Trains add so much fun and dynamism to LEGO City dioramas, and this year, LEGO has released three new LEGO City train sets. Let’s take a look!
The #60509 LEGO City Harbour Freight Train features a switcher locomotive with two flatbed wagons, a section of train track with buffers, a reach stacker crane, a flatbed truck, and four containers with cargo. The set also includes three minifigures: a train driver, crane operator, and dock worker.
The freight train can be motorized with LEGO Power Functions (sold separately) and controlled using the Powered Up app or LEGO Power Functions remote. Although the set does include some stickers, I really like that the engine’s color blocks are built with regular LEGO tiles rather than relying entirely on stickers. The set contains 575 pieces. Price: $109.99. Available at the LEGO City section of the Online LEGO Shop.
The #60506 LEGO City Classic Beach Tram features a traditional-style streetcar with realistic details, including boarding steps, vertical grab poles, and bench seating. It also includes a simple pier, sidewalk, and beach setting to give the tram a little scenery around it. The set comes with five minifigures, including a driver with a cochlear implant, along with a seal, crab, fish, pug, and pigeon.
While I really like the design of the tram, it is built at a larger scale than traditional LEGO City trains and isn’t designed to be motorized. So, if you would like to add it to your LEGO City train system—or motorize it—you’ll need to make some significant modifications. Still, it’s a charming little set with lots of character. The set contains 693 pieces. Price: $74.99. Available at the LEGO City section of the Online LEGO Shop.
My favorite of the three train sets this year is the #60511 LEGO City Vintage Steam Train. It features a nicely detailed classic steam engine, coal tender, and passenger car with magnetic couplings, along with a section of track and station platform. The station includes a canopy with a bench, lamppost, ramp, and working semaphore signal.
The set also includes a conductor minifigure to manage the firebox and controls, along with four traveler minifigures carrying cookies and a thermos. Like the freight train, the steam train can be motorized with LEGO Power Functions (sold separately) and controlled using the Powered Up app or LEGO Power Functions remote. The set contains 575 pieces. Price: $89.99. Available at the LEGO City section of the Online LEGO Shop.
Between the freight train, classic steam train, and beach tram, there’s a LEGO train for a variety of LEGO City layouts and styles. I hope you find one that’s a perfect fit for your LEGO City!
What do you think? How do you like the new LEGO train sets? Feel free to share your thoughts and your own reviews in the comment section below!
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The steam locomotive reminds me of the old Lone Ranger train set. It’s one of my favorites. I like the simplicity. Although the price could be better.
This is really a great year for Lego trains. If you add in last year’s Explorers’ Artic Polar Express, Police Train Heist, Holiday Express, and Central Train Station, there’s certainly a wide selection. (Last year’s trains were too specialized for my liking.)
Fans talk of the need to motorize the trains with that expense, but there’s more. If you don’t already have a Lego train, you need to buy track — at least a large ovals worth! Extra straight tracks and a pair of turnouts would add much to the play value. This year’s trains come with only tiny sections of track and this strange track re-railer. The latter certainly doesn’t exist in the real world, although I can see why Lego provides it. The logical thing for Lego to do would be to include a turnout track with 1-2 straight tracks and then the rerailer, in addition to several pieces of straight track for the main line.
While I’ve read good things about the tram, people who already have a beach on their layout seem to have a hard time integrating it (especially the side builds) into their scenes.
Bottom line, Lego keep those great train sets (and other city sets) coming!
I really like the old style train. I suppose it would be easy to add more cars to make it longer.