Brick Train Awards 2022
Posted by Huw,
The Brick Train Awards, a global competition for LEGO train fans, is back in 2022 for its third year.
The competition was started in 2020 during Covid to try and provide some meaningful activity for LEGO train fans. Last year saw over 750 entries from builders around the world, and showcased a huge variety of creativity in the LEGO fan community.
Winners are judged for most categories at a regional level (Americas, Asia & Australasia, and Europe) and a global winner is then picked by a panel of international judges from the LEGO train community. The TFOL categories are aimed at teenage LEGO train builders aged 13 - 18 to support up-and-coming LEGO fans, and the quality of submissions is particularly strong here.
The awards are open to all LEGO train fans to submit their models for free during September in 15 categories:
- Best steam locomotive
- Best diesel locomotive
- Best electric locomotive
- Best other locomotive
- Best consist / full train
- Best passenger wagon
- Best freight wagon
- Best special wagon
- Best digital locomotive
- Best digital wagon
- Best TFOL (Teenage Fan of LEGO) locomotive
- Best TFOL wagon
- Best TFOL display
- Public vote
- Best display
Prizes for global winners are sponsored by TrixBrix.eu, as well as contributions from TrainedBricks and Brick Model Railroader.
Entries are open from 1st - 30th September 2022, and winners will be announced in the first week of October on the Brick Train Awards website, bricktrainawards.com.
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29 comments on this article
@TomKazutara said:
"To bad that Lego dosen't like trains anymore."
I don’t understand this attitude. In the last three years, they released the Disney train, the Crocodile locomotive, a huge Hogwarts Express, a new cargo train, and a new passenger train.
@WesterBricks said:
" @TomKazutara said:
"To bad that Lego dosen't like trains anymore."
I don’t understand this attitude. In the last three years, they released the Disney train, the Crocodile locomotive, a huge Hogwarts Express, a new cargo train, and a new passenger train."
The Disney 'train' cost £299, for some reason.
The Crocodile Locomotive, whilst excellent, came with a promise from LEGO PR that "this is a new beginning for LEGO trains" (quiet laughter)
The 'huge Hogwarts Express' is incompatible with L-gauge track.
The cargo and passenger trains are focused on younger audiences.
I think the original point was that LEGO doesn't like releasing standalone trains.
Working with what is available over time is the only way to be a happy Lego fan. The parts are out there, there's tons of custom designs you can buy instructions for on sites like Rebrickable, and in the wild jungles of retail there are options like 75955 which I just found this morning at Wal-Mart for $49 USD.
A Lego fan does not complain about what there isn't. A Lego fan builds what they want.
What was the article about again? Sorry, I had something in mind I'd wanted to share but my train of thought got derailed for a moment there by these comments.
Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with.
@Nesquik said:
" @WesterBricks said:
" @TomKazutara said:
"To bad that Lego dosen't like trains anymore."
I don’t understand this attitude. In the last three years, they released the Disney train, the Crocodile locomotive, a huge Hogwarts Express, a new cargo train, and a new passenger train."
The Disney 'train' cost £299, for some reason.
The Crocodile Locomotive, whilst excellent, came with a promise from LEGO PR that "this is a new beginning for LEGO trains" (quiet laughter)
The 'huge Hogwarts Express' is incompatible with L-gauge track.
The cargo and passenger trains are focused on younger audiences.
I think the original point was that LEGO doesn't like releasing standalone trains."
Not just standalone trains, but train accessories. Look how long it took to get a new station.
@Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
Consist is the term for what is pulled by the locomotive, as in a freight or passenger consist. (Train refers to the whole assemblage of loco and cars, and is terribly misused by nearly everybody)
Yes, I am going to spread the news.
This is a really cool idea! I've seen some fantastic trains at various Lego conventions and displays, and it always gets me wanting to try my hand at it. All the best to the competitors.
I’ve never bought a Lego train but I’m thinking about starting to get a few (I don’t need another theme but that won’t stop me!).
Obviously a lot of Lego adult fans are train fans, but do they sell well? The Crocodile Locomotive sold for 1.5 years according to Brickset. It looks like a cool one to start with but I’m not sure if I want to accept the aftermarket price.
