LEGO Winter Village 10361 Holiday Express Train official images!
Posted by CapnRex101,
The latest Winter Village set has been unveiled, featuring a 3D-printed LEGO piece for the first time in a widely released set! Here is the press release:
10361 Holiday Express Train
956 pieces, rated 18+
$129.99 / £109.99 / €119.99
Available at LEGO.com from 1st October
The LEGO Icons Holiday Express Train is a 956-piece set that invites adult fans to climb aboard a festive brick-built journey. There are four car elements to the train, including a steam locomotive with a bobbing smokestack, and a bell-ringing polar bear. A platform with a bench and lamppost adds extra charm, alongside miniature toy builds including a first-ever 3D-printed LEGO piece.
This set makes a stunning centrepiece to a seasonal display, with a 16-piece circular track that can be set up on a tablescape or around a holiday tree.
Fans can even motorise the locomotive using the LEGO Powered Up kit (sold separately, available at LEGO.com/HolidayTrain). With two sets of printed instructions included, this build can be enjoyed as a shared, fun festive experience.
The LEGO Icons Holiday Express Train is available for LEGO Insiders Early Access from 1st October 2025 via LEGO.com/HolidayTrain and LEGO Stores, and for all from 4th October 2025, priced at 119.99 EUR / 109.99 GBP / 129.99 USD.
I am fascinated by the inclusion of the 3D-printed train, coming after the similar LEGO duck piece given out at the LEGO House in 2022.
What do you think of this Winter Village set? Let us know in the comments.
79 likes
141 comments on this article
Another train, yay!
The platform included is so bare for an 18+ set that they could have just omitted it.
The inclusion of the 3D-printed part seems odd, but I suppose they’re testing the waters with this one. :)
Dang, Lego’s going wild on trains this year. I usually buy every train release, but I think I’m going to have to skip some of these this year because my wallet just can’t keep up! Nice set, although the 3D-printed piece looks a bit out of system to me.
Cute, and I'm a fan of holiday trains, but I do think it looks a little oddly proportioned.
Not a fan of the 3D-printed piece. Seems to go against the spirit of Lego.
finally, a reasonable price :-) compared to the three...
Is that tiny train made out of ABS? What is it?
First time I've ever had that violent reaction of revulsion and thought "that's not what a Lego piece looks like!" but I grew up with Mars Mission so I should keep my mind open. Looking forward to seeing where this 3D printed angle takes things (even if I'm still not totally sold on this example)
Thanks I hate 3D printed Lego.
I'm usually all about the positivity but this really feels like it's lost any resemblance to actual bricks.
Passenger carriage is to small and the other 2 carriage feel weird.
Good part is prepering it for power up
For me, using a 3d printed part instead of a micro-build for that train is not a good thing. I can see why they had 3d printed parts for limited edition Insider Tour sets and books where it's more of a novelty but this is a normal set that will be on shelves in shops.
I have the previous VW Holiday Train set, so it does not really interest me. And the other one looks better IMHO. However as a VW colector having all VW sets so far I may consider to pick this one up when it will be discounted.
Clearly, Lego hasn’t gotten the message from the fans, and for the sake of clarity... we don’t like stickers, but the micro-builds are absolutely fine. Putting a 3D-printed piece in a Lego set is a contradiction in terms
3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking?
Every time they make a new train it's worse. 10173 easily is still the best.
Nine years since the 10254 train has been released back in 2016.
Well, next year it will be a train station I guess.
@The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
Short answer: They aren't thinking.
Long answer: They aren't thinking, but Lego doesn't care - they are No 1 toy manufacturer in the world and have become greedy all while loosing sight of what made them great.
@Norikins said:
"Every time they make a new train it's worse. 10173 easily is still the best."
Seconded!
@Yellow said:
"I have the previous VW Holiday Train set, so it does not really interest me. And the other one looks better IMHO. However as a VW colector having all VW sets so far I may consider to pick this one up when it will be discounted."
Same here on all counts.
The carriages are using the technic pin connectors instead of magnets which is a minor niggle.
The 3D-printed train is pretty cool, but it does seem like a bit of a gimmick - though it has at least a couple of standard connection points!
@MisterBrickster said:
"Thanks I hate 3D printed Lego.
