My son has the Harry Potter Lego train (FYI, his is the non-motorized version) & is interested in buying some Lego track for it. We also think it would be fun to buy a Lego Flying Scotsman or Mallard sometime, possibly even a motorized one!

I know a fair bit about model trains but almost nothing about Lego trains, so I thought I'd check to see if any Gauge members have any info in this area? I have several questions & almost don't know where to start. For example, it sounds like (from what one Lego/toy store here in Toronto told me) that Lego no longer makes Lego track and that you can't get it any more. I also phoned our new Legoland just north of Toronto and they don't sell it either. However, I've found out online that there is a whole Lego train following out there -- clubs, shows all supported by grown-up men and kids who like Lego trains.

I'm also trying to figure out whether to get Lego electric track (similar to MRR electric track) or simply plastic track.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Quote:Lego no longer makes Lego track and that you can't get it any more.

Not at all true, check this link out: http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Trains-ByTheme Unless you were talking about 9V, then yes. All of the modern offerings that Lego has come out with use this style of track.

I have lots of experience in the old 9V Lego trains as that was my... gateway train...? While about the same time I started toying with HO scale I also was making my Lego trains look more realistic. The Santa Fe Super Chief from 2001ish and the following "model" Lego trains were my inspiration to make more realistic models in Lego, but HO won out because of the space required. (For those who don't know, Lego trains take up about the same amount of space as O gauge would, more specifically Lionel 0-27.) Here's some of my stuff from when I was back home and used to display it at the local museum: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=28537

However, if you do have some older Lego trains and since 9V track is astronomically high on eBay you do have a few options. Forgive me but I don't have links and will have to explain them. One way is you can take the modern R/C track and take either copper foil tape or something similar and tape it to the top and sides of the rails to have it make the electrical path it needs. Another way (and if I got back into it, I'd give this a whirl) is to buy O gauge rail and a bunch of 2x8 stud plates directly from Lego in either gray or brown, modify the 2x8 to remove the second from each end's studs, slide a rail joiner on, cut slits on the rail joiner to make a grabbing point, and plop it on the 2x8 plate. Instant in-gauge flex track.

Hope that helps you out some

Thanks, Tyler -- I just saw your reply! This is helpful & I will check those links.

Since we don't have much space, I was hoping we could set up and dismantle track at will, ie not have a permanent layout. Do you think this would be practical or too frustrating?

Thanks again, Rob

Quote:Since we don't have much space, I was hoping we could set up and dismantle track at will, ie not have a permanent layout. Do you think this would be practical or too frustrating?

I'd say as long as you didn't go the O gauge rail route, the stock Lego track is very easy to assemble and disassemble. When I was younger I was in the same situation, setting it up on the kitchen floor and tearing it down before bedtime.

One thought to consider, like N and the other popular scales, is maybe make it modular. That way it could be semi-permanent, you could have a place to keep the buildings, cars, trees, and other details and it'd still be movable. Just a thought.

Thanks for your feedback, Tyler! We just bought -- and received today -- the "Lego City Train Set" from the Lego Store in Mississippi. My son has been really excited! He's finished the engine, coach, station & signals. It looks great & runs really well -- I'm impressed by how smoothly it runs.

So, yes, it looks like we can easily set this up & dismantle it as needed. We thought it was better to simply buy a brand new set rather than motorize our Harry Potter train ... we can always do that later. We'll probably want to buy more track now!

Cheers,
Rob

Two sites worth looking at
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://railbricks.com/">http://railbricks.com/</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/</a><!-- m -->

And for buying individual parts
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bricklink.com">http://www.bricklink.com</a><!-- m -->

talltim Wrote:Two sites worth looking at
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://railbricks.com/">http://railbricks.com/</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/">http://www.flickr.com/groups/legotrains/</a><!-- m -->

And for buying individual parts
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bricklink.com">http://www.bricklink.com</a><!-- m -->

Thanks -- we'll check out those links.

He's having a lot of fun running this train, changing the track plan, adding station buildings from card board. It really is a good runner!