Owning the older 9v trainsets and the newer ones with power functions i can say i miss the older style tracks and motors, the idea of powering your train via a track not worrying about batteries, i think we have enough devices that needs batteries now days, let trains do without, i still have my older trains and that's the ones i use, the newer ones i just keep on display.
I was thinking if it's possible to make an hybrid system putting inner metal rails on modern tracks. A system like this could accept all generations of train except a classic 9v. And eventually a classic 9v train could be converted to PU. It would be so cool to have 4,5 12 and PF PU sharing the same track!
I had a lego motor for Christmas 1966 along with the battery pack. The first battery pack was completely blue including the base cover with underside lead plug sockets. 2nd version had a grey base cover and the 3rd version had the white base cover. Only the original 1966 battery controller pack had underside wire plug sockets. The motor came with 4 x railway wheels (with rubber band sleeves), 4 x small grey tyred road wheels and 4 x large grey tyred road wheels. For Christmas 1967 I had the Lego blue 4.5 Volt track but the curved track box was missing one inside curved rail so I had to wait until after Christmas when my parents could complain to the toy shop and gain a replacement. Gave the whole lot away to a friend's kids in 1982.
Thanks for this information! I am from 1965 and in my childhood family gave me the blue track 12V and I still have it all. I only knew my version and what I got last Christmas from my son: LEGO 60198. My son played with Duplo when he was young but it is all about computer gaming after that. I am starting with building a LEGO city piece by piece ... This video was very helpful. 👍
Same. A lot of the Lego I was initially provided with was [in hindsight] from the '60's & '70's, including a wooden box. Wish me and my sibling had taken better care thereof; though I've still got quite a lot of it.
Same. A lot of the Lego I was initially provided with was [in hindsight] from the '60's & '70's, including a wooden box. Wish me and my sibling had taken better care thereof; though I've still got quite a lot of it.
I still own the first 9V Red Locomotive set. But today (29th July 2014) I got a package with 4,5 blue tracks and the 4,5 motor with battery pack and it works. 9:34 I saw this tracks in another YT video. Thanks for telling where they are from
Nice to see that also some of the tracks in Europe were the same as in the USA. I loved the 12 volt blue rail, although I don't have it because my father and uncle 'forgot' that i lend it to them in the early eighties. So I went to Marklin, digital H0.
That's a good point. I should have mentioned that. I really didn't go over all the different types of tracks like crossing, switches (points), or the flex track. I just cover the different colors. I also didn't do the monorail or all types of Duplo track. I think I will need to update this later. Thanks for the input, this is how we improve.
I think the blue rails can still be seen in sets like Western, Loner Ranger and Castle sets with dwarfs, where they are used as rails for smaller mine cars. The curved the version is not seen though.
Great video, thanks! I've just inherited a box of assorted LEGO including a lot of train tracks, and your video helped me identify it as the 12v with the metal rails that clip in between the plastic rail tracks.
Got that blue-track that wasn't produced after 1976 for x-mas in 1980... so either they did produce it later , or there were a lot on the shelves after the production ended.
Well, yea, the 12V era had the most funktion, but the 9V look more realistic. Combining 12V and 9V is probobly the best of to worlds... To bad the 9V switches is so hard do comvert to PF usage. I have two full moving boxes full of 9V track that I ironicly cant use because of my kids. :(
Thank you, awesome comparison of the different Lego track. I'm getting back into Lego after a 30+ year hiatus (I just turned 49). I'm focusing on 1970's era kits I had when I was a kid and didn't have as a kid. Just built the 1976(?) Fuel Depot out of some extra bricks I had which incorporates the blue track so I needed the education on the different types of track in case I go full on Lego vintage train crazy!
That is awesome! I got just handful of sets to go to have all the train sets made before 1980. That Fuel Depot is one of my favorites. The great thing about sets from our childhood is you don't have to break the bank to get a lot of them.
Thanks for making this!! I just bought my first lego train set, and I was confused because it didn't have the transformer; I knew they plugged in like normal motel trains when was a kid. This really cleared things up for me, and I'll know what to keep an eye out for.