I'm usually all about the positivity but this really feels like it's lost any resemblance to actual bricks. "
Only the best is good enough
The small train in stablemate 40843 is exceedingly cute. Thus, 3D printing a dedicated piece seems as unnecessary as it is contrary to what LEGO is supposed to be about.
Cute, but I own the original Winter Village train and station, good enough for me.
winter village sets should not have 18+ black boxes
The figs are great.
The rest is super meh.
3D printed part is not a good look TLG.
The seasonal theme is sadly healthier than the train theme.
I think that darn tree price helps collectors cave on other sets, looking comparatively great in value?!
Comparing 10361 to the City Explorer Train 60470 the pricing seems high, the 3 Power-Up components come to nearly £80, so the Explorer Train is larger and cheaper with 6 Straight Track Pieces too.
Not often these days that my gut reaction price was matched by LEGO. I’m thinking it could have benefited from a building. It’s okay I guess but doesn’t wow me like most previous WV sets.
No straight tracks yet they make them appear straight in a couple of photos. Never change, LEGO!
If I didn’t have 10254 then I’d be getting this, but I don’t need two trains in the Winter Village.
Shame - this will be the first WV set since 2013 that we haven’t purchased.
Plenty of other potential for WV sets without the need to repeat.
@domen151 said:
"The platform included is so bare for an 18+ set that they could have just omitted it.
The inclusion of the 3D-printed part seems odd, but I suppose they’re testing the waters with this one. :)"
Yup, that broke my brain when i saw it!
I already have 10254 and 10259, so I am unsure if I'll get this one, but I do like Lego trains and don't have many, especially ones that you can motorize. If this one is able to be used with Powered Up then maybe I'll get it.
How are they going to judge if the printed train is a success or not?
The printed train is not enough of an abomination to make me not want the bigger train but it does make me think that Lego is loosing its way just a bit more. It makes them look cheap, lazy and creatively moribund.
Design a small train using surprising and clever parts usage, don't just phone it in.
It’s $129.99 until LEGO decides that it’s actually $159.99
I love trains, but the two that have been released this year I'm just not sure about. I always wish for more carriages and zero accessories, such as tracks, stations, scenery, because they inflated the price and I use the old volt track anyway, do it's just a waste.
I'm not sure about the polar bear either.
@Ottozone said:
"No straight tracks yet they make them appear straight in a couple of photos. Never change, LEGO!"
It's actually a winding track not quite straight... it just used curved parts
18+, yet for all the family to do.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
Short answer: They aren't thinking.
Long answer: They aren't thinking, but Lego doesn't care - they are No 1 toy manufacturer in the world and have become greedy all while loosing sight of what made them great."
With the AI controversy and now this, I am seriously troubled by the direction LEGO is heading lately.
So much for the WV yearly set being $99 and change. $30 jump, yuk. I love trains - but I'm on the fence with this one due to design and price.
This is a Winter Village set? Seriously?
Not a fan of the 3D-printed train, either. I can't even begin to find the rationale or marketability to it. Was this something that could not be injection-molded? Was this something that needed to be a single plastic part? Does LEGO want to completely change the texture of all its plastic someday? It feels weird and unsettling. It looks foreign to the rest of the set! I want an explanation.
EDIT: So I see the train wheels roll and the smokestack pin the plume fits in goes in a circle when it rolls...so it's a Kinder Surprise toy? How is that on-mission for LEGO?
Meh
Someone had a bit of red paint left after they'd painted all the roundabouts!
Can LEGO do a smaller and more expensive than previous WV train? OF COURSE!
Maybe the first WV set I'll pass...
The double bogies just look wrong on a steam locomotive. If they wanted to go with this, they should have gone with diesel or electric.
Hmm, I don’t like this color scheme for a winter village train and the proportions look worse than the previous iteration, but at least the relative pricing has remained similar.
@Norikins said:
"Every time they make a new train it's worse. 10173 easily is still the best."
I've just rebuilt my 10173 for Powered Up, so it won't be the end of the world if I don't grab this one on launch day.
I'm glad I don't collect winter village sets . They used to be 100€ for 1500 pieces, but now it's 120€ for 1000 pieces. I thought they included the motor, but no, I guess it's the price of the 3D printed train (and the train tracks, but do they add 50€ all alone ?)
@dodrian said:
"Cute, and I'm a fan of holiday trains, but I do think it looks a little oddly proportioned."
