2016 Christmas Train Rumors

graphite

I'd be happy with a $129.99 train, NO track, NO extra builds.  Track you can get separately.  Emerald Night and Horizon style.  Awesome train, no frills, PF optional.

dragon114

SumoLego said:

^ Agreed - there are plenty of mini-build knick-knack things in the rest of the Winter Village sets.  $129.99 for a steam engine, tender and some track.

would love to see in 2017 a holiday train station

madforLEGO

dragon114 said:

SumoLego said:

^ Agreed - there are plenty of mini-build knick-knack things in the rest of the Winter Village sets.  $129.99 for a steam engine, tender and some track.

would love to see in 2017 a holiday train station

While it would be neat, I doubt that would occur. A holiday train is nice, but many folks many not want a train, and then to make the next year's set a train station? I do not think LEGO would do that.

SumoLego

Train Station Modular!

(Is this the 2017 Modular thread?)

Paperballpark

^ no.

playwell

I don't think track is needed as most of us have it and you can easily buy it, without the track the cost can be kept down.

Bumblepants

You might need track for the casual Lego buyers who grab one to put around the tree. Not hard to imagine a large number of folks just assuming trains come with tracks regardless of what the packaging says and getting upset to discover they have to purchase it separately.

cheshirecat

We know from #79111 that they can sell a train with a small loop of track for £80. If this rumour is true I expect something similar in nature to this - steam train, tender and two carriages with a loop of track and about 7 minifigs. I would be amazed if it didn't come with some kind of build (when was the last time LEGO provided train track with a train and no build?), probably a very simple platform similar to what we get with city passenger trains, with a tree or two, a lamp and a bench on a white plate. That will replace the water tower, rock and horse in the TLR set. Hopefully with the savings on licencing it will be possible to have a reasonably sized passenger carriage. 

They could go with a more substantial train but I don't think it would fit the nature of the WV which is predominately play scaled, partial buildings. Of course that didn't stop them with the cottage, so who knows!

BigOnBricks

I will get my hopes up!   I will get my hopes up!  

JudgeChuck

@graphite@cheshirecat That would very much appeal to me. This kind of set cannot and, honestly, should not cater to the hardcore LEGO train fan, it needs to appeal to the hardcore WV fan. :-)

TheLoneTensor

I mostly care about it supporting PF.  I have little interest in a train that isn't (or can't be) powered.

Salamalex

I'm just trying to work out how many comments this thread could have by the time this train arrives on the shelves, or doesn't. ;)

SumoLego

^ Too many, but also not enough.

madforLEGO

Salamalex said:

I'm just trying to work out how many comments this thread could have by the time this train arrives on the shelves, or doesn't. ;)

I think it, and the fact the Holiday NISB goes for around 500 USD, tells to how desirable such a train is wanted by many hardcore fans of LEGO. (I have the original but still would likely purchase a new one)

But it is also a train and not everyone is into them, so it will be interesting to see how it sells.. if this is a true rumor.

SumoLego

Wouldn't a true rumour not actually be rumour?

TheLoneTensor

If a rumor is true in the woods, would the Pope clean up after the bear?

SumoLego

I think only if J.J. Watt is done chopping the wood.

https://youtu.be/U3q3lB8NkF4

TigerMoth

SumoLego said:

Wouldn't a true rumour not actually be rumour?

Some true rumours are false; a true rumour can also be true.

It only ceases to be a true rumour if the facts are known because then it's a fact not a rumour.

In fact, a rumour which is false is more likely to be a true rumour than a rumour which is true - there's a chance that a rumour which is true may actually be a fact and therefore not be a true rumour despite being true.

wakko

^This rumour humour gives me a tumor

Sethro3

I was building my own version of a Christmas train for the tree. The Mrs actually requested it....but now, with the potential of this, maybe I'll scrap my project and put the money toward this (if it is true). I already had to scrap my Ghostbusters HQ I was building before the announcement came...

I'm too scared to MOC any modular buildings because I never know what will come next. You may think a dojo would be safe, but they made a little Karate scene in Friends.....nothing is safe!

Paperballpark

^ I think you could safely make a Strip Club modular ;)

SumoLego

Yes, I get the rhetorical exercise in whether a rumour exists. I meant that a valid, true rumour would be a fact.

I feel like I'm getting dragged into Inception...

TigerMoth

SumoLego said:

Yes, I get the rhetorical exercise in whether a rumour exists.

I thought you'd enjoy that.

SumoLego said:

I meant that a valid, true rumour would be a fact.

A rumour is a rumour. It can subsequently prove to be true or false. If it turns out that it's true, it's still a rumour now - a true rumour - but it's not a fact. You can also have a rumour that's true turn to being one that's false, so definitely not a fact.

SumoLego

Perhaps the finer point is unsubstantiated speculation in contrast with a 'true' rumour.

I suppose if the person mongering the rumour is not engaging in unsubstantiated speculation, it really never was a rumour...

Rainstorm26

The new Christmas Train

goshe7

Bumblepants said:

You might need track for the casual Lego buyers who grab one to put around the tree. Not hard to imagine a large number of folks just assuming trains come with tracks regardless of what the packaging says and getting upset to discover they have to purchase it separately.