I agree.. The 9V is probobly the best track, but the 12V gray had the best models. About the 9V being week, sure, but just ad another engine. Also, there is some different types of engines, some is stronger. I truly love the 9V-PF hybrid system where the 9V system is used as a charging section for PF lipo battery.
I never realised the grey 4.5v track was an improvement over the blue system. The sleepers appear different, and the track lacks the slots for the specific sleeper pieces found in the later system.
Do you know I had the box of track sitting in the floor next to me and forgot to put it in there! I realized after I posted the video that I didn't include it. I was so focused on the traditional train track. I will do a Monorail video as a video response to this. Great observation and yes, we do love the Monorail!
This video keep coming up as suggested so I had to watch it again. You should do more videos like this. How about Lego electrical, lights and sound, motors and such through the ages. Also I want to remind you of the window and doors through the ages. I would do it but I don't have access to all the elements.
I think they removed the powered grey tracks because we had some electric poles incompatibilities with some exotics loops. And it's also easier to control the train with an RC than a fixed transformer.
Nicolas Cognaux Yes. Kids don't understand the probelms with reversing loops. That's why Lionel trains have a center rail one polarity and the then the outer rails are the other. No worries about reversing loops there. RC is easier and it is cheaper for Lego to make
+NANO-Nils I know the feel but only it was the 70s and the LEGO was too expensive. I think in my 6 or 7 years of collecting we had less an 20 sets total
The straights work. To plus the center rail on 9V track you have to cut or chisel a couple of small pieces of plastic on the underside of the 12V center rail to allow it to connect. I may see if I got some that I do not mind cutting up. I will do a video on it eventually. I think some from the 4.5V era might not do as well on the 9V or PF/RC track since they don't have grooves. But we should definitely try it. I think it would be an excellent thing to do in a video
Neat, I am tying to build a suspended train bridge with only lego and i bought the blue rail with my fingers crossed on brick link in hope that it would fit newer trains, you know, in case if I actually would buy a lego train set which i currently does not own.
Blue track:1860 - 1918 Blue cab track:1919 - 1927 Gray brown track:1928 - 1952 Gray brown extra track:1953 - 1999 LEGO CITY TRACK:2000 - 2006 LEGO CITY CAB EXTRA TRACK:2007 - 2016
If you look at the newer plastic only tracks they have holes in the 8x2 plates. I remember they are used to stack them with a pin, but do they have any other purpose also?
I guess they skipped the metal track of the 9 volts due to shortcut possibilities i.e: a powered track and a track part upside down touching it. And difficulties with elaborate track setups that wont work if the left side goes over in the right side. I do prefer 9 volt because it requires no recharging tbh.
That is an excellent point. Kids would not understand the problems with reversing loops. All the train shows I have been to, most of the trains are running on 9V. The power functions will run about 4 hours, but 9V is the favorite.
BrickTsar And you forgot the RC Trains which came in 2006 after the 9V rails but introduced the rails of today. Power Functions came after that. (7897 and 7898).
hey brick tsar i see you using the old train motor and i see that it is on your store i would like to know how it works like put it in train and see what happens that way i may look into it and buy iy
It is something I do not worry about anymore. Especially when I realized that an increase in DISLIKES actually has a corresponding increase in VIEWS. When I post a video it it gets several dislikes in the first day, I am thinking "This will be a good video." I know it sounds crazy and counter intuitive, but it is the reality of youTube. And I thank you for your kind words! Those mean more than the dislikes any day!
+Per Mejdal Rasmussen it's funny because we (my son and I)have talked about this but haven't actually done it. The 2 main problems are the switches (points) and the 12v trains run better on the older rails. But we need to at least test it on an oval . This is a great question
Why does he call the current non conductive track power functions track? The first trains that used it weren’t power functions, they had battery packs that were built in to the engine chassis.
I didn't invent the name. I guess if you want to be technically correct you call it "RC Track" since it was first used with RC Trains. But it is now used with Power Functions trains. So that is what it is called and most people would not be confused by that. I think calling it "current non conductive track" is far more confusing and I have never heard anybody refer to it as such. I have over 200 train sets made by LEGO and pretty much everything made before 1990. The blue and grey track were from the 4.5v and 12v era.