It's the lack of big drivers that ruins the proportions. Makes it easier to motorize the model though.
For comparison look at Rapido UK's "Loch class" announced today as well. Same general engine type (4-4-0) but it has nice proper high stepping drivers like it really should, and looks better for it. For a more American style example, the Bachmann 4-4-0 showcases that as well.
Add to the poll:
Avid Winter Village collector passing on this garbage retread of a set.
Don’t include Powered Up components, but DO include a 3-D printed element.
I’m running out of ways to express my dismay at what LEGO is turning into!
@speedorz4ever said:
"Don’t include Powered Up components, but DO include a 3-D printed element.
I’m running out of ways to express my dismay at what LEGO is turning into!"
"Turning into?" What are you talking about? No other seasonal train was motorized, why would you expect this one to be?
@raven_za said:
"The double bogies just look wrong on a steam locomotive. If they wanted to go with this, they should have gone with diesel or electric."
Not the first time Lego have done that - see 3741. There were real-life steam locomotives with powered bogies - Fairlies are reasonably photogenic, Leaders rather less so, for instance.
I thought this thing was motorized for that price, apparently it is not.
Also, I 3D-print with a much higher resolution than that at home. What a clown company.
LEGO sets in the future are just two giant 3D printed parts that you snap together once and the sets are done
Put it on the same track as 60470.
I usually look forward to the Winter Village sets, but this one is such a disappointment. The polar bear is unsettlingly zombie-looking, the train and platform are pretty small and oddly proportioned, and what on earth are they thinking with that 3-D printed part? Looks completely out of place, you'd never think it was Lego
I am not a fan of the baby blue color scheme with these later Winter Village sets. I have 10254 which feels much more festive to me due to the bold greens and reds. Same can be said of the adjacent winter village sets of that era.
Forget 3D prints, I want 2D prints (instead of stickers)
LEGO seem to have forgotten their history again. The 3D printed duck was only three years ago. Do they destroy all their records or something?
The sad thing is that the little train looks like it came from a cheap Christmas cracker, and someone chucked it into tge LEGO box.
LEGO has been ITCHING to move off of long established $100 price point for WV sets. This was it. Next years WV set will be $179.
@The_Boba_Brick said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
Short answer: They aren't thinking.
Long answer: They aren't thinking, but Lego doesn't care - they are No 1 toy manufacturer in the world and have become greedy all while loosing sight of what made them great."
With the AI controversy and now this, I am seriously troubled by the direction LEGO is heading lately. "
Out of the loop on the AI thing, what did they do?
If someone told me 10 years ago, I would be skipping a Lego Holiday Train, I would have looked at them like they had three heads, yet here we are... 10173 is the GOAT, and brought me out of my dark ages. 10254 is up there as well, maybe less impressive, but it has no major flaws.
Something is off about this set that I can't quite put my finger on. The colour scheme and size just don't work. No disrespect to the designers, there are some nice touches, like the bow on the "caboose". I just wish the parts for the platform and bear had gone into making a proper sized passenger car.
The 3D printed part is unappealing. I don't understand is why it doesn't look any better than the 3D prints we were shown on the Inside Tour years ago (where pretty much everyone in the group had a negative reaction to them). I don't think the motion function is worth the massive reduction in quality. Ironically, if this was the 3D printed duck they gave away last year, I would be getting this day one, haha.
Incredibly disappointing train. It's worse than the one from nine years ago. No way I'm buying this.
I am not impressed at all. The buildings are much better. Another year of waiting, I guess.
RIP $99.99 Winter Village sets.
Ah, they’re doing 3D printed elements (like that tiny duck they had) like Brickmania.
The problem with those that I’ve encountered is that they don’t clutch well with Lego plates, bricks, etc.
They tend to be loose.
I'll likely end up getting this eventually but I echo a lot of the comments already made. The color is meh. The 3D printed mini train is yuck. I've seen too many 3D printed items break apart easily and the filament doesn't melt/bind into a nice finished look in any 3D printed items I've ever seen. And why do they never make the present packages in actual Christmas colors? I'm sick of all the pink, purple, yellow or blue holiday gift packages they give us every year.
Oh I see why this costs 30 bucks more. They left out the useless, specialized train buffers with magnets, metal axles, spoked train wheels, cow catcher and included a very high quality SLS printed train gimmick that was much more requested by train fans. We also don't need straight tracks anymore, because everyone is missing curved tracks in their collection.
