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 LEGO Company / 3735
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Subject: 
Re: The Future of Trains
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego
Date: 
Tue, 2 Oct 2007 21:14:49 GMT
Viewed: 
19797 times
  
In lugnet.lego, Ben Fleskes wrote:

Over the years I've done a lot with the 9v metal rails.  I know it's advantages
and disadvantages.  Personally, I'm excited to see LEGO go in a new direction
and  in a way that will hopefully be more profitable for them.  I see it this
way, if LEGO were to continue the old system of metal rails there would never be
any reinvestment in it since it doesn't make any money.  Now you could argue
that it doesn't make a profit because they don't invest in it.  Perhaps so.  But
the way I see it, LEGO is a plastic company - they are very good at making
things in plastic and outsource all electro-mechanical and metal components.
Thus it makes sense to me that they should keep as much as they can in house -
hence all plastic track.  And the more profitable any line is the more support
there will be into the product line (example: Bionicle gets lots of new pieces
because it is a profitable product line)

The current 9v metal rails have many advantages and disadvantages.  I feel that
the advantages of pursuing a new train system offers opportunities far beyond
sticking with the old.

A good many of us will be left speculating on what it will be while a select
number of AFOL train heads will contribute to LEGO on what the new system will
be.  I don't know who they are, but I do expect they will be under a non
disclosure agreement and won't even be able to contribute to this dialog.
However, I do know the depth of talent and passion that exist with AFOL train
heads and whomever contributes will do their best to make the new system the
best that it can be.

I'm looking forward to the opportunities ahead.

Kind regards,

Ben Fleskes
Big Ben Bricks LLC

Ben,

Well said! I couldn't have stated it any better. I too will wait, impatiently I
might add, for the reveal on the new system. I trust that if I lack the
creativity to make it work, I will do what I always do... Copy from the rest of
you.

This is not the end, but the growth and expansion of the train product line. If
TLG is right, and it sells, there will be plenty of garage sales in my future to
find train product. There will be plenty of growth in LEGO elements to keep the
trains going for years. It may mean thrid party track and motors, but it will go
on.

After all, essentially what is the train product line? A motor, a means of
supplying power to that motor, track, and finally bricks to hide the motor and
the power supply. As long as I don't spend more money on batteries than on the
bricks, and I can keep the train going around in circles for more than a few
mintues, and I can hide the motor and power with other elements, I am good to
go!

Todd



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: The Future of Trains
 
(...) <snip> (...) Thank you for making a decision on this. Those 'in the know' have known this was a decision that needed to be made for a while now and I'm pleased that a decision and a course of direction are now set. Over the years I've done a (...) (17 years ago, 2-Oct-07, to lugnet.lego)

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