What do you have? It’s pretty simple. 1 wire for each rail. Are you using 12v system? Or 9v? Here is what the 12 my connector looks like www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=2731b&name=Train,%20Track%2012V%20Conducting%20Rail%20Curved%20with%20Connection%20Wire%20and%20Long%20Connector&category=%5BTrain,%20Track%5D#T=C&C=9
I assume 4.5V (blue or grey) isn't made any more and is impossible to buy in large amounts? I imagine old sets are around second hand, but not production amounts. Given that, what the cheapest source of Lego track at the moment?
It was was produced for a longer period of time than the other types of tracks and included in a lot of sets, so there is still an abundance of it on the reseller market and blue track is by far the cheapest. Some of the modern rails that are the same length only come in straight sections and are more expensive than the original blue. It may be hard to find in large amounts from a single seller and reasonable prices. I buy a lot of stuff from Bricklink, so I usually clear the seller out of the blue track if it is around 10 cents a piece or less. You can after build a section of track for about 25 cents. Much better than the $2-$4 of the modern track and 9v track. I haven't specifically looked at buying it in bulk but you could sort by quantity on Bricklink. Sometimes even with shipping it is cheaper to buy from overseas sellers.
The motors are very similar in size. Many have done that. It is actually easier to convert 12v to 9v and 9v to 12v than to convert either to Power Functions or 4.5V or vice versa. No worries about batteries with 12v and 9V
I've interchanged them in my experience but there are different transformers out there that I don't have. Keep in mind that different countries had different electrical standards so there may be other variations
It does not. The 9V tracks have extra studs partway through (per section: three 2-stud pieces spaced evenly at quarters, two 1-stud pieces at the end). The 12V ones only have plates at the ends (shared between adjacent sections, so effectively 1-stud) and in the middle (2-stud). The 12V power rail has some cross-supports underneath that prevent it from fitting over those 2-stud connections at 1/4 and 3/4 of a rail section. It would conceivably be possible to remove those studs or the entire connections underneath the power rail and then it would fit.
If they are battery powered they do. The rolling stock does work with all eras. The trains that use rails for power do not. But they can be converted usually
LOR if I remember correctly the metal rail train moters ALL have the old studded power connectors on them, so just add a battery pack on the loco. also the metal tracks connect to the newer ones. while I liked the metal tracks WAY better, you gotta admit that the new small flex tracks are INCREADABLY useful.
I built Thomas the Tank Engine and the Big Boy 4-8-8-4 steam engine in LDD, in the same scale as the set 31054 Blue Express. If you want the .lxf, here it is: drive.google.com/open?id=0B8c0cw14nXbUZUEtcVJsWUVNdFk And the original set: shop.lego.com/en-US/Blue-Express-31054
BrickTsar :D YESSSSSSSSS thank you so much. But what about the motors and powered sets and all that? Lego stopped making the powered rails, but can you still buy the blue motor with the pegs on top so you can build your own engine over it and all that?
It is all powered by power functions motors and infrared controls. Trains can run about 4 hours on 1 charge. They are usually sold separately, but a few sets come with the motor and controller
BrickTsar I was talking about that blue motor that you showed in the video. The one that takes batteries and has plate on top that allows you to build a engine onto it. Lego still makes that blue motor right
yeah so I doubt it is for safeety and if you look at other modle rail ways that usee electrick al outlets to power them they are still classed as toys. Lego has changed theirs with the times to reflect the curent trends and to save some noney as they cant cost efectivly use the amount of copper to keep producing the train tracks of old. though it would have been fun to see a conductive flextrack and how they would have solwed that headacke.
Can someone explain to me the real reason why Lego got rid of all their 9V trains? I still have 9V trains and I don't understand why Lego took them away. (Please I want the real reason, not a joke reason.)
The real reason is the bottom line - the cost. The all plastic track is much cheaper to produce. The 9 v line was not as good a seller as some might think. Almost every set produced here in the US was a slow seller and ended up on clearance. The power function motors are also cheaper to produce. So basically - it was all about production costs
killergeek I would love to. Right now the only 12V accessory I have is the decoupler set 7862. And the speed regulators. I need to work on getting the signals.