It's also super helpful that it's just "ready for Powered Up" and doesn't include motorization out of the box, because the motor and hub are discontinued anyway. Much cooler (and cheaper) to just put it on display or push it around, right? Thanks LEGO!
People really god-damn weird about the 3D printed thing up in here. It's as bad as AI, apparently???
3D printed does not sound like a selling point at all to me--why stop there? Why not 3D print an entire train? It's not even Lego if you ask me. Odd choice, too--it almost looks like that tiny piece could have been constructed of parts, but not quite.
Aside from that, I feel like we just got a WV train so this one's a pretty easy pass for me. And no, 2016 was not 9 years ago!
I love trains. That being said, We've had more trains, tram included, than we do houses for people to stay in. Isn't this one the fourth including the tram? How about a nice decorated hotel or something?
First VW set I won't buy. No justification for the price increase. The integration of the Powered Up motor is terrible. The engine doesn't even look like a steam engine, without the big power wheel.
This will be a cheap Christmas
109 for this is not bad at all! I'm getting this day one. I actually even like the 3D element! The train has moving parts which a micro build does not get you ?????
Thumbs down on the 3D printed train.
It’s something you’d expect to find in a Kinder egg.
@The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
They're thinking, "I like money!"
Been skipping some WW due to lack of space to display, but I guess another train would fit on the tracks, so might need to pick it up. Also liking the colors
@Veotax said:
"People really god-damn weird about the 3D printed thing up in here. It's as bad as AI, apparently???"
Gotta complain about something I guess.
For a bit of level headedness, SLSDUCK-1 came out in 2022 and at the time there was no outcry.
Wow, worst WV set ever. My wallet is thankful.
I like my 10254 better.
@Alemas said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
Short answer: They aren't thinking.
Long answer: They aren't thinking, but Lego doesn't care - they are No 1 toy manufacturer in the world and have become greedy all while loosing sight of what made them great."
With the AI controversy and now this, I am seriously troubled by the direction LEGO is heading lately. "
Out of the loop on the AI thing, what did they do?"
LEGO, a company that encourages creativity and problem-solving, was shown to be using AI generated artwork.
@wez0637 said:
"Thumbs down on the 3D printed train.
It’s something you’d expect to find in a Kinder egg."
Thank you, it looks CHEAP. And it's completely unnecessary when we've had perfectly cute train microbuilds in the past. It just feels very gimmicky and un-LEGO, and also certainly factored into the price increase in some capacity. Who is it for? Is this 3-D printed piece going to be a selling point for ANYONE who wouldn't have already bought this train?
So we've got a worse re-tread of an older set for more money with a trendy gimmick thrown in for no discernable reason. Yep, sounds like everything that's wrong with LEGO these days.
I'm not a Winter Village collector but I always enjoy the visual appeal and charm of these sets. I feel none of the usual warm fuzzies from this set.
The locomotive looks just plain weird. While there have been steam engines with 2 bogies, those always had some rather specific design. Now it looks more like a diesel engine disguised a a steam locomotive.....
(which ironically is something I have seen plenty of times from Chinese brands, probably designed by someone who had never seen an actual steam locomotive......is that where Lego gets their inspiration from nowadays?)
As for the 3D-printed thing.....I don't get it either. Seems like something that's difficult and thus expensive mass produce (which the price seems to reflect), and why even bother? It just looks completely out of place.
Guess the polar beer is kinda cute, and it seems to have some kind of mechanism to make it move?
I guessed right on the price but definitely won't be paying it for this unmotorized train, no outbuildings, all on a roundabout. I also don't get the 3D thing. It doesn't look like LEGO, I don't see how it's a "selling point", and they can build and have built micro trains galore in the past. It either feels like a gimmicky misstep or an ominous storm cloud for the future...
The duck isn't the only previous 3D printed lego piece; some of us that pre-ordered "The Secret Life of LEGO® Bricks" received an official prototype part, a pogo stick with integral spring. I'm not sure of that was SLS or if it was from their HSS trial.
They did it. they finally did it. They increased the price of Winter Village sets, and with 10173 and 10254, this blue thing makes no sense to me.
The price increase was inevitable, but still disappointing. I wonder how many people will drop off the Winter Village train (ha).