Very cool, although it will be difficult to focus on building while the weather's still nice : )
As for the irrelevant opinions some feel obligated to share regarding The LEGO Group, just ignore them. The competition is for fan-designed models.
My favourite buildings are stations: but they're missing on a station or other railway buildings award.
@WesterBricks said:
" @TomKazutara said:
"To bad that Lego dosen't like trains anymore."
I don’t understand this attitude. In the last three years, they released the Disney train, the Crocodile locomotive, a huge Hogwarts Express, a new cargo train, and a new passenger train."
We need more train wash stations :P
There was a building award for a station last time which went to a English branch line station, but seems to be included within landscape now. If you look at last years diesel winner, they have photographed their Japanese commuter Lego train on the station platform with the actual train in the background which must have being stressful.
This is only meant to be a bit of fun and as mentioned the Harry Potter Hogsworth Express 75955 has all the large wheel parts needed to try your own steam train moc without breaking the bank, although the detailing shown in the previous winners means that their is some serious competition. My only criticism is that they don't show any of the entries that didn't win, as I'm sure there are some great ideas out there.
@Nesquik said:
"The Disney 'train' cost £299, for some reason.
The Crocodile Locomotive, whilst excellent, came with a promise from LEGO PR that "this is a new beginning for LEGO trains" (quiet laughter)
The 'huge Hogwarts Express' is incompatible with L-gauge track.
The cargo and passenger trains are focused on younger audiences."
I'm glad to hear @Nesquik got a LEGO train he thought was excellent. I imagine others did too, although they will certainly not agree on which one was the best. I'm thrilled LEGO is releasing trains targeting a variety of fans so we can all be happy about something!
@TomKazutara said:
"Now I ask you, where are the accessories like : 4515: Straight Rails, 7996: Train Rail Crossing single differend locomotives, single and differned wagons, train stations, engine sheds, cross sections, cargo station's, cargo cranes, or even cargo harbor with a train connection.
There is no license necessary for Lego Trains, it just has to interconnect which Lego City."
Extra rails is about all you'll get these days: 60205: Tracks and 60238: Switch Tracks. Back in the heyday, Trains was its own theme; now it's somewhat hidden within City.
@Rimefang said:
"Working with what is available over time is the only way to be a happy Lego fan. The parts are out there, there's tons of custom designs you can buy instructions for on sites like Rebrickable, and in the wild jungles of retail there are options like 75955 which I just found this morning at Wal-Mart for $49 USD.
A Lego fan does not complain about what there isn't. A Lego fan builds what they want."
So true!
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
Consist is the term for what is pulled by the locomotive, as in a freight or passenger consist. (Train refers to the whole assemblage of loco and cars, and is terribly misused by nearly everybody)"
'Consist' is an Americanism (ie, USA usage (USAge??)) that is seldom used elsewhere in the World.
@LegoMiniNZ said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
Consist is the term for what is pulled by the locomotive, as in a freight or passenger consist. (Train refers to the whole assemblage of loco and cars, and is terribly misused by nearly everybody)"
'Consist' is an Americanism (ie, USA usage (USAge??)) that is seldom used elsewhere in the World."
I thought it came from the UK, originally...
@Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
The set of loco, cars, or just a set of cars even, is a consist. What the train 'consists' of!
@Nesquik said:
"I think the original point was that LEGO doesn't like releasing standalone trains."
The beauty of Lego is that if you want something, you can simply try building it yourself.
It's Lego. Design it, and build it.
@TomKazutara said:
"Look up train stuff from the 80s to the early 2000s. And compare those to the train stuff from the 2010s till now.
The Cargo- and Passenger Trains are on the same rotation every 4-5 years since the 90s,
so that is nothing new.
Now I ask you, where are the accessories like : 4515 : Straight Rails, 7996 : Train Rail Crossing
single different locomotives, single and different wagons, train stations, engine sheds, cross sections, cargo station's, cargo cranes, or even cargo harbor with a train connection.
There is no license necessary for Lego Trains, it just has to interconnect which Lego City."
I think trains need to become another theme of lego and I think they need to look at the coal fired engine models of the past, when trains looked inspiring.
All my favourite lego train sets are the retired ones, like 7745 , which had a really lovely alternative engine model that I still use, 10194 , and 10219 .
