A new issue RAILBRICKS is here! Inside you'll find articles for beginners, lessons on how to photograph your trains, more RCX/PF train experimentation, new ideas for smooth curves, instructions, and more!

 

To download the new issue, see the RAILBRICKS website: http://www.railbricks.com/railblog-categories/49-new-issues/218-railbricks-issue-7-is-out

This is a fairly large LEGO Trains review.  I took advantage of the July free shipping to purchase the 7939 Cargo Train along with the complimentary sets 7936 Level Crossing, 3221 LEGO City Truck, 3180 Octan Tank Truck, and 3177 Small Car.

 

As I mentioned in the review of the 7938 Passenger train I hypothesized that the cargo train would be a better play value.  Now that I have the cargo train I can say definitively that I think that is true although I do think the passenger train is a fair value.  The cargo train comes with more track then I remember any 9 Volt train ever having.  With 2 Switches, 16 Curves, 4 Straights, and 16 flex tracks there are a lot of possibilities with the track.  Having 2 switches greatly improves the play value.

 

I will break the train down into the different parts.

 

1. Engine:  The engine is definitely European but it is a nice set and there is a lot more room for the electronics then the Passenger Train.  Some have had problems with the IR receiver being to low in the engine.  I had no problem but I only used the train inside a small room where the signal has lots of opportunity to bounce.  In a wide open space this may be a problem.  Finally I have to say the "dummy" motor truck LEGO has come up with is the best I have seen them do.  I am sure this is thanks to the new motors that use axles and new wheels but I finally have a LEGO dummy truck I like.
2. Octan Tank Car:  This is a fairly simple build but by far the best looking tank car LEGO has ever done.
3. Car Carrier:  This car is very simple to build and is in no way prototypical the cars are nearly identical to 3177 Small Car.  While not prototypical the car is a lot of fun to load and unload and watch go around the track.
4. Container Car:  Again this is a little less than prototypical but some of the building techniques on the car are really neat.  The container is simple but LEGO has definitely moved to a bigger container.  This is huge compared to the old style containers.
5. Semi Truck:  The cab of the truck is very similar to that in 3180 Tank Truck although it doesn't have mirrors.  The trailer is simple and will work with the cab to 3180 but will not work with 3221 LEGO City Truck.  This is because the trailer uses a fixed axle to hook up and won't allow the trailer to turn if hooked up to 3221.  The container is half the size of the container that comes with the Container Car.
6. Crane:  The crane is fairly simple but nice.  Nothing special but adds significantly to the play value of the set.

I would not say that this set was a difficult build.  While a large set the separately bagged "parts" make this more like 6 small to medium sized sets then one rather large set.  This is a great starter set for someone just getting into trains and the Power Functions parts and motor seem to perform much more closely to what we had come to expect with 9V trains.  I would recommend the rechargeable battery though if your train gets lots of use or if someone in your family likes to turn it on and walk away.  :)

 

Click "Read More" below for a quick breakdown of the other sets.

 

Below are my comments about the new LEGO trains.

I Received the new trains at the last of the month of June.

The first night I assembled the Passenger train (7938).

The next night I started the Cargo train (7939). It comes with 8 numbered bags, a bag of bumpers, a bag of Flex track, 2 train base plates, 4 packs of curved track, 2 packs of straight track, 2 overhead crane frames, a box with the motor, IR unit and controller battery box and drive wheels, 2 switches, a bag of wheels and 6 numbered instruction booklets. There are 839 pieces.
It took me over an hour to assemble the engine which required bags 1 and 2 using instruction booklet 1. Bag 1 along with the motor , a base plate, the 8 drive wheels, and 2 bumpers are used to make the bottom portion of the engine. Bag 2, the IR unit and the battery box are used to assemble the top half of the engine. This includes a very innovative switch pusher to turn on and off the battery.

Booklet 2 and Bag 3 are used build the Octan car along with 2 bumpers. It is based on an automobile frame and is easy to assemble if you have worked with the cylinder construction before. It uses standard train trucks with steel axles that snap in after putting the wheels on the ends.

Booklet 3, Bag 4, and 2 bumpers are used to build the container car and container. Some very interesting pieces are used to construct the base. The container is large but simple to assemble.

Booklet 4, Bag 5, The other train base and 2 bumpers are used to build an auto transporter and 2 little cars. Simple and easy to assemble.

Booklet 5, Bag 6, and the 2 frames are used to construct an overhead crane. It includes a crane with windows and a place for the operator that slides across the frame.

This is where I finished the first night as it was after midnight and I had to be up in the morning.

I picked up both the 7938 passenger train and 7937 train station today at my local LEGO Brand store. You may ask why I didn't get the cargo train, the answer is simple they didn't have it in yet.

Seeing this was my first traditional LEGO train set in a very long time I was very excited and had to build it right away. While I do have an Emerald Night I do not have the other post 9 Volt battery trains.

 

From a technical standpoint the motor has a 9 Volt electric footprint which is nice and the IR and Battery Box are at least very similar to the Power Functions that worked with the Emerald night.  The battery box takes 6 AAA batteries with another 3 AAA's for the controller.  I do prefer having a single battery type so that is nice.  The battery box has the same footprint as the rechargeable battery box so they are interchangeable.  Unfortunately the battery box dimensions make it difficult to integrate into traditional North American Diesel trains.

 

As for the train (7938) I am not a big fan of high speed trains, and I am still not.  That said I prefer the brick built nose to the single piece molded nose even if it makes it a bit blocky.  The black panels on the motored hood end were effective.  The color scheme is boring and the extras are typical for LEGO passenger trains.  Operationally the train runs well (it is running as I write this) and having 8 channels to choose from on the train is very nice for doing club events once our 9v stuff wears out.  The biggest downer for the passenger train was the inclusion of 16 pieces of flex track in lieu of 4 pieces of straight track.  I have nothing nice to say about flex track and can only assume it was included to get rid of it.

 

At $130 I feel the set has value although I expect the Cargo train to be a better value at $180 unless you are just looking for the power functions parts.  I would rate the passenger train an overall buy but if you are considering just one train the Cargo train might be more fun and a better overall value.

 

The 7937 Train Station is very nice.  It has 4 pieces of standard straight track!  The footbridge is very nice and the little station is very nice for its size.  I really like the use of a sliding door.  The taxi is nice although it doesn't have doors.  LEGO is getting back to doors on vehicles but not on this taxi. 

 

At $50 and 361 parts this set really stretches the part/price ratio but it is a great compliment to the passenger train and a fun build.  I definitely recommend the station if you go with the passenger train.

 

Hopefully I will get my hands on a cargo train soon!  When I do I will do the grade crossing as well.

 

I have more pictures of 7938 and 7937 in my gallery.

Officially not much. From leaks we know of 4 trains coming out...

 

• PF Freight Train
• PF High Speed Passenger Train
• Toy Story Train
• Harry Potter Hogwarts Express

 

Because we don't like to go against LEGO wishes we don't post unauthorized images which puts us in a rather poor position in terms of posting leading edge news.  Otherwise there isn't a lot of new news on trains.

 

As for town we do know about the highly anticipated Grand Emporium.  This is a highly detailed set to go along with the Green Groccer and the Fire Station released last year.

 

 

There are also some fairly interesting new farm sets like the Pig Farm.  I personally can't wait to get my hands on some Hogs

 

Really a fairly disappointing year so far for Trains with no Official news of the sets we know are coming out Summer '10. 

 

Stay Tuned...