Also, the 3d printed part in an actual Lego set is distasteful to me. Not sure why exactly.
regarding the train itself, my gripe with it is that the locomotive has bogies. Fine for a kids set, but for an 18+ set aimed at adults? Nah. It's not weird enough looking to be a Shay or other rarity among steam trains, it just ends up looking like a fake steam, all because they wanted to be able to put a power bogie under the cab (sold separately). Ends up looking a bit rubbish
So it's a hundred bucks for the train set, and thirty bucks for the 3d-printed micro train.
And the train set itself looks awful and is a major regression from past steam trains with large driving wheels.
What is Lego smoking?
There is no universe where a little micro train like that is worth thirty bucks. As a cheap mass-produced injection molded item from any other manufacturer, it would be two bucks at most, or more likely two for a dollar at the dollar store.
only LEGO can make a 120€ set look like a 40€ set
120€ and no Electronics xD
Lego, just give up.
Maybe you can eat that 3D printed train?
This will be the first time I won't be buying the annual winter village set.
@Yellow said:
"I have the previous VW Holiday Train set, so it does not really interest me. And the other one looks better IMHO. However as a VW colector having all VW sets so far I may consider to pick this one up when it will be discounted."
I didn't know Lego did Volkswagen trains /s
3D printed parts. For the people who don't want LEGO in their LEGO, I guess.
Thanks, I hate it.
The color scheme isn't very Christmas friendly. The price is horrible and also nor traditional. The build is small and odd. I need a motor, not more curved track.
AND, it contains some abomination sneezed out from the Grinch's nose! Gross!!
Everything is Death Star this year with Lego
:(
@B_Space_Man said:
"The price increase was inevitable, but still disappointing. I wonder how many people will drop off the Winter Village train (ha).
Also, the 3d printed part in an actual Lego set is distasteful to me. Not sure why exactly. "
It's against the "build it yourself" ethos - the idea that you can use multiple, interchangeable pieces to create multiple things, limited only by your creativity (and available pieces, of course).
This 3-D printed piece is a train, and it can only BE a train. Though it looks like you can remove the cabin roof and smoke plume, the core body is unchangeable.
Now, LEGO has a number of specialized pieces, usually as minifig accessories. I'm thinking of, say, the LEGO teddy bear or even LEGO dogs. Indeed, I am old enough to remember arguments that LEGO has become too specialized and reliant on very specialized molds like this. But I think most people are OK with things like LEGO dachshund molds because 1.) They're cute and 2.) A brick built version would be less cute, and potentially difficult to even recognize as the subject matter WITHOUT a special mold.
In the case of this 3-D printed train, we have probably DOZENS of examples of microbuilds of mini-fig scale toy trains that worked JUST fine at both being cute and conveying the subject matter WHILE upholding the "You build it" ethos that's central to LEGO.
So what does this 3-D printed piece achieve that prior LEGO mini trains didn't? Well, judging from the box, it looks like if you roll it the steam plume will move up and down. I guess that's cute, and also unachievable using ANY available bricks at this scale. But is it necessary? Are play features like this the core appeal of LEGO? To me, the answer to both questions is NO.
The Kinder Egg toy comparisons are apt. Throw in the fact that it almost certainly inflated the price by a few dollars and has nothing really notable about it other than merely being the first 3-D printed piece in a commercially available set it feels like a waste of resources and now a waste of consumers' money.
I think 3-D printing COULD have a place in LEGO sets, but this is not the way it should be used IMO.
@Al_S said:
"The duck isn't the only previous 3D printed lego piece; some of us that pre-ordered "The Secret Life of LEGO® Bricks" received an official prototype part, a pogo stick with integral spring. I'm not sure of that was SLS or if it was from their HSS trial."
The 2019 Inside Tour set, 4000034 also had a 3D printed element. We were shown prototype 3D printed elements for 4000025 in 2018
@WokePope said:
"I think 3-D printing COULD have a place in LEGO sets, but this is not the way it should be used IMO."
Interestingly, considering that mechanism it could have been interesting for that overpriced tree they also announced. I mean, imagine that train at the bottom going round with the steam plume moving up and down....that would have been kinda cool actually!
But here it indeed just feels completely out of place.
@iwybs said:
"What is Lego smoking?"
Nothing. They just inhale ABS fumes.
3D printed minifig-scale Droideka next?