This is the best reason for LEGO to not include track in the set.  You would need 16 curves.  If they go the standard track route (8 straights), the train may not even fit around many tree bases.  Those that it does fit around will still leave the train rather buried beneath the tree where it cannot be seen.  I think you would irritate your customer base even more if they paid a premium price for a set that comes with an insufficient amount of track.

I think I run mine with 24 straights (inner loop) and 32 straights (outer loop).  

The solution?  Give a good track-less train to the non-casual LEGO buyers who probably already have track or won't mind buying it and give a re-hashed WV Bakery to the casual buyers.  

Fauch

Rainstorm26 said:

The new Christmas Train

includes a gatling gun, for those bad children

SumoLego

Flick-Fire coal cannon!

TheLoneTensor

goshe7 said:

Bumblepants said:

You might need track for the casual Lego buyers who grab one to put around the tree. Not hard to imagine a large number of folks just assuming trains come with tracks regardless of what the packaging says and getting upset to discover they have to purchase it separately.

This is the best reason for LEGO to not include track in the set.  You would need 16 curves.  If they go the standard track route (8 straights), the train may not even fit around many tree bases.  Those that it does fit around will still leave the train rather buried beneath the tree where it cannot be seen.  I think you would irritate your customer base even more if they paid a premium price for a set that comes with an insufficient amount of track.

I would think this would be designed to run around the WV, not the tree, which is why the Constitution track pack (oval) would work nicely.

oldtodd33

I would prefer a new train didn't come with a loop of track but I can't see it doing well without it, especially to the casual Lego/Winter Village buyer. But if I remember correctly, the reason people were saying Winter Village Market didn't do well was because of the high price point. That $100 was too much to pay for a seasonal set and that's what Constitution Train cost when new and obviously it came with track. They should make a new train PF compatible as an extra cost add-on though. 

tamamahm

^ It is why I do think Lego could do something like sell the train, but then show a small box on the back how buying box X +Y would allow you to take your train to the next level with track and power. 

Briking

Or use the seasonal give-away packs to provide track?

Mikeylegos

I will get my hopes up. I have 6 of the Christmas sets and having a train go around the display would be awwwwesome!

brumey

CHOO CHOO

ecmo47

Set #60097 proves that Lego is willing to sell a train without track. So perhaps we will see a nicely detailed train without a proper loop for it to run it on. Come to think of it, none of the Creator trains had track either.

playwell

#4841 and #7597 are good examples of trains without track and this is what I think we will get. Not to mention #10233, #10219, #10194.

TheLoneTensor

I've always thought about those first two and wondered how many kids got them only to ask "where's the track?"  It's kinda weird pushing a train around loose on the floor.  Of course, it would save about $20 off the price if they didn't do track.

cheshirecat

We know that they can and have made trains with and without track. Personally I would love it if it was similar to #10233, #10219, #10194 but I just don't think it will be and I'm fairly sure it would overpower the winter village if they did.

tamamahm

I think it depends on their goal. The set with Santa's workshop was not labeled as winter villages, so this probably will also not be part of the winter village line. Because of that they can really go whatever direction they want. If they are thinking a train around a tree, then it is more than fine if it overwhelms past items in the winter village line. If they are thinking a train to go with past winter releases, even if not part of the winter village line, then they can go a very different direction. I just hope at the end of the day this is a nice set. 

madforLEGO

ecmo47 said:

Set #60097 proves that Lego is willing to sell a train without track. So perhaps we will see a nicely detailed train without a proper loop for it to run it on. Come to think of it, none of the Creator trains had track either.

IMO #60097 is not a train. Though I think it being 'creator' could mean no track, but I would rather see at least an oval to go around the village. I also think that when it comes to 'Winter Village' type sets people want a 'complete' set. Not sure people would like to get a train without track, and then have to purchase the track after.
I do not consider #10233, #10219, or #10194 as part of this ideal, those were always 'expert' type trains which meant that those likely already had a train set with track before buying on of those (or was also going to buy a train set or track).
If with track it is likely going to be 129.99 USD. Without would probably be around 99.99 USD unless it is really tiny, or like the LEGOLAND promo train (more of a 'ride' than 'train').

TheLoneTensor

Speaking of "ride trains," I suppose there's a chance this could be a narrow-gauge train.  While that would be a bit disappointing, it could finally deliver the why-in-the-world-haven't-they-made-this-yet narrow gauge straight track.

SumoLego

I would have thought the Friends Rollercoaster would have been an ideal debut for a narrow-gauge track.

I suppose we can all dream...

datsunrobbie

Since we're going to dream, I'd like to see a few related sets with a discount available for buying them together. Separate sets of a train, track, related buildings, perhaps all with the same first 3 digits in the set number. LEGO could offer a discount if you purchase multiple sets from the series. Or package them like #66426-1, which contains 3 sets that are also available separately.

TigerMoth

There was K10194.

legomental

cheshirecat said:

We know that they can and have made trains with and without track. Personally I would love it if it was similar to #10233, #10219, #10194 but I just don't think it will be and I'm fairly sure it would overpower the winter village if they did.

I'm with you there too but I can't see it sadly (10219 in Christmas format would be epic)

I'd happily pay 129.99 as suggested above for a decent train rather than 59.99 for a far inferior one. In fact if it's along the lines of the friends rollercoaster style then we wouldn't buy. It needs to be a neat build too

SumoLego

^  I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger er... $129.99 Holiday Train... today.