We need extra carriage packs too and decent train stations. I haven't seen any good station sets except mocs, which prove expensive to source. Lego really skimp on stations, especially today. I live near the old small english ones that are so picturesque and the official, modern stations sets are awful.
Its all very well designing your own, but sometimes you are not in a position to do so and I would willingly spend money on official train sets and accessories, if the good ones were created. Lego is losing out in a way, by not seriously relaunching a train theme.
@Rare_White_Ape said:
" @Nesquik said:
"I think the original point was that LEGO doesn't like releasing standalone trains."
The beauty of Lego is that if you want something, you can simply try building it yourself.
It's Lego. Design it, and build it."
Right...
So why does Lego bother designing sets then? And why is there 46+ sets currently submitted for Lego Ideas (people wanting the 'Lego treatment' for a given idea)? Would be much cheaper for Lego to be just a 'parts' distributor.
Some people are 'creators/designers' and some are 'builders'. Builders need the sets to be created for them. And, most designers started up as a builder first.
It is the same as with City: people wanted schools, grocery stores, hospitals, library, the whole lot. A city has other stuff than just police and fire stations. For trains, you need the basic sets (checked) and then you need specialised tracks, train stations and train depots (crane, terminals, repair shop/round house, etc) all this can be done for modern trains and/or older trains.
And it does not have to be 265 sets every year. 2 train sets every 4.5 years as is now plus 1-2 car a year plus a structure every other year or something like that - and it does not have to be rigid, when Lego designers have lots of ideas it can be more and when they don't, it can be a little bit less.
Right. The primary reason I got 60197 was to have a complete package upon which I could then modify and build my own motorized train with a complete track circuit and all the necessary components (and the then-new Powered Up is, like, the second simplest way to motorize a LEGO train, only behind 9V). And the release of 75955 made those steam train wheels readily available again enabling me to BrickLink them much more easily. I do wish LEGO released more train sets to give the average fan more options (i.e. not someone with a massive collection of parts and the know-how to use BrickLink and design models from scratch). But for whatever reason, they've determined that there isn't enough of a market for them or it's too expensive to do so. Maybe times have changed.
Anyway, I was going to say that I'm thinking of entering for some of these categories with my Orient Express MOC. But honestly, with how advanced most train builds of this caliber are I'm not sure if I should even waste my time. It's my most advanced MOC, and I'm very happy with it, but ultimately it's still pretty simplistic compared to everything I've seen out there since I simply don't build to those standards but my own. Really the only thing I've got going for my MOC is that it's designed after actual prototypes, but then so are many of the other entries.
@LegoMiniNZ said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
Consist is the term for what is pulled by the locomotive, as in a freight or passenger consist. (Train refers to the whole assemblage of loco and cars, and is terribly misused by nearly everybody)"
'Consist' is an Americanism (ie, USA usage (USAge??)) that is seldom used elsewhere in the World."
Unless it's a very industry-specific term, I think it's the other way around. Rolling stock is what I most frequently hear used in the USA.
@DaBigE said:
" @LegoMiniNZ said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
" @Astrobricks said:
"Re: number 5 - what is “consist”? Train term I’m unfamiliar with."
Consist is the term for what is pulled by the locomotive, as in a freight or passenger consist. (Train refers to the whole assemblage of loco and cars, and is terribly misused by nearly everybody)"
'Consist' is an Americanism (ie, USA usage (USAge??)) that is seldom used elsewhere in the World."
Unless it's a very industry-specific term, I think it's the other way around. Rolling stock is what I most frequently hear used in the USA."
"Rolling stock" is a more general term referring to rail vehicles. To wit: a consist is a discrete series of rolling stock coupled together.
Thanks for the supporting comments. We still have a little more to update on the website category pages which should help clarify any of the queries here.
Look forward to seeing what people have built!
@LegoSonicBoy
Go for it! Enter your train MOC and see what happens!
There are countless better builders out there than myself but if I had a MOC I was proud of, I'd enter it. It will bring more eyes to your builds, you'd get positive feedback, constructive criticism and maybe learn new tricks to improve your own building style.
@bmwlego: Thanks, that's a good way to look at it. I'll consider it.