I think the 3D-printed part should've just been the chassis of the toy train. Then it could've looked like Lego and had the main functionality of the 3D-printed part.
Great news. Will be getting it and converting it to the old 9v train system with a spare 9v bogie for my annual christmas layout.
I've got 10254, and am very happy with it. Looks much better and more festive to me, especially the colour scheme.
They should use their 3D printing skills to print monorail track pieces ;-)
Good grief, the 3D-printed train is ONE piece out of 956- just ignore it if you don't like it! The sky is not falling, Chicken Little.
This is just meh
Don't need another Holiday Train, need more buildings for the holiday town, there's already a much better train to go around it
this train is just kind of cheesy looking
I don't understand the point of the 3D part. That could have been brick built, which is the point of LEGO.... to build
So I’m guessing the tiny train has moving wheels and coupling rods, and the smoke rocks back and forth? That’s pretty clever despite it being a bit out of place…
I love Lego trains.
I love Winter Village.
I love 3D printing.
I don't love this.
I think Lego should have made a fantasy train (maybe a North Pole train which Santa load his sled, reindeers and gifts?), like the last year "Post Office" was the fantasy remake of older "Post Office"... so, next year I hope to have a fantasy train station (maybe the North Pole Station) and not another "common" WV train station!
3D-Printing for Lego - whatever next? Vases? :-)
@560heliport said:
"Good grief, the 3D-printed train is ONE piece out of 956- just ignore it if you don't like it! The sky is not falling, Chicken Little."
ONE PIECE is 3D printed? I had no idea. I liked that pirate ship thing.
Well I like it, and will get it as soon as there's a nice festive GWP available. I do think the Winter Village theme may have run out of steam though, similar to the Fairground Collection.
Think it is next year? Can't wait till they open a factory in the U.S. Tarriffs are kiling me, should be $100
Well at least the set can be recycled to make a sequel to 10219 (Maersk Train).
Yes, the blue might be a little off but it's close.
I love Winter Village, but owning the previous train I really don't need another one. This needed to be above and beyond better than the previous one and it really isn't. I wish they'd released two Winter Village sets this year if they really wanted to get another train out there, a "regular" Winter Village set plus the train.
I'll echo many other commenters too, the 3D-printed part looks like a cheap knock-off, like something out of a Kinder egg. It feels incredibly out of place, like it belongs to a completely different brand.
That 3D printed part... so the red duck from a few years ago doesn´t count then?
Also, nothing says holiday cheer like the
b l a c k
v o i d
boxart. Lovely.
I like the train for the most part, although I am still partial to the 2006 one, which was more of a full train and had a more christmassy color scheme (green, red and white!). But I don't mind that they try something new.
Not even a straight railway!!
Does the green carrot as a tree count as NPU if it wasn’t previously available in green?
Having another train for the Winter Village line is nice, as trains are Christmas staples for so many people. However for me, the shaping looks similar to the one released in 2016 and the blue color doesn't really seem christmasy to me. The 3-d printed mini train is also strange, looks out of place.
I think they went for an icy look and thus chose blue. But it then needed icicles and transparant pieces as well. An ice train would be cool.
I don’t know why the polar bear didn’t got eyes? He looks so unfinished this way, and his blocky build doesn’t help either.
Maybe lego ran out of ideas?
@The_Boba_Brick said:
" @Alemas said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @The_Boba_Brick said:
"3D-printed parts are completely antithetical to the entire point of LEGO. What are they thinking? "
Short answer: They aren't thinking.
Long answer: They aren't thinking, but Lego doesn't care - they are No 1 toy manufacturer in the world and have become greedy all while loosing sight of what made them great."
With the AI controversy and now this, I am seriously troubled by the direction LEGO is heading lately. "
Out of the loop on the AI thing, what did they do?"
LEGO, a company that encourages creativity and problem-solving, was shown to be using AI generated artwork."
Wonder why it wasn't covered here...
«[...] with a 16-piece circular track that can be set up [...] or around a holiday tree.»
I see what you did there, LEGO.
The moving parts are nice, needed to see the video since I only scanned the text.
A train... again with the same flaws of its predecessor like the tiny cars and micro station ^^
The 3D printed piece is ugly.
So, i'm a long time Winter Village sets collector, just missed the first Toy Shop, but i'll skip this one.
I already have 10254 motorised and running in my village... this year I wont be adding a new element to my christmas town...
