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Subject: 
Re: The Future of Trains
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego
Date: 
Tue, 2 Oct 2007 09:30:28 GMT
Viewed: 
19383 times
  
In order for any replacement for 9V to be acceptable to me (and to get my
money) it must meet the following conditions:
1.Track must be 100% compatible with 9V track (as in, same size, same
shape, same studs, same connections between track pieces etc). Also, all
trains in the new system must be able to be run over existing 9V and RC
track (such as the recently released RC track crossing piece). The current
RC train track fits this requirement and likely unless they are going for
track powered trains, LEGO will continue to use this same track for the new
trains.

2.The battery box must be very compact. The small battery box that takes a
9V battery is close but still a little big. This is important for people
(like myself) that build steam locomotives and other small vehicles which
are too small to fit current battery boxes like the power functions battery
box or the technic battery box.

3.It must support extra connections (at a minimum it must support either
current 9V light bricks or a replacement with the same form factor that can
shine through the various front headlight prisms LEGO have made for 9V). If
it can support a small sound module (similar to the sort of thing used in
the dinosaur set or the motorbike set) which could make appropriate train
sound effects, even better.

4.If the track is not used for power and control, control (i.e. speed,
direction) must NOT require line of sight. I have no idea what technology
it uses but I believe whatever fisher-price are using for the GeoTrax does
not require line of sight (nor is it expensive as far as I can see plus it
allows multiple vehicles at once without problems). Being able to send a
seperate signal to trigger the sound effects (such as a horn or whistle)
would be great but not essential.

5.The motor must be the same form factor as the current 9V and RC train
motor units with studs in the same place (so it can drop into existing
designs and ways of building)

6.The parts for the system including the motor, battery box, remote
control, track, cables, light and sound units (if any) and other specialist
parts must be available as seperate items (from shop @ home if not from retail)

These conditions are based on the assumption that any new system will not
be powered via track power (LEGO have said many times in the past that
metal track is a lot more expensive than plastic track so I seriously doubt
any new system will be track powered)



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: The Future of Trains
 
(...) It would also be great if "on-track charging" was possible, like the racer track or the strips used to re-charge cars at Legolands (17 years ago, 2-Oct-07, to lugnet.lego)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: The Future of Trains
 
(...) Well, this is something of a blow to the LTC's doing shows. If the decision has been made to discontinue the line and work on a replacment, let us be proactive, and indicate the positives of the 9V system that should be worked into a new (...) (17 years ago, 1-Oct-07, to lugnet.lego)

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