Motorising the Maersk

drdavewatford

Having recently picked up a couple of Maersk trains, I've been looking into motorising them. Given they've only just been released, I was surprised to find that the recommended rechargeable battery box (#8878) is shown on [email protected] as being 'sold out' (not even on back order), and the recommended motor (#88002) as 'call for availability' (although it was 'sold out' yesterday). Neither were available at the Milton Keynes brand store when I checked a week back either. Were LEGO just surprised by the level of demand to motorise the Maersks, or is there an issue with PF supply ? Also, I'm assuming that the new 'standard' (i.e. not rechargeable) battery box (#88000) can be used in place of the rechargeable one - correct ?

gime

Please make me envious, tell us how many of them did you get. ;)

Huw

^^Yes, the battery boxes are interchangeable. Personally I'll be putting a 9v motor in mine :-)

drdavewatford

^ Thanks, @Huw. Can't quite believe that the rechargeable battery box is four times as expensive as the non-rechargeable one. Even allowing for the cost of batteries it's a ridiculous disparity.

^^ @gime I got 2 Maersk Train sets, plus a couple of extra wagons with the containers from someone who was splitting a set.

jgadget

^ Are you ever going to build them?
I assume you haven't yet, or you could simply have tried fitting a battery box in there.

Like Huw, I suspect that I'll go the 9V route with this loco too.

drdavewatford

^ Yep - next in the build queue after my "mystery MOC".

I'll build one for now, and when my big City layout is complete I'll build the rest of the wagons and run the train on there. Not yet decided whether to offload the second loco or have 2 of them pulling the train.... The layout will almost certainly be exclusively PF, so I'll be converting the Chief to run on it.

rocao

^ I think I know the answer to that already. Which will have the greater impact: the enjoyment of a proper double engine haul, or the improvement of your financial situation by selling one engine?

drdavewatford

^ You already know me too well I think !

jgadget

I've built the first of mine, but I suspect I made a mistake since I have some extra plates left over.
I can't see them in the section for motorising it.
When I can sneak it past the wife again, I'll have another check and may motorise it at the same time.

drdavewatford

^ I'm quite frankly amazed that "she who must be obeyed" hasn't already locked you in the house for 23 hours a day without a broadband connection to prevent you from bringing any more LEGO home......

jgadget

She thinks I'm using the broadband for something else.
Every so often, I break out a set, to make sure she doesn't get too suspicious.
I dragged the Frie Brigade set out for my birthday, nearly 2 weeks ago.
Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait until Christmas until I can reveal the Grand Emporium. :-(

PS. She's just popped out, so I've found and fixed my mistakes in the engine build, and also stuck a motor on it.

drdavewatford

Ouch - by my estimation you'll need to live until you're over 700 years old in order to build all your sets if you can only break a new one out "ever so often"

:-)

madforLEGO

Supply and demand.. They will change more for the rechargable because they know that people want that over the regualr one...
SO if everything is selling out, then does this mean another update to the PF system? Or when people are saying 'selling out' they mean on backorder?

I too will be seeing to 9 volting this bad boy

Mercifully my GF doesn't mind, at least she has not said anything... yet.. but since she also goes up with me to fill up a PAB cup I'm not too worried, as long as I get her a set of the new series of minifigs I should be ok...

Martin

It's not any old rechargeable battery; it's a LiPo. It's not the same as sticking a few rechargeable NiMh cells into a battey case. As this technology is relatively new in applications like this, prices are going to be high.

georgebjones

Haha, ironic that it is expensive and LiPo. The main advantage, or selling point of using the polymer is it is more flexible in regards to shape and supposed to be cheaper than regular Li-ion. :)

collect_that

Am I missing something? Being the owner of nearly all Train sets from Lego, I much prefer the PF rather than 9v as you have more control over your engines all from from one box rather than the usual all or nothing with electric track. My Town layout was exclusively 9v but since the arrival of the PF sets and the neat little controller I've switched over. Although some sets wont crossover due to design so an electric circuit is still a must!

And since my Town/Train layout is fairly large the new track is sooooo much cheaper than 9v and flexi track has made life easier!

Martin

Most people (myself included) who do public displays use 9v as it's more controllable and less prone to external influence. I've tried using PF and unless your layout is tiny, it just doesn't work in many venues.