@SDlgo9 said:
" @raven_za said:
"The double bogies just look wrong on a steam locomotive. If they wanted to go with this, they should have gone with diesel or electric."
Not the first time Lego have done that - see 3741. There were real-life steam locomotives with powered bogies - Fairlies are reasonably photogenic, Leaders rather less so, for instance. "
At least 3741 looks like an actually good steam loco....... not whatever LEGO put here.
I was looking forward to it, but I find the locomotive rather incoherent, and overall just too simplistic. The printed train is cool. Wonder if that will make it to the PaB section.
I want to like it because it's another train set.
But it just looks horrible.
The very first Christmas train set actually looked like a train, like it could be an organic part of a Winter Village environment.
This one, like the last one, just looks like a toy train. It fits in well with the Santa-themed sets, but it's odd to place, otherwise.
And I think the locomotive just looks awful.
This is an easy pass.
I don't like the idea of 3D printed models and Lego, but I assume their market research showed young kids are fans of that.
@Vladtheb said:
"Dang, Lego’s going wild on trains this year. I usually buy every train release, but I think I’m going to have to skip some of these this year because my wallet just can’t keep up! Nice set, although the 3D-printed piece looks a bit out of system to me."
what other trains?
...Huh.
On the one hand:
I like the color scheme, the giant bear and bow-wrapped caboose are fun (the latter is by far my favorite part), and I guess it has been nine years since the last winter holiday train.
On the other hand, the 3D printed toy train is very gimmicky*, the bear should ABSOLUTELY have had those 1x1 round tiles with printed eyes instead of just empty voids (seriously, it would have been a vast improvement for only two parts), and the locomotive is just plain atrocious no matter how you look at it.
*I'm honestly not entirely against the 3D printed part on a conceptual level - and it is a cute little toy train, to be fair - but it kind of defeats the purpose of building the even more cute little toy excavator, ship, and helicopter, and I don't like the precedent it's setting where small accessory builds are replaced by prefab parts. They can call it Icons all they want, but this is still a Creator Expert subtheme at heart, and 3D-printed prefabs are pretty much the complete antithesis of that.
I'll stick with 10254 , thanks...
"LEGO Icons"
No, there is nothing iconic about this set whatsoever. From the photos, this thing reeks of cost-cutting corners being taken, yet they still found a way to increase the price. So many things look out of proportion with itself. I'm so glad I got 10254 when I did.
I haven't crunched the numbers, but it seems like the number of holiday themed sets are on the increase, but the overall quality of the sets has plateaued or are regressing. QUALITY over quantity, please.
@DaBigE said:
[[[[LEGO Icons]]
No, there is nothing iconic about this set whatsoever. From the photos, this thing reeks of cost-cutting corners being taken, yet they still found a way to increase the price. So many things look out of proportion with itself. I'm so glad I got 10254 when I did.
I haven't crunched the numbers, but it seems like the number of holiday themed sets are on the increase, but the overall quality of the sets has plateaued or are regressing. QUALITY over quantity, please.]]
734 pieces ($100) compared to 956($130). Also tarriffs we got pay for(maybe?).
Also have not figured difference between euro and pound, but compared 10254 seems right.
@Imperial95 said:
" @SDlgo9 said:
" @raven_za said:
"The double bogies just look wrong on a steam locomotive. If they wanted to go with this, they should have gone with diesel or electric."
Not the first time Lego have done that - see 3741. There were real-life steam locomotives with powered bogies - Fairlies are reasonably photogenic, Leaders rather less so, for instance. "
At least 3741 looks like an actually good steam loco....... not whatever LEGO put here. "
True, the side-on picture of this one with the Powered Up motor against the white background looks distinctly spindly.
10254 looked better in a Winter Village. This one looks like it should be better under a Christmas tree. Lack of motor no problem. Can borrow from another set for the festive season!
@Wallace_Brick_Designs said:
"Is that tiny train made out of ABS? What is it?"
Hard to say from just the photos. ABS is certainly possible, but not the only option. The real issue isn’t the material, but the fact that it’s not formed under thousands of PSI, so long-term I fear these may not hold up well. I got the pogo stick, and tested it for action, but I certainly wouldn’t try to play with it.
@8BrickMario said:
"EDIT: So I see the train wheels roll and the smokestack pin the plume fits in goes in a circle when it rolls...so it's a Kinder Surprise toy? How is that on-mission for LEGO?"
