolleys and sets that Include Trolleys/Trams
Lego 10308
Custom Lego Builds
Lego Parts
Non-Lego Trains
Track
Stations
Bridges
Signals
Floobydust
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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
Lego 4558
Here's a used station platform from the set.
Lego 7939 - Cargo Train
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.
Lego 10014
Here's a used Carriage Wagon (caboose) from the set.
Lego 10277 -- Crocodile Locomotive
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.
Lego 21344 - Orient Express
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/
Here is a great review of the set with oodles of detail pictures:
https://jaysbrickblog.com/news/lego-officially-reveals-21344-orient-express-pulling-into-stations-in-december-2023/
New rods....Lego 40138 - 2015 Christmas Train
This kit for the "juniors" contains 233 Pieces - has a steam locomotive, tender, caboose and a tree with presents.
Lego 40262 - 2015 Christmas Train Ride
This kit for the "juniors" contains 169 Pieces - has a steam locomotive, two trailing cars, and an assortment of accesories.
Lego 40370 - 40th Anniversary Steam Engine
A retired static display model with 188 pieces and display stand, includes one minifig. Can only be found on sites such as EBay since it's retired.
Lego 40518 - High Speed Train
The kit for the "juniors" contains 284 Pieces, has a locomotive and trailing passenger car.
Lego 60052 - Cargo Train
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.
Lego 60098
Here's a used crane from the set.
Lego 60197
This a City Passenger Train Kit, featuring a Motorized/Powered Up engine. The kit contains 677 Pieces.
By the piece, and an expensive way to go, especially with no battery box/motor!:
Lego 60036 - Freight Train
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.
Lego 60337 - Express Passenger Train
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.
Lego 71044 - Disney Train and Station
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.
Typical going price
Lego 79111 - Constitution Train Chase
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.
Lego 10308 - Holiday Main Street
Although not a "train set" per se, it features a cable car, so it is included here. The set includes 1514 pieces and 6 minifigures.
As far as I can tell, these cars are all buildable from standard Lego parts, if you feel so inclined to "roll your own". For example:
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.
Track Sets
Track Parts
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.
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New format 10/26/23: Please check out my disclaimer page for my standard dribble and contact info here
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