I will update it. I was just mainly talking about 2 rail track evolution. But everybody wants me to include the monorail in the discussion. And now that there is more dark bluish grey track and friends blue track, there is more to show. But some colors are too rare to worry about like Maersk Blue rails (which I have) and red rails (prototypes or rogue employee made)
Oh kewl. I only ever had this space monorail set which I ended up giving to some colleagues for their daughter's birthday. I had the old 1966 rails as a kid and spent a LOT of my time trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to make a monorail out of them. When I saw they had actually made a monorail, I thought that was great, but ... I never really cared for it when I had some to toy with. Too kludgey all in all imo.
4 years later LEGO still hasn't made a new passenger train ua-cam.com/video/QWMqXNZ15_U/v-deo.html
Yes they have 60197
I have a lot of the blue train tracks
hahahhahahahahahah
Owning the older 9v trainsets and the newer ones with power functions i can say i miss the older style tracks and motors, the idea of powering your train via a track not worrying about batteries, i think we have enough devices that needs batteries now days, let trains do without, i still have my older trains and that's the ones i use, the newer ones i just keep on display.
I was thinking if it's possible to make an hybrid system putting inner metal rails on modern tracks. A system like this could accept all generations of train except a classic 9v. And eventually a classic 9v train could be converted to PU. It would be so cool to have 4,5 12 and PF PU sharing the same track!
I had a lego motor for Christmas 1966 along with the battery pack. The first battery pack was completely blue including the base cover with underside lead plug sockets. 2nd version had a grey base cover and the 3rd version had the white base cover. Only the original 1966 battery controller pack had underside wire plug sockets.
The motor came with 4 x railway wheels (with rubber band sleeves), 4 x small grey tyred road wheels and 4 x large grey tyred road wheels.
For Christmas 1967 I had the Lego blue 4.5 Volt track but the curved track box was missing one inside curved rail so I had to wait until after Christmas when my parents could complain to the toy shop and gain a replacement.
Gave the whole lot away to a friend's kids in 1982.
Thanks for this information! I am from 1965 and in my childhood family gave me the blue track 12V and I still have it all. I only knew my version and what I got last Christmas from my son: LEGO 60198. My son played with Duplo when he was young but it is all about computer gaming after that. I am starting with building a LEGO city piece by piece ... This video was very helpful. 👍
I'm from 1994 and still remember playing with the 1966 lego train set, it really is a timeless toy
Same. A lot of the Lego I was initially provided with was [in hindsight] from the '60's & '70's, including a wooden box.
Wish me and my sibling had taken better care thereof; though I've still got quite a lot of it.
Same. A lot of the Lego I was initially provided with was [in hindsight] from the '60's & '70's, including a wooden box.
Wish me and my sibling had taken better care thereof; though I've still got quite a lot of it.
I still own the first 9V Red Locomotive set. But today (29th July 2014) I got a package with 4,5 blue tracks and the 4,5 motor with battery pack and it works.
9:34 I saw this tracks in another YT video. Thanks for telling where they are from
Nice to see that also some of the tracks in Europe were the same as in the USA. I loved the 12 volt blue rail, although I don't have it because my father and uncle 'forgot' that i lend it to them in the early eighties. So I went to Marklin, digital H0.
That's a good point. I should have mentioned that. I really didn't go over all the different types of tracks like crossing, switches (points), or the flex track. I just cover the different colors. I also didn't do the monorail or all types of Duplo track. I think I will need to update this later. Thanks for the input, this is how we improve.
I think the blue rails can still be seen in sets like Western, Loner Ranger and Castle sets with dwarfs, where they are used as rails for smaller mine cars. The curved the version is not seen though.
Yes the dark bluish gray and light bluish gray rails are very similar to the blue and surprisingly more expensive
I am thinking you maybe could have inclueded the "flexible" Power Function trac, and the monorail track.
Great video, thanks! I've just inherited a box of assorted LEGO including a lot of train tracks, and your video helped me identify it as the 12v with the metal rails that clip in between the plastic rail tracks.
