Great article, thanks!

Why do all these images on these boxes look like the set is part of a James Bond movie villain's hidden lair in Greenland?
Especially for the station the setting looks quite bizarre.

Ah, 9V trains.

For me, this is where the obsession started.

My very first train was 4563. I loved it. I absolutely loved it. I extended mine by eventually buying both the Octan tanker, and the blue hopper. The train is lovely, and has personality, but it's so functional. I still adore it, to this day. Quite recently I managed to track down 4551, and that was one of those lucky occasions where you buy something online that's advertised as second-hand ... but the train I got was practically mint. More than twenty years old, and it was in almost perfect condition (I had to swap out, like, two pieces). That one was worth buying too.

Growing up, I never quite saw what was so great about the (fabled) Metroliner. Then, when I eventually did buy one ... yeah. Now I get it. A beautiful train. It's why I'm not more disappointed in never buying some of the better 12V trains. The Metroliner is such a lovely train, with so many great features. I love the little sleeping compartment, and the little washroom in the main carriage.

And you know, the structural problems with 4561 and 4559 majorly bothered me even as a kid. With 4559, how do the passengers get into those little compartments? What if they have to go to the bathroom, or want to get up and stretch their legs on a long train voyage? They're basically trapped in those little compartments that you can't get out of. I hated that. And 4561 was a classic example of what, to me, was a nifty idea ruined by juniorisation. There was no finesse to the design, and looked horribly unrealistic. It was just a bunch of windows.

That's another problem. Train doors. Why don't passenger trains have doors anymore? The fancy expensive sets have brick-build doors (which I don't like, because the attaching pieces often swivel in place, ergo, the doors don't quite open and close properly), but just basic train doors went out of fashion with the Santa Fe (I was shocked that this year's freight engine had two blue doors. Shocked). And this bothers me to this day, even up to the most recent passenger train releases. How do passengers get onto those trains? It seems so silly to me.

I adjusted my Sante Fe carriages, because I built the sleeping car, but really didn't like the interior, so I kept the exterior, but changed the interior to make it into the dining car. It looks great.

I agree that the Hobby Train was limited (although, yes, I bought one and built the giant crocodile engine), but I was too happy to track down the instructions for the other 30 designs, online. I built the 9V version of 7755, as well as the snub-nosed engine, and the red truck, black oil tanker and long van (and I think I could build most of them in the one go, I just needed a couple of extra bits from BrickLink. If I ever find another Hobby Train set, I'll build the subway cars, 'cause I really liked them as well).

The holiday train was another interesting idea. If only the Winter Village had a train station for it. Hint, hint, Lego.

And lastly, the BNSF loco 10133 -- if I could legally marry a Lego set, yeah, that'd be on the list. Just beautiful.

"4554 Container Depot"? You mean 4555, I guess: http://brickset.com/sets/4555-1/Cargo-Station

Also, I love that the image on Facebook for this link is one from the previous "Classic LEGO sets" article. ;-)

4533 Snow Blower -- I've run across this set numerous times and, every single time, I think to myself "what the hell?" So.... you are going to be operating a snow blower train but you're not going to get an enclosed cabin? Really? I guess minifigs don't get frostbite.

Great article.

2004’s 10132 Hogwarts Express was a motorized version of the regular train set. It included the 9v power and track elements (plus a train station building instead of a train platform).

We could add to this topic the famous 10027 Train engine shed which is a great set for 9V trains. It's now very expensive in the secondary market.
And i would love a reedition or a new Holiday train !!!

jumalichi,

"10027 Train engine shed" is a GREAT set but i think the author wanted to only wrote about sets that came with 9v accessories with it.

I would agree that the 10027 Train Shed is probably the best trackside accessory. The interior is so finely detailed, and it came with 4x straight 9V tracks. The Metroliner is an absolute staple, but by far the best would be the Super Chief loco and having enough Type I and Type II cars to be able to make the entire train.

@OuterRimTradingCo. -- there is a superlot of the Super Chief + 2 Type I + 3 Type II on bricklink, all MISB. Yours for only $1917.00. Average pricing for this superlot is around $1350ish. I'd love to buy that superlot, but not at that price.

Super Chief is my personal favorite LEGO train. It looks fantastic even 12 years later.
The train backgrounds are very odd. This is part of the late-90's era of epic fails, I see.
It does really suck that these are before my time. The newer Cargo Train looks like a remake of that one you posted, but just the pricing is enough to turn me off: $200 for 888 pieces in a City set?! That's a horrid price. I think that one of the factors is the rechargeable battery box, which is quite pricey, but if the price has been rounded up from $160 or $175, I'm going to officially complain to LEGO about that. Reasonable would be $100 for the train, $20 for the track, and $50 for the batteries... which leaves $30 for all the other PF. Why couldn't they include a less expensive battery box? I understand the price, but it's really too high for the part count. I'm going to Bricklink and see if $200 is more or less than that. PaB will be unhelpful on that count because their prices are so high.

-rant over-

4561 is where my LEGO obsession started. Still have the train on my shelf, and will never sell it. :)

Never understood the background LEGO uses for those sets. It's like the train is driving out of a tunnel and a huge explosion happened lol.

I have the 4563 Load and Haul Railroad that you mention above. I have been agonizing about whether to sell it. It is mint and complete with all original pieces and instructions, but no box. What do you estimate is might be worth?

