| |
In lugnet.announce, Steve Witt wrote:
> I'm posting this on behalf of Richard Stollery, head of LEGO Community
> Development:
>
> LEGO 9V Train Communication
>
> Billund, Oct. 1st ’07
> Dear all,
> The LEGO Group has considered the future of the 9v at length, and has come to
> the conclusion that there is not sufficient demand for the product line to be
> profitable and competitive. The existing machines need to be replaced and
> minimum order quantities at external suppliers for motors and speed regulators
> are so high that the investment The LEGO Group would have to put in, would not
> be rational or reasonable compared to sales figures of the existing 9V system.
>
> The implication of this is that the 9v elements sold now are the last of the
> remaining stock and subsequent production of elements for the 9V platform has
> ceased.
> Richard Stollery, Head of LEGO Community Development
Okay, I accept that the LEGO Company is moving on from the 9V trains. There is
quite a history of them moving from one Train platform to another. How many of
us have 12 volt or 4.5 volt trains?
Let me put a question to the LEGO Company. Will you allow or support a thrid
party in making 9 Volt compatible track from the model train industry or will
you stand in the way?
I know the question is not an easy one. Certainly there must first be a company
out there that is willing to go to considerable expense and develop track of the
proper dimension that will work with the 9 Volt train system and have some look
and feel of the LEGO Track (studs, etc). How much track will needed by the
community is another question. How much that track will cost is certainly a
major consideration.
Supposing there is a manufacturer and market large enough to make the track,
would LEGO claim trademark infringement and go after the company for competing
in a product line that LEGO Company has now abandoned?
Just wondering.
Todd
|
|
| |
In lugnet.lego, Todd Thuma wrote:
> Okay, I accept that the LEGO Company is moving on from the 9V trains. There is
> quite a history of them moving from one Train platform to another. How many of
> us have 12 volt or 4.5 volt trains?
Well I do.
The last 5 years I have build up a huge collection of blue track (both 12 volt
and 4.5 volt), as well as trains from that era (1966-1979) and many parts, like
motors, train bases, etc. All long after the last production run by TLC around
1979. And my collection is still growing.
And I do trainshows, too. I love the reactions of the public that remember the
blue track and buildings and vehicles they played with when they were young.
Even the reactions from young children recognizing this old stuff from their
grandparents toybox.
Since I started to do trainshows in 2004 (LegoWorld Zwolle, Netherlands), I see
that more and more people start to display blue track layouts. So there is
nothing wrong with displaying abandoned trainstuff. The audience will still like
it.
Personally I like the blue track era (both 4.5 and 12 volt) the most, but the
gray track era (again both 4.5 and 12 volt) had nice trains, too.
I am not so fond of the 9V trains. Actually I only like the Santa Fe train. The
9V track might need less maintenance to keep the trains running, but I call the
track Jack-Stone track, because of the large pieces. I like the building part of
the track with seperate sleepers and track, that's pure Lego :-)
The IR trains added the possibility to run new trains on the old tracks again.
The freight train 7898 is a superb set, a good selection of small parts and nice
designed train and cars and a lot of playability.
The all in one piece trainbase with battery box is a drawback, I agree. But in
the message at the start of this thread I read that the current IR train is also
abandoned in 2009. With a multi theme system, I think about a separate
batterybox that can be build anywhere, in trains, in space ships, in windmills,
in whatever one wants to build.
Yes, I am looking forward for the new train system in 2009. Since L scale will
still be used, I think about getting some of that new train stuff and combine it
with my large collection of blue track. Even if the track don't connect to the
blue track (as the current 9V and IR track don't), I don't mind, I have enough
blue track that I don't need the blay Jack-Stone track :-P
Before I got back to Lego and trains, I had H0 scale and N scale modeltrains.
Since the prices went way up I quit that hobby and started with Lego trains.
Second hand Lego trains can also be quite expensive (especially the 12V from the
gray track era), but I found many older trains for reasonable prices. I know
some very rare sets can get very pricy, but my goal is not to get set-complete,
but just have fun with those old Lego trains.
Niels
|
|
|