I had been wondering about the various tracks I'd seen on UA-cam as well as how they were powered, very informative.
I've still got the original blue track with the old battery pack and motors which I keep at my grandads house as it used to be my dads!!
Got that blue-track that wasn't produced after 1976 for x-mas in 1980... so either they did produce it later
, or there were a lot on the shelves after the production ended.
I think 12V is the best, it's one of the more powerful trains and I liked that you could control all switches on the layout from one place
Yes! There were so much more remote control options with the 12V. I would like to get some of the remote control switch tracks
Well, yea, the 12V era had the most funktion, but the 9V look more realistic. Combining 12V and 9V is probobly the best of to worlds... To bad the 9V switches is so hard do comvert to PF usage.
I have two full moving boxes full of 9V track that I ironicly cant use because of my kids. :(
Thank you, awesome comparison of the different Lego track. I'm getting back into Lego after a 30+ year hiatus (I just turned 49). I'm focusing on 1970's era kits I had when I was a kid and didn't have as a kid. Just built the 1976(?) Fuel Depot out of some extra bricks I had which incorporates the blue track so I needed the education on the different types of track in case I go full on Lego vintage train crazy!
That is awesome! I got just handful of sets to go to have all the train sets made before 1980. That Fuel Depot is one of my favorites. The great thing about sets from our childhood is you don't have to break the bank to get a lot of them.
amazing video!!
Thanks for making this!! I just bought my first lego train set, and I was confused because it didn't have the transformer; I knew they plugged in like normal motel trains when was a kid. This really cleared things up for me, and I'll know what to keep an eye out for.
Excellent overview 😁
I can’t believe this was over 10 years ago - where does the time go?
@@BrickTsar Idk if you find it let me know 😂
the plastic track was introduced with the RC system. It was re-used for power functions
My favourite is without doubt the 9 volt track. The 12 volt track looks like Lionel or Hornby Dublo track
great video. glad they are all compatible.
My next guess for Lego track in the future.
_maglev_
Awesome video!!
I agree.. The 9V is probobly the best track, but the 12V gray had the best models.
About the 9V being week, sure, but just ad another engine. Also, there is some different types of engines, some is stronger.
I truly love the 9V-PF hybrid system where the 9V system is used as a charging section for PF lipo battery.
I never realised the grey 4.5v track was an improvement over the blue system. The sleepers appear different, and the track lacks the slots for the specific sleeper pieces found in the later system.
I like the buildable tracks because it lest the liberty of adding detail like a broken track or a smaler track
Useful for us collectors, thanks.
+Nostalgico80 Geat! Thanks!
Do you know I had the box of track sitting in the floor next to me and forgot to put it in there! I realized after I posted the video that I didn't include it. I was so focused on the traditional train track. I will do a Monorail video as a video response to this. Great observation and yes, we do love the Monorail!
Great video......
Ooh, I remember those blue tracks....
Great video it was helpful
awsome video bricktsar
That's amazing. Wow. Just Wow.
This video keep coming up as suggested so I had to watch it again. You should do more videos like this. How about Lego electrical, lights and sound, motors and such through the ages. Also I want to remind you of the window and doors through the ages. I would do it but I don't have access to all the elements.
I think they removed the powered grey tracks because we had some electric poles incompatibilities with some exotics loops. And it's also easier to control the train with an RC than a fixed transformer.
Nicolas Cognaux Yes. Kids don't understand the probelms with reversing loops. That's why Lionel trains have a center rail one polarity and the then the outer rails are the other. No worries about reversing loops there. RC is easier and it is cheaper for Lego to make
good video about a great History ! I was born in the 80thies, but as I was a child, LEGO was too expensive for my parents. :-(
+NANO-Nils I know the feel but only it was the 70s and the LEGO was too expensive. I think in my 6 or 7 years of collecting we had less an 20 sets total
BrickTsar
ups, sorry.. I was born in the 60thies... sorry :-)
Cool video
Brilliant video, very helpful to me - a complete newbie.
So cool I made my own lego train track
Very interesting video!
I remember the blue 12V, my Loco always got stuck on the switches. :/
Great info and vid...
Thank you!
