Subject:
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Re: 5 points<long post>
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 5 Aug 2002 23:33:31 GMT
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Viewed:
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822 times
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In lugnet.trains, Steve Barile writes:
> "Even the wooden track systems don't have than many different pieces, and
> that's a toy system almost exclusively for trains."
>
> Perhaps I miss read this, but Brio has a ton of track elements...
>
> Straights: 2", 4.25", 5.5", 8.5", & ramps.
> Curves: 3.5", 6.5" 2 different radii (I thought there was 3).
> Switches: 4 type (2 L&R handed, 2 "Y"s)
> Other: double slip, 4x4 slip, T-switch, 2 cross tracks, turn table, 7
bridges...
I wouldn't count ramps and bridges, at least in comparison to LEGO or other
track systems (though these days you can get HO bridge track from at least one
manufacturer, and bridge track is different from normal straight track, and of
course many HO bridges include the track as part of the bridge).
That's also considerably fewer track elements than Atlas produces in HO (and
I'll even chose to consider only what was available from Atlas the last time I
actively purchased track, now they have a new lighter rail weight and more [I
really haven't paid much attention over the past 10 years or so]).
I am curious when they started adding all these track sections. When I was a
kid, the wooden track system we had (I don't think it was Brio, and I'm sure
Brio did have more components even back then) had a Y switch, a curve, a
straight, a bumper, and a ramp. Of course we probably also didn't have all the
expansions that were available. We never had all the fancy arches etc. in the
wooden block system (the special blocks we did have were the basic 1x4x2 arch,
the 1x4x2 ramp, the 2x4x1 ramp, the 1x2x1 1/2 circle [fits in the 1x4x2 arch],
and the 1x1x4 round column, I think the smallest rectangular blocks we had were
the 2x2x1 and the 1x1x4 [do they sell 1x1x1s? I'm pretty sure the 1x1x2
exists]).
The number of track sections though does highlight the problems introduced by
taking the step away from one turnout geometry, one crossing, one curve radius,
and one straight. Once you open the possibility, you open the floodgates. And
the development costs of a new track section are considerably more for LEGO
(these days, Brio should just have to write a new program for their track
cutting tool).
Of course one can look at Brio and see the same percieved customer needs which
have changed LEGO also. When I was a kid, you didn't need all those action
buildings and such with your wooden train system because you would just build
them out of blocks.
> Not to mention there are other sources for compatible track as well.
Of course it's not fair to could compatibles unless you are willing to use
clone bricks with your LEGO... Not that anyone has cloned LEGO train components
yet - possibly another indication of the potential market - if there was a huge
market out there which wasn't being satisfied, I'm sure there would be a clone.
I really do think our best chance to get a new track geometry is for one of the
MR manufacturers to decide to produce track. Of course said track might not
have studs.
I wonder also, how many of the kids at Brio's target age are really able to
make use of the differing radii etc.
Frank
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: 5 points<long post>
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| "Frank Filz" <ffilz@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:H0E9Fv.F7u@lugnet.com... (...) [ ... snip ... ] (...) to (...) All of them. There is enough slop in the way Brio track connects that kids can make just about anything work. We have a layout (...) (22 years ago, 6-Aug-02, to lugnet.trains)
| | | Re: 5 points<long post>
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| (...) the (...) I remember about all of it, and whenever I go to a childrens store I play with the Brio a little bit. I also had 3-way switches, that was a while ago though. But when I was real young, I had awesome layouts in the same part of my (...) (22 years ago, 6-Aug-02, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: 5 points<long post>
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| "Even the wooden track systems don't have than many different pieces, and that's a toy system almost exclusively for trains." Perhaps I miss read this, but Brio has a ton of track elements... Straights: 2", 4.25", 5.5", 8.5", & ramps. Curves: 3.5", (...) (22 years ago, 5-Aug-02, to lugnet.trains)
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