I now have the Santa Fe Superchief "superlot" of 2 motorized engines and all 5 cars, and I must say it is nice enough that I haven't been able to part with it despite the profit to be made on them. (that purchase definitely got posted in the brag thread). My Dad, who is a Lionel train guy, was so impressed that he wanted them until I told him what they sell for. (not to mention the cost of the track). The only downside I've found is that one of the cars is actually a touch too wide for the 10027 Train Engine Shed, so it clips the inside of the shed entrance and exit. It still goes through, but eventually weakens the Shed wall. I've been tempted by the 4554 Metro Station, but I think I will just end up MOCing my own station, as I'm not willing to pay the asking price for them. I'll echo the request for a Winter Villiage themed train and train station, as I think they'd be a wonderful addition to the collection, and I'd love to run them around my tree.

Thanks again for posting these great articles on the classic sets. I'm enjoying reading about sets from both my childhood and my dark ages.

"4511 Passenger Train [...] was not a success. Two of the failures in the passenger trains were 4559 and 4561"

Is there any evidence to indicate that 4559 and 4561 were 'failures'? I'm assuming you mean sales-wise, unless you're using the term 'failure' to mean 'not as sought after in the secondhand / collector's market', in which case I'd understand.

It's worth noting that despite their current collectible status, the Santa Fe Cars sets 10022 and 10025 sold miserably - at least, according to LEGO - and their performance, along with the My Own Train series, largely influenced the decision to consolidate the Trains theme into the City theme and curtail the amount of train sets offered. There were well over 20 sets released between 2001 and 2002; there have been 5 released between 2013 and 2014 for comparison. Individual locomotives and wagons will most likely never return outside of the Creator Expert line, and even then sets featuring wagons without locomotives are extremely unlikely to be produced again, even as an AFOL-centric product.

@Mousels -- the six-month sold average on BrickLink for 4563 (used) is $121, but sellers have used sets listed anywhere between $30 and $400. Brickpicker lists $131 as the average used price. Now, if it were sealed in the box, the pricing would be much higher.

I should feel insulted! Most of the failures you mention are the 9v sets I own, which I bought with my hard-earned elementary and junior high school money. Well, failures of not, I loved them. From the Cargo Railway (4559) to the Snow Blower (4533, bricksourced), these constitute some of my fondest memories of junior high school. I was in college when the last round of 9v trains came out and missed the boat on them, much to my dismay. I'd love to have the Santa Fe sets now since I am a professional railroad historian.

Regarding the Hobby Train, I have a complete copy of the digital instructions booklet with all 30 model builds in it, if anyone is interested. LEGO took it down from their website around 2009 but I was able to get a copy from someone who had saved it.

"4511 Passenger Train [...] was not a success. Two of the failures in the passenger trains were 4559 and 4561"

I don't have any evidence except that the earlier trains were more readily available in the shops. Also there was no excitement when they were released.
Also this is the period when LEGO lost direction and started to loose money - this is well documented.

It is interesting to read that some people love the trains I don't, it's good that we have different views.

I probably should have mentioned 10027 Engine Shed but I couldn't list every set.

Great Article.
I started out buying a 4561 off the shelf back when i came out of my dark ages. It was also when I picked up this puppy 2126. It was also when I decided to start hardcore collecting all Town/City sets and trains.
4561 and 4559 are still sought after IMO and on the secondary market still can reach what the 4563 and 4564 go for, so I think that 'failure' is not an accurate description. However all train sets such as 4563,4564,4559, 4561, and 4565 usually can be found for under or around 150 I think, which is not terrible IMO. I think 4564 may go for a bit more as it does not seem like it is as available as 4563. I think the Croc engine (4551) is one of the hardest 9V to find. Especially with all of its stickers (like 4563, it has those little 'triangle' stickers that go on the windshield panel piece that are meant to extend and shrink the stripe of the door to the stripe on the train)
4564 is a great train set too (IMO a bit better than 4563)
There is also the forgotten train wash set 4553 (though not a great set by any means) , and My Own train cars out there (notable being the 10016 Tanker car which was the first to sell out everywhere of the MOT cars).
10027 Train shed is epic, but I think the 4551 and 2150 beat it out.
Ahh 4558 Metroliner.. and 10002 Club car. So nice they made them twice. Despite LEGO having to really cut the price to move the 10001 it now is going for what 4558 used to before 10001 was re-released I believe which is pretty amazing.

All in All, I think LEGO Train, whether it is 9V or 12V could have a few articles for Buildings, cars and locomotives, as well as whole sets.

The Metroliner, in fact, was a real train that ran service from NY to DC: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metroliner_ (Amtrak) . I agree with your selection of it as the benchmark LEGO train. It embodies all the charm that one would want out of a LEGO set.

I agree with others that the Santa Fe Super Chief deserves a mention here because of its remarkable beauty and its significance in ushering in a new era of advanced locomotives.

Thanks for an interesting read - at the time the 9v system was introduced, I was so heartbroken at my beloved 12v sets being replaced by something inferior (in my eyes) that I couldn't appreciate the line at all. The article and discussion above has finally turned my opinion around slightly! I entered my dark ages before the more interesting sets (Santa Fe, BNSF etc) were introduced and have only recently come back to trains, with the Emerald Night, Maersk and Horizon Express all happily running alongside my 7740, 7745 and others!

A downside of this article, with others on the 'classic sets', is that it has driven me to eBay and Bricklink to see how much some of the sets you mentioned above would cost and some of the them are eye-wateringly expensive now!

Another great article. I've never really had an interest in Trains, but these have been fascinating to read. Unlike most the 12V Trains I do remember all of these sets. I look forward to reading about the blue track era.

Yes, a nice little article a good one would take pages. Since I have collected almost every Lego train set from the grey 4.V era and up, my next effort will be all of the blue track trains and sets. I have a few but not all, yet.