Can the 12 volt power pickups be put on top of 9 volt track, and therefore allow push, 4.5, 9, 12, and Power Functions to coexist on one rail system?
The straights work. To plus the center rail on 9V track you have to cut or chisel a couple of small pieces of plastic on the underside of the 12V center rail to allow it to connect. I may see if I got some that I do not mind cutting up. I will do a video on it eventually. I think some from the 4.5V era might not do as well on the 9V or PF/RC track since they don't have grooves. But we should definitely try it. I think it would be an excellent thing to do in a video
Neat, I am tying to build a suspended train bridge with only lego and i bought the blue rail with my fingers crossed on brick link in hope that it would fit newer trains, you know, in case if I actually would buy a lego train set which i currently does not own.
Blue track:1860 - 1918
Blue cab track:1919 - 1927
Gray brown track:1928 - 1952
Gray brown extra track:1953 - 1999
LEGO CITY TRACK:2000 - 2006
LEGO CITY CAB EXTRA TRACK:2007 - 2016
I'm that guy. I refer to that as my other channel from time to time. I decided last year to make a Lego only channel.
If you look at the newer plastic only tracks they have holes in the 8x2 plates. I remember they are used to stack them with a pin, but do they have any other purpose also?
i still have the 9V tracks wow lego has got nuts with prices
Hi, this is a very informative video. Thanks for putting this up. Could you put up a list of all the Trains Sets with Power Functions.
thanks!!!
Hi. I heard that they stop the 9 volts tracks ... Because the machine to put the metal was too expensive to replace ...
Why does the 9v track have the rectangle holes in the sides.
I guess they skipped the metal track of the 9 volts due to shortcut possibilities i.e: a powered track and a track part upside down touching it. And difficulties with elaborate track setups that wont work if the left side goes over in the right side. I do prefer 9 volt because it requires no recharging tbh.
That is an excellent point. Kids would not understand the problems with reversing loops. All the train shows I have been to, most of the trains are running on 9V. The power functions will run about 4 hours, but 9V is the favorite.
Does anyone know if you could generate enough power with solar panels to run a lego train set.
The original LEGO train
4:55 i have 2 of those brand new in the box
I was thinking you should do a video like this, and you did, lol
Kevin F lol! I actually need to update it. Some didn't like that I didn't include monorail. I didn't include Duplo either - lol
BrickTsar And you forgot the RC Trains which came in 2006 after the 9V rails but introduced the rails of today. Power Functions came after that. (7897 and 7898).
hey brick tsar i see you using the old train motor and i see that it is on your store i would like to know how it works like put it in train and see what happens that way i may look into it and buy iy
Good Video, but you only forget the Lego Monorail Train Track.
Legoman Zockt I get that a lot. I didnt feel that it fit in with this but I will definitely include it in the update
And about monorails?
the blue track is good for ng curve
that is a nice video and i dont understand the many dislikes :)
It is something I do not worry about anymore. Especially when I realized that an increase in DISLIKES actually has a corresponding increase in VIEWS. When I post a video it it gets several dislikes in the first day, I am thinking "This will be a good video." I know it sounds crazy and counter intuitive, but it is the reality of youTube. And I thank you for your kind words! Those mean more than the dislikes any day!
I like trains
Can you make a combined 9V and 12V track? (can you put the middle 12V rail on a 9V track?)
+Per Mejdal Rasmussen it's funny because we (my son and I)have talked about this but haven't actually done it. The 2 main problems are the switches (points) and the 12v trains run better on the older rails. But we need to at least test it on an oval . This is a great question
I will not be getting any counterfeit track
+BrickTsar This is interesting. I like the latest LEGO train track the best.
Otter Lego Mocs You can play with pf trains off tracks.
Otter Lego Mocs Nice.
Otter Lego Mocs Coincidence.
+TheBrickGuy7939 I like the ones with electricity flowing through running rails. what was the reason they stopped making them?
Can powerfunctions tracks use the 12v inserts?
How much did the older trains cost ?
Why does he call the current non conductive track power functions track? The first trains that used it weren’t power functions, they had battery packs that were built in to the engine chassis.
