Toys R’ Us is having a deal this week, through Friday December 2nd, and Saturday December 3rd. In this special deal from Toys R’ Us, you can buy one Lego set, and get the other one for half off! Usually Lego sets from Toys R’ Us is a bit expensive, so you can get the Maresk train for half it’s price, with a purchase of a smaller Lego set. If i were you, i would check out their deals before it’s too late.
Lego has announced on their Lego “2011 Late Holiday Catalog”, but not on their website, about a brand new Lego 40028 Harry Potter set! This set is a cute mini Hogwarts Express with actual rolling wheels. Unfortunately, the wheels do not roll on actual train tracks, but do on a smooth surface. It is almost an exact mini replica of either the Lego 4708, 4841, or 10132 Lego Train sets. This is all fine and good, but there is one tiny little catch to acquire this awesome addition to the Lego Harry Potter family, is you have to buy from the Shop at Home. More Specifically, you need to buy the 10217 Diagon Alley, from the Lego Shop at Home page. This set cannot be purchased for retail sale, at a toy store, or the Lego store, only the Shop at home. I think they should let people buy the set individually, it is a bit strange to sell them one with an expensive set, while you could be selling hundreds at a time. Well, that wont happen . . . yet! So get one of these Exclusive Harry Potter sets, while supplies last!
Lego has officially released a brand new promotion on their Lego “Shop at Home” section. This is just amazing! Things that turn me off from purchasing items on the internet, is paying for the shipping and handling. Is it such a hassle to just get the package undamaged for free? None the less, it is still around the internet. With this new offer, it seems like a match made in heaven! There is a catch however. Lego offers “Free Shipping!”, but if you read the fine print, it says: “Once your order reaches $99.00 free shipping will be applied automatically.” This means if you want to get someone a little something for the holidays, you will not be receiving the oh so mighty “Free Shipping”. However, if you are going to purchase a brand new Maersk Train, or Red Cargo Train, you will get free shipping like that. Both sets cost $159.00, or perhaps . . . quite a lot more one day.
Lego has announced, additional VIP points with a purchase of any Lego set. What is a “VIP” point you ask? Well, if you have been living in a caboose your whole life, a “VIP” is a special program in Lego stores, and the Lego shop at home. For example, if you buy a Lego set, you will receive “Lego Credits” with them, you can build up points to buy a Lego set solely on VIP points. Back to the task on hand, with this new promotional VIP double points month, all sets you buy at the Lego store/shop at home, you will receive additional amount of points. With something so good, it must be a lie, while in most cases that would be true, this is one of those times where it is too good to be true, but only for a limited time!
Over the years, Lego trains have gone through some drastic changes over the years. The first changes that it went through, was going from 4.5 volt, to 12 volt, then from 12 volt, to 9 volt, and from 9 volt to RC; which is what the Lego trains use today. What is next on Lego’s list? Will the format of current Lego trains set change yet again? With the AC adapter speed regulator, you can play as long as you want with your Lego train, but that only if you have a power outlet near by. With the RC controller, you have limited time to play with your Lego train, but the good thing is that they can be controlled anywhere, and no need to use those electrified 9 volt rails. The 9 volt rails were electrified, so the motor could run on it, without wires attached. the only downside is, you have to have that specific rail to have it run on. The current RC tracks are similar, but is 100% plastic, no metal or anything on it. The only thing is that RC trains can also run on 9 volt rails as well, so it’s backwards compatible. That brings us back here, will Lego drop the whole RC thing, or will they create something new track/controller system in the future? We don’t know, for certain, but we are excited to see what is next for the Lego train series.
I have been speculating if Bricktrains-sets will be going to the next annual “Great Midwest Train Show” After much speculation, we have decided not to attend this train show. Our reasoning with this is that the Great Midwest Train Show does not feature that many Lego Train displays, and or dioramas. We feel like we are writing posts that are non Lego related issues. If that is what you want to see at this convention, then that is what you are going to get. We are not saying that we wont ever go to a convention that only has lionel, or MARX trains there, but our primary focus will be on Lego Train sets.
The outside vendors had a huge, and when I mean huge, I mean HUGE variety of things selling. More or less the same as the other exhibits, but they are laid out a lot better, since it’s outside. There was a lot of cool things too, they were selling old vintage wind up toys, to train wagons, which they had a lot of size and color variation, depending what you need.
Well that just wraps up everything that happened today at the fair, if you didn’t go to the convention, go check it out admission is $7.00 for adult, and children under 12 get in free! If you want to go, the next meet is going to be on October 9th 2011.
Exhibit 5 is the worst exhibit out of the other four, there is literally a huge space in the middle of the room, its practically empty! Sorry for the blurry picture, I was in a bit of a rush, but what you can make out what it is though. The vendors sold random junk, some train related, sometimes not.
This Exhibit was more or less the same as Exhibit 1, due to the fact there are vendors, and special services there. This time around, the vendors sell the train wagon, sealed in the box, versus a old beaten up wagon for the same price, which one would you get? The special services here are bulb replacements, if your train, or any of your light bulbs burns out, this is where you go. There is a larger variety of trains here, then there was in exhibit 1, or 2-3, and they are in good quality! There is not, unfortunately no train display here.
This Exhibit was a little goofy, it is basically two rooms with the center wall retracted, to make one huge room, but the room is maybe about one forth of Exhibit 1’s room. In this Exhibit there were no Lego Exhibits, but this is more of a beginner’s room for train engineering. What I mean by that is, there are more children and teens making and running these exhibits when the other exhibits had a few, to no children running the show. Since children and teen are running the show, that means a new generation gets exposed to this kind of a hobby, and where these is another generation, there is another way to run it. These teens here in this exhibits are very smart, and very dedicated to this exhibit, they use a computer program to control many parts of the track, such as a switch track at a click of a mouse, or lowering a train signal and having the train stop, was something I never saw before. These were not exactly Lionel, or MARX, but a special brand of train to run on this track. Besides these teens here, there is no other train exhibit in this one, mostly vendors selling old junk for outrageous prices. Ten dollars for a rusted Hot Wheels car, no thanks I think I’ll pass. Vintage, by vintage you mean old junk you no one buys right? These vendors will try to convince you to buy their junk, but come on, I think ten dollars for something like a Hot Wheels car is a bit of a rip off. I suppose they made these two exhibits into one, because I guess each one can’t really stand on its own.
