Subject:
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Re: Future of LEGO Trains ? was Re: Model Railroad Scenery
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Wed, 23 Feb 2000 02:54:34 GMT
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In lugnet.trains, Christopher Masi writes:
> There is a dark side to TLG going to 8 wide. Here goes....
>
> Current 6 wide trains are $130-150. So, if 8 wide is 33 percent bigger (2/6)
> will the sets be 33% more exspensive. Maybe LEGO will use big single piece
> wall parts and specialty pieces to keep the price down...shudder...but that
> is wat LEGO does. The bigger they build the bigger the bricks are. When
> firestations and police stations were two storie high there were lots of
> small bricks. Now that the police station is 3 or 4 stories high there are
> lots of big bricks (I do not know which was first the big brick idea or the
> big building idea.
>
> So, I am apprehensive about LEGO going 8 wide, not because 8 wide is
> inherently evil, but LEGO may have to lean toward the dark side of 8 wide to
> make it affordable.
>
> Chris
Actually, it is both worse and better than that. Going 8 wide means going
longer, too. That means that trains will be 78% larger, assuming that height
remains the same. I would figure that it would be about twice as big as a 6
wide train. Twice the price? Not on your life. How many expensive parts are
there in a train set? Track is almost $2 a piece from S@H. The speed
regulator is also expensive. Granted, they have a higher price when marketed
seperately, but they are still high cost items that don't have to be added.
Those items carry the bulk of the cost in a train set and don't have to be
increased. Only basic bricks, plates and a few specialized pieces need to be
added to make these sets bigger. The following is a list of "expensive" items
that don't have to have their quantities upped when the size increases.
Track
Power Controller
AC Power Adapter
Track connection wire
Lego Light
Electric Plate
Truck assemblies (wheels, buffer, magnets, bogie plates)
9V power line
Train Motor
I would guess that a normal 700 piece train that retails for $130 could be
upped into a 1,200 piece train that retails for $199. Also, they could
introduce the next size up for curves and include them in the set instead of
the smaller curves.
I always felt that trains should not come with track and that the power
controller could be sold with the 18 pieces of track. That would be better
for the big train guys who have too many controllers.
As for upgrading existing sets to 8 wide, it is not really going to be easy,
as it would take 2 metroliners to make one 8 wide metroliner. And it takes 2
of those to make the train look long enough. This same problem would exist
with most of the other trains.
I would rather see them start a new train line with a couple of awesome
trains. Wouldn't that be a welcome introduction to an Unlimate Collector's
Series Train set: 8 wide Metroliner with 1 engine, 1 coach and 1 club car!
And a Freight Train with a nice big box car, a container car and a tanker.
Finally, follow it up with a Steam Engine that has a tender, a log car and a
caboose.
Mike Poindexter
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Future of LEGO Trains ? was Re: Model Railroad Scenery
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| Good points...going from 700 to 1200 pieces would be 500 piece increase, or $57.50 increase based on an 11.5¢ per piece estimate. Which would be right around $200. But $200 is alot of money, and many people already balk at the $150 price tag. If it (...) (24 years ago, 23-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
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