I didn't invent the name. I guess if you want to be technically correct you call it "RC Track" since it was first used with RC Trains. But it is now used with Power Functions trains. So that is what it is called and most people would not be confused by that. I think calling it "current non conductive track" is far more confusing and I have never heard anybody refer to it as such. I have over 200 train sets made by LEGO and pretty much everything made before 1990. The blue and grey track were from the 4.5v and 12v era.
9v was my favorite
Help don't know where the wires connect from track to power pack
What do you have? It’s pretty simple. 1 wire for each rail. Are you using 12v system? Or 9v? Here is what the 12 my connector looks like
www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=2731b&name=Train,%20Track%2012V%20Conducting%20Rail%20Curved%20with%20Connection%20Wire%20and%20Long%20Connector&category=%5BTrain,%20Track%5D#T=C&C=9
I assume 4.5V (blue or grey) isn't made any more and is impossible to buy in large amounts? I imagine old sets are around second hand, but not production amounts.
Given that, what the cheapest source of Lego track at the moment?
It was was produced for a longer period of time than the other types of tracks and included in a lot of sets, so there is still an abundance of it on the reseller market and blue track is by far the cheapest. Some of the modern rails that are the same length only come in straight sections and are more expensive than the original blue. It may be hard to find in large amounts from a single seller and reasonable prices. I buy a lot of stuff from Bricklink, so I usually clear the seller out of the blue track if it is around 10 cents a piece or less. You can after build a section of track for about 25 cents. Much better than the $2-$4 of the modern track and 9v track. I haven't specifically looked at buying it in bulk but you could sort by quantity on Bricklink. Sometimes even with shipping it is cheaper to buy from overseas sellers.
How easy is it to convert 9v to 12v trains (or 12v to 9v) are the size of the motors a bit the same?
The motors are very similar in size. Many have done that. It is actually easier to convert 12v to 9v and 9v to 12v than to convert either to Power Functions or 4.5V or vice versa. No worries about batteries with 12v and 9V
Do you need the special pieces to make the railroad tie for the gray 4.5v? or canyou just use a regular 2x8?
Zaque Davis you can use regular plates. The train plates are just more secure
Thanks for the response! I had no idea lego made that track it is so much cooler than what they have now!
the non conducting track will connect to the 9v track
The new track does but not the old track
please tell me, is transformator cable from blue track is compatible with grey transformer?
I've interchanged them in my experience but there are different transformers out there that I don't have. Keep in mind that different countries had different electrical standards so there may be other variations
it seems that i just need to buy old blue transformer to make my train go, thanks for advice
Does it work if I can make 7 subway cars with 9v rail?
All track is the same gauge. Anything from any era will work - just depends on what you use to power it.
BrickTsar Okay.
Oh by the way, I like 9v models with tracks because I wish I had one but my parents won't let me because of pricing.
+BrickTsar hey are there any Lego subway trains that have metal wheels and rails? it'd be so cool to see one in action.
I'm curious... Does the midle power track from the 12 volt generation, fit on the 9 volt/all plastic tracks?
You know, I never tried it but I think it will. I will try that later
BrickTsar let me know the result then :)
It does not. The 9V tracks have extra studs partway through (per section: three 2-stud pieces spaced evenly at quarters, two 1-stud pieces at the end). The 12V ones only have plates at the ends (shared between adjacent sections, so effectively 1-stud) and in the middle (2-stud). The 12V power rail has some cross-supports underneath that prevent it from fitting over those 2-stud connections at 1/4 and 3/4 of a rail section. It would conceivably be possible to remove those studs or the entire connections underneath the power rail and then it would fit.
Thank you very much Steven :)
were is the flex rails?
Does old Lego trains work with the new plastic tracks
If they are battery powered they do. The rolling stock does work with all eras. The trains that use rails for power do not. But they can be converted usually
BrickTsar OK because I hVe train wheels from around the 4.5v era but I'm not sure if the would work as a push train on new plastic tracks
LOR
if I remember correctly the metal rail train moters ALL have the old studded power connectors on them, so just add a battery pack on the loco.
also the metal tracks connect to the newer ones. while I liked the metal tracks WAY better, you gotta admit that the new small flex tracks are INCREADABLY useful.
