High-Speed City Express
Set information:
Community rating:
4.6
(17 votes)
Theme:
Review's author:
 |
Place:
Poland
Joined:
2015, jan 21
Seen:
17d 10h |
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Views: |
41442 |
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Published: |
2015, jul 6 21:54 |
Related pages:
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BrickSet |
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Toys Period |
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Toys Period - instruction |
Introduction
Trains are one of the oldest structures occuring in Lego sets. Starting from 1966, Lego released many sets of trains. They
became better and better and when in the early 80s lots of city sets were released, passenger train could not be missing! This is obviously not the first set of passenger train, but it is undoubtedly unique. Set was released in 1985, which was a breakthrough in the town sets. In the same year first 6392-1: Airport was released as well as many other sets from Town series.
This is an excellent composition consisting of three rail vehicles, one train and two passenger wagons. Wagons are connected to each other by magnets, which is also brilliant. There is no need to especailly connect anything, simply push them close to each other and they automatically join up by magnets. There are separate sets of wagons, such as for example the post wagon from 7819 or a wagon with crane 7817. There are more sets like that and maybe in this case they do not fit with passenger train, the mere fact of using this method of construction is brilliant. Each train is designed in the same way and has the same magnetic coupling. These magnets have also been used to connect many spaceships or spacecrafts elements from Space series.
The train presents good and has been used few times in catalogs and leaflets during couple of years. Most of the presentations can be found in this review. Generally, you can create interesting layout with usage of trains. Presentations rarely contains one track with one train. Typically, you will notice a number of tracks, several trains and several stations. Nevertheless, each train is unique and at the same time they all have similar sizes. There is no problem to join all the trains from the same period in one presentation. All stations of the 80s have also been designed according to a certain patterns. Substrate black, gray base, buildings in the red and white. Roofs are usually black. Therefore, all interacts with each other without a problem.
Rail vehicles
The first railway vehicle is a train. The whole structure is a bit square, but it was natural at the time. On the front is quite big machinist cabin, and right behind it is a large engine. You can open the door and look inside. Four pairs of doors are available.
The engine is obviously a dummy made of bricks, but at the bottom there is a normal electric motor hidden in the wheels! I will explain how it works exactly in the section below, I will focus on vehicles here. That's not all, because the train is equipped with front lights that are not dummy. It is a true diode connected to the motor with cables layed at the base of the train.
This set is one one of the few that I still have from childhood. I have this set with a box from more than 20 years and to be honest, the diodes and motor work so far. Apparently it is possible, if you get very high quality product! Everything works fine, despite the passage of almost three decades!
The second vehicle is a passenger wagon.
Special brick is available here - sink with tap. Rare part, not really seen in other sets, in this case very nicely complements the interior of the vehicle. Wagon offers four seats on the left side. Luggage compartment has been cleverly positioned just below the roof. It does not take extra space and is easily accessible after removing the roof element. Four suitcases can fit here, exactly as the number of passengers. Every passenger has a window available for themselves and half of the table.
From the outside, the passengers are fully visible and it looks pretty good. The proportions and the appropriate height has been well chosen.
The last vehicle is a wagon with a restaurant. It has a machinist cabin, as the train can go in reverse and the end of the train takes over the control. The restaurant has two seats and a table for chef. Two blue cups are available only. No food though, do this chef serve only drinks? In those days there were no detailed food bricks available yet. Nevertheless, couple of bricks imitating food could be added here. It feels like something is missing here, a little too empty compartment.
All vehicles have a roof attached. Roofs are not hinged, you need to detach brick to get inside. This is a minus, but I suspect that roofs with a width of 6 studs could be problematic if they were open on hinges. Maybe that's why the designers opted for a normal brick attachment. However, every roof has a slight groove in the middle of the bottom edge at two sides, just enough to hook a nail. The machinist cabin has an ordinary roof on hinges though.
Other elements
In addition to the main element of the set, which is a train, there are included other necessary parts such as rails and a small station for passengers. The station has two lighthouses and four seats. At the station there is a timetable with the cities and times inscribed.
10 figures are included in this set!
In this case, there are seven passengers. Three women and four men. It is interesting that neither one figure does not have a decoration on the chest, all have single-color sweatshirt. One figurine of a woman has non standard hair with pigtails and one man has rare wide gray hat. In addition to the passengers there are three train's workers. Two figurines of machinists and one chef to handle the dining wagon.
Rails
This set contains a small set of railways consisting of 6 straight and 16 curved tracks, giving you the possibility to create a simple closed circle.
The method of assembly and how the tracks work is described in the review of the 7854-1: 12V-Straight-rails set.
Electric? How?
The train engine has been described in the review of 7865-1: 12V-Train-Motor set.
Below you can see the train moving in the Aeropolis scenery. Animation loading may take a while as it weighs approx. 30MB. Patience may be needed.
At the end I present Aeropolis scenery with reviewed Train.
Alternative constructions
There is one alternative design with instruction included! It is a locomotive with the train station, which has two lampposts. Two 2x2 LED bricks were placed at the top of the them. Those were originally used to light the front and rear lights of the train. Cables from LED can be connected to the transformer and give the cool lighting effect at night.
Catalog entry
This is an excellent composition consisting of three rail vehicles, one train and two passenger wagons. Wagons are connected to each other by magnets, which is also brilliant. There is no need to especailly connect anything, simply push them close to each other and they automatically join up by magnets. There are separate sets of wagons, such as for example the post wagon from 7819 or a wagon with crane 7817. There are more sets like that and maybe in this case they do not fit with passenger train, the mere fact of using this method of construction is brilliant. Each train is designed in the same way and has the same magnetic coupling. These magnets have also been used to connect many spaceships or spacecrafts elements from Space series.
Catalog's presentation from 1985
Presentation from 1985 - at the back of the instruction
Rail vehicles
Machinist's cabin
The engine
Front lights
The second vehicle is a passenger wagon.
Passenger wagon
Passenger wagon outside
The restaurant
All vehicles have a roof attached. Roofs are not hinged, you need to detach brick to get inside. This is a minus, but I suspect that roofs with a width of 6 studs could be problematic if they were open on hinges. Maybe that's why the designers opted for a normal brick attachment. However, every roof has a slight groove in the middle of the bottom edge at two sides, just enough to hook a nail. The machinist cabin has an ordinary roof on hinges though.
Catalog's presentation from 1988
Other elements
Train station with employees
10 figures are included in this set!
Passengers
Rails
This set contains a small set of railways consisting of 6 straight and 16 curved tracks, giving you the possibility to create a simple closed circle.
The method of assembly and how the tracks work is described in the review of the 7854-1: 12V-Straight-rails set.
Electric? How?
The train engine has been described in the review of 7865-1: 12V-Train-Motor set.
Below you can see the train moving in the Aeropolis scenery. Animation loading may take a while as it weighs approx. 30MB. Patience may be needed.
Train on the move
At the end I present Aeropolis scenery with reviewed Train.
The train on the way
Alternative constructions
Alternative station
Alternative sets:
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7745-2 |
Linked sets:
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7854-1 |
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7864-1 |
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7865-1 |
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90009-1 |
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90010-1 |
Sceneries with this set included:
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