Subject:
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Re: Whither LEGO Steam Trains? (was Re: QT Movie of 4565)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Fri, 9 Feb 2001 15:46:07 GMT
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Viewed:
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2057 times
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In lugnet.trains, Jason J. Railton writes:
> Tim:
> > Jason:
> > > I'm a bit disappointed with TLC's support for steam trains actually...
> > Again, Train Summit fodder, and NDA'ed.
>
> Well, this probably was raised at the Train Summit, and satisfactory replies
> may well have been given, and those attending may have come away with grins
> from ear to ear, but they're unable to tell anyone any details. Does this
> mean that from now on any discussion in lugnet.trains is immediately shot
> down with the letters 'N.D.A.'?
I certainly don't think so! Discussion is great. Asking questions is great.
Intelligent speculation using what is publicly known and what business
literate people know about how businesses run is great. And you can divine
some remarkable things using just those techniques, if you're grounded in
reality.
It's just that certain things are off limit for certain people, that's all.
I know we all are trying to tell everyone as much of what we know as we can
without revealing things "before their time" or stealing LD's (well
deserved) thunder for announcements that they by rights ought to be the
first to announce.
But as someone said, while the discussion was wide ranging, we still don't
know everything, or all that much, even, in some areas.
Time will reveal all. (and change some of it. Think incremental and iterative)
> You might as well close the group down, if
> that's the case. I'm not aiming this at you, Tim. Please don't take
> offence. These are open messages to anyone reading the group. I also don't
> mean to be bitter (despite having had a lousy couple of days). But, it
> kills any discussion when a select few know some of the answers and just say
> 'I can't discuss that'. Don't then. But don't stamp on the discussion.
If my posts came off as "stamping on the discussion" (and I don't think they
did, but if...) I apologise, that was not at all my intent.
I am more excited than ever and am just bursting. But a lot of what we
"learned" we already knew. It was discussed here in advance. Certain people
derided the steps to reach the conclusions, but it was accurate enough.
> It's unlucky timing that my suggestions came after this event, but I'm not
> going to apologise for them.
Nor should you.
> Even if we all had been told everything that
> TLC/LD has planned, we'd still want to discuss what's coming after that.
Indeed.
> So what else is there left to discuss? Well, it took me a while to get into
> trains because of the high start-up cost of a train set. Two decades ago
> you could get a push-along engine, then some track if you wanted, then
> motors, points, whole trains etc. if it really grabbed you. Nowadays, you
> either spend a huge wad on a full set, or you go without. Every other theme
> has small starter sets - the only small train sets are accessories to larger
> ones. I'm sure there'd be more take-up if parents could buy something
> simple, then get more if their kids get hooked.
> Discuss.
I think that you're spot on in that sentiment. I dunno how much market there
is for push trains, though. If you assume power, you have a certain barrier
to entry in that you have fixed costs (a circle of track, controller, motor)
that any starter set has to have.
But the current line (at 6 items, all targeted at the same age range, plus
track/controller/parts) isn't broad enough and it isn't deep enough. By that
I mean it's targeted at a certain age level, and it doesn't have a lot of
items in it. I'd like to see both those things fixed. Time will tell if I
get my wish. LD, I know, is aware of our perception of the lack. That's in
part why we were there and why they pore over this group and support shows
and all the other stuff they do.
I don't expect LD to fill all the gaps "at once". I don't expect LD to fill
the gaps we want filled (the most) as the first gap filling they do. But
many small steps are easier than giant leaps. Think iterative and
incremental and remember you have to justify every step. Dislike it if you
want, but that's reality.
> Jason J Railton.
PS I never did say what a neat last name you have, you should have been a
trainhead from birth, you know...
++Lar
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Whither LEGO Steam Trains? (was Re: QT Movie of 4565)
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| (...) It's not exactly the tone. I guess it's just that no-one else can really follow an answer along the lines of 'I know, but I can't tell'. (...) Well, thanks Larry. I've always had model trains, just not LEGO ones because they're too expensive. (...) (23 years ago, 9-Feb-01, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Whither LEGO Steam Trains? (was Re: QT Movie of 4565)
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| (...) I'm very grateful, but I don't intend to cause any problems, particularly so close following the Train Summit. It was just another suggestion, one among many I'm sure. But, I would like to see those elements in those colours, and I'm sure a (...) (23 years ago, 9-Feb-01, to lugnet.trains)
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