Please I wanna know if u can really shock yourself with blue rail?
Hehe! I will see
did you get shocked please reply
I built Thomas the Tank Engine and the Big Boy 4-8-8-4 steam engine in LDD, in the same scale as the set 31054 Blue Express. If you want the .lxf, here it is: drive.google.com/open?id=0B8c0cw14nXbUZUEtcVJsWUVNdFk And the original set: shop.lego.com/en-US/Blue-Express-31054
i have the new train track with metal on just dont have the control unit
Europe uses 220v AC. LEGO switched to the RC power functions because Eurpean standards now dictate that kid's toys can't plug into the wall.
I had heard something like that but didn't know what countries it was for. Thanks!
Nonsense.
how do lego 9v power come from?
From the rails. The wheels are metal and pick it up from the metal rails which are wired to a speed regulator and transformer
BrickTsar ohh so,we dont need anything in the train?? Just a speed regulator?
MARS You need a 9V motor. It is not complicated
I hear Lego stopped making the train tracks and sets ;-( Please tell me this isn't so........PLEAAAAASSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! I may start crying
It is not so. They have new sets coming out soon
BrickTsar :D YESSSSSSSSS thank you so much. But what about the motors and powered sets and all that? Lego stopped making the powered rails, but can you still buy the blue motor with the pegs on top so you can build your own engine over it and all that?
It is all powered by power functions motors and infrared controls. Trains can run about 4 hours on 1 charge. They are usually sold separately, but a few sets come with the motor and controller
BrickTsar I was talking about that blue motor that you showed in the video. The one that takes batteries and has plate on top that allows you to build a engine onto it. Lego still makes that blue motor right
EpicEverythingDude75 No, sir. All LEGO trains as of today run on Power Functions via IR receivers.
No monorail tracks, or you just don't show them because there only 3 trains that use them ? :)
No love for the monorail?
You forgot monorail
I liked this and it went from 666 likes to 667. Phew!
lol
monorail track?
Good point! Maybe in another video. This was more about the 2 rail track but I definitely need to update!
my uncle had the blue 12 volt track and I know I've sat my hand on the conductor rail while power has gone through it and I never got electrecuted.
Low current
yeah so I doubt it is for safeety and if you look at other modle rail ways that usee electrick al outlets to power them they are still classed as toys. Lego has changed theirs with the times to reflect the curent trends and to save some noney as they cant cost efectivly use the amount of copper to keep producing the train tracks of old. though it would have been fun to see a conductive flextrack and how they would have solwed that headacke.
Can someone explain to me the real reason why Lego got rid of all their 9V trains? I still have 9V trains and I don't understand why Lego took them away. (Please I want the real reason, not a joke reason.)
The real reason is the bottom line - the cost. The all plastic track is much cheaper to produce. The 9 v line was not as good a seller as some might think. Almost every set produced here in the US was a slow seller and ended up on clearance. The power function motors are also cheaper to produce. So basically - it was all about production costs
I have the alien track xc
Wait your that Jolson guy
Was anyone listening to LED ZEPPELIN while watching this?
can you make a video of the old lego train rail accessoires like: brickset.com/sets/7860-1 ?
killergeek I would love to. Right now the only 12V accessory I have is the decoupler set 7862. And the speed regulators. I need to work on getting the signals.
you can make a serie of videos for every set a video
You didn't mention monorail's history.
I will update it. I was just mainly talking about 2 rail track evolution. But everybody wants me to include the monorail in the discussion. And now that there is more dark bluish grey track and friends blue track, there is more to show. But some colors are too rare to worry about like Maersk Blue rails (which I have) and red rails (prototypes or rogue employee made)
Oh kewl. I only ever had this space monorail set which I ended up giving to some colleagues for their daughter's birthday. I had the old 1966 rails as a kid and spent a LOT of my time trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to make a monorail out of them. When I saw they had actually made a monorail, I thought that was great, but ... I never really cared for it when I had some to toy with. Too kludgey all in all imo.
You are a awesome UA-camr love Joshua at pam262
Thanks for watching!