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 03:22:37 GMT
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Reply-To:
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cmasi@cmasi.chemSPAMLESS.tulane.edu
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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 was really nice--an 8 wide 4558, 7740--I would buy a $200 set, but I
would never spend $200 on an 8 wide 4656, 4561, 4559 (not really fare comparrison
on the 4559, and 4561 they were not the 150 sets)...you get the point.
Actually, kinda funny my 33% number gives a $200 set too. Just goes to show you
that just cause you get the same number doesn't mean you know what you are
talking about (me not you).
Ewe, ugly track costs though. Big trains need big track...
Chris
Mike Poindexter wrote:
> 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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