The pogo stick, the duck, and now this train all have action features that simply aren’t possible with a brickbuilt solution. The drafting table armature was just something they couldn’t build without it looking unrecognizable. I don’t know why they decided 3D printing elements was a great idea, but they’ve been prototyping that way since at least 2002:
https://www.maskofdestiny.com/news/toys-of-the-jedi
Like someone in Animatics wanting to see some of their actual work make it into a home video release, maybe the people who design 3D prints in-house wanted to get something into a set for once. If it was just a tiny train, I’d say it would have been easier to just build one, but I didn’t realize it had function. If you hate it, it’s one part. Throw it in a drawer, and it’ll be worth a lot of money someday. If you like it, treat it gently, because it’s probably not as sturdy as you’d expect.
@MLF:
Consider how many of these trains they’ll have to crank out. 3D prints take time.
i was disappointed when they only announced the gingerbread house so it was exciting to see a new train for the winter village but I like the previous train for the village more. for 130 is it powered up or is that sold separately?? I think I'll wait for a sale and once i get it i'll just add the cars to my old train and omit the new engine
As an avid 3D printing enthusiast, I'm not sure I want a set where my first thought is "could I print that better?" and can answer "probably" hot off the heels of LEGO's quality cuts (yes, Death Star bad, you may cope when ready).
Can't wait for the STL to leak and to try my own hand at it, and probably get comparable results for less dollars.
An official 3D printed element?
I'm not a fan, especially when compared against the previous holiday trains.
There are a few positives. The motion effects when the train is moving is fun and feels very 'toy train' like. The polar bear build is cute, as is the gift wrapped passenger car.
This one just feels off though. It doesn't fit with the aesthetic of the other winter village sets as well as it could. (The vibe of the much larger Orient Express set seems to mesh better with the overall theme IMO.)
Where the set really falls short is the locomotive build. Since the release of the Emerald Night set, I thought LEGO had moved away from the use of diesel style bogie wheels in their steam locomotive sets. This feels much more 9V My Own Train era than anything from modern LEGO - it's more akin to a knock-off Amazon set. If the 3D printed piece wasn't added to this set, I think more of the discussion would be over the strange design choices made for the locomotive build.
Overall the set feels fairly mish-mash and is a rare miss from LEGO when compared to their other great Trains related releases over the past several years.
I have to say, I'm more interested than disappointed by the 3D printed part. It seems like a lot of people are calling it a cost-saving measure, but that's only true at relatively small volumes, and I'd expect the goal here was to create a mechanism that couldn't be injection molded.
I'm curious if high-quality 3D printing could be a good option for Lego for, say, exclusive minifigure helmets or something that need to appear in one set, once, where the higher per-unit cost of 3D printing would be covered by not having the huge up-front costs of making a mold.
To that end, though, I feel like this train isn't a great example. The mechanism feels a little gimmicky, and the train itself is big enough that it can be criticized as a replacement of a traditional multi-brick minibuild, rather than as a replacement for a simple specialized element, like we're used to.
I'll be interested to see if they go anywhere with that!
@sebitsena said:
"A train... again with the same flaws of its predecessor like the tiny cars and micro station ^^
The 3D printed piece is ugly.
So, i'm a long time Winter Village sets collector, just missed the first Toy Shop, but i'll skip this one."
having 2 almost identical toy shops, 2 post offices, and 2 (maybe even 3) trains and a trolley would be a bit redundant anyway.
@missedoutagain said:
[[ @DaBigE said:
[[LEGO Icons]]
No, there is nothing iconic about this set whatsoever. From the photos, this thing reeks of cost-cutting corners being taken, yet they still found a way to increase the price. So many things look out of proportion with itself. I'm so glad I got 10254 when I did.
I haven't crunched the numbers, but it seems like the number of holiday themed sets are on the increase, but the overall quality of the sets has plateaued or are regressing. QUALITY over quantity, please.]]
734 pieces ($100) compared to 956($130). Also tarriffs we got pay for(maybe?).
Also have not figured difference between euro and pound, but compared 10254 seems right.]]
I never mentioned PPP on purpose. It's HOW the parts are used that matters, and IMOP, this set looks cheaply designed regardless of the piece count. The 3D printed part doesn't help Lego's case in my mind.