Subject:
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Re: 9V Train Motor Being Discontinued?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains, lugnet.loc.au
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Date:
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Thu, 6 Apr 2006 13:03:10 GMT
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Viewed:
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5133 times
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In lugnet.trains, Rafe Donahue wrote:
> Eric Kingsley wrote:
>
> > Sure post anything that you feel would be helpful.
>
> Ok, I'll add my $0.02 to the pile.
>
> Summary: Lego trains are the reason there are now 100,000 Lego bricks in
> my Lego room upstairs.,
.
.
.
.
> Ok, that's that.
> Rafe
I wish to add my $0.02 worth also
I think this story can be told by many Rafe, just change the names and ages and
you have summed up my history with Lego Trains as well.
(which has now made me a bit paranoid, is someone watching me?)
I belong to BLTG, Brisbane Lego Train Group. We have not joined ILTCO yet but we
are getting to it.
We have been doing Lego Train displays at Model Railroad shows for 5 years here
in Australia, we do 4 to 5 shows a year. Over 20k a year easily have seen our
displays.
We are able to sell train items at the Train shows as well run them because Lego
Trains are not readily available down under. Over the years people have got to
know that we sell limited lego train items and and now turn up to the shows to
buy them from us. We are also now starting to get an interest from some local
companies who want us to custom build trains with their logo and have them
running on a layout. They are also willing to pay for it.
The new battery operated trains probably won't be any good for us as we tend to
run trains at shows for 30mins to 60mins at a time. We also tend to run double
headers and have three running tracks. Six locos running at a time for eight to
ten hours a day for 2 or 3 days, 4 to 5 times a year, that comes to a lot of
batteries and money to buy them, money which I would rather spend on lego.
So the BLTG will stay with the 9V motors and regulators and keep our group going
for as long as we can.
But I'm not particularly worried that TLC with stop producing the 9V train
items, that being motors, regulators, metal covered tracks, etc.
As I see it they are trying to get into the 5 - 8 year old market, why I'm not
sure as its got plenty of train brands in it anyway.
The 9V system is typically for older children say 8 to 13yrs, so they are trying
to extend the train items from 5 to 13yrs.
They recognize one system can't do this as 8 to 13yrs want something more grown
up, like the big boys at the train shows.
Hence the Hobby line idea. Which to my way of thinking would be the 9V motor and
regulator along with the metal tracks.
These items probably would only be available at S@H. The battery train would be
in the shops for Mums and Dads to buy for the young ones, who when they get a
bit older would want to move into the Hobby line. Use the same trains just get
the kids to upgrade them using the 9V motor and get metal tracks. And use the
many Lego Train displays around the world to advertise what's possible (without
paying a cent)
We will probably being doing this at BLTG, as well as many other lego trains
clubs I imagine.
TLC does not have to make much of a profit on the Hobby line items, because as
many have mentioned, you need a lot of lego pieces to make a train layout, (very
few of which need to be 9V train items)
So profits will be made on selling the bricks, not the train motors, tracks etc.
If TLC is able to make this happen then they will be able to keep the lego train
idea alive, and make money.
If they get rid of the 9V train line then I don't think they will have a snow
balls chance in hell of competing in the battery operated train market because
to date I don't think Lego has been very successful with any battery operated
toy they produced. (not Mindstorms). And by the tone of the discussion the
battery operated trains don't inspire many of us AFOL's to go out and purchase
bucket fulls of the stuff, like a new geometry metal track would.
To me, it does not make sense to get rid of the 9V train items, especially when
it just starting to get on its feet, thanks mainly to the many Lego Train Groups
public displays.
You would have to think that with all the secret meetings and NDA's that have
been mentioned something fruitful would be happening.
I live in hope, I just pray its not a false hope
Gary
BLTG
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: 9V Train Motor Being Discontinued?
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| (...) Hi Gary, I'd really encourage you guys to voice this information to ILTCO, or at (URL) - if TLC don't hear it, they can't take it into account when making their decision. And it appears their deadline is not far off. ROSCO (18 years ago, 7-Apr-06, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.loc.au)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: 9V Train Motor Being Discontinued?
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| (...) Ok, I'll add my $0.02 to the pile. Summary: Lego trains are the reason there are now 100,000 Lego bricks in my Lego room upstairs. Details: When I was a little kid in Wisconsin in the 1970s, we had HO trains in the basement (didn't (...) (18 years ago, 4-Apr-06, to lugnet.trains)
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