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LEGO Train History & New Metal Train Tracks

There has been some exciting development in the LEGO train hobby. Canadian LEGO customizer Michael Gale recently announced the new FX Track System – a new system of L-Gauge metal tracks compatible with 9V and RC LEGO train tracks. The FX Track System restores all of the key advantages of running LEGO model trains on metal rails, including limitless power without batteries, reliable smooth running, and more options for control.

In the video below, Michael does a really good job at summarizing the history of LEGO trains, the different trains systems LEGO offered over the years, and how the FX Track System fits into this history and the benefits it offers to LEGO train hobbyists. This is really a big deal and LEGO train fans are already excited for the FX Track System.

As mentioned in the video, metal rails have tremendous benefits. They are more durable than plastic rails and resist bending and twisting for better alignment, they avoid environmental impact from disposable batteries and save money from battery replacements, they let you run your trains all day long without having to wait for batteries to recharge, and they deliver more power to the track for heavy and/or fast trains with your choice of DC or DCC power sources.

The FX Track System is made of injection moulded ABS plastic in dark-bluish gray (same as LEGO train tracks). The rails are nickel-plated copper-beryllium alloy, which is corrosion resistant with excellent electrical conductivity. The rails are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use with UV safe plastic and corrosion resistant metal parts, so garden railways are definitely a possibility! And as mentioned above, the system is compatible with LEGO-brand 9V track elements and accessories LEGO-brand RC track elements, and L-Gauge plastic track elements from other manufacturers.

Michael announced in the video that the first element available in the FX Track System is the S32 double length straight track, followed by the R72 curve track. More elements such as the R88 curve track and S8 straight track will follow later in the year. If you would like to check out what’s currently available and what’s coming, visit the FXBricks.com online store.

By the way, the people behind FX Bricks are well known and highly trusted in the LEGO fan community. Michael Gale is the founder of FXBricks.com with a background in hardware and software engineering, and he also runs his own personal website, BrickDimensions.com. Jason Allemann is the co-founder of FXBricks.com also with a background in software engineering, and he is well known for his amazing kinetic LEGO creations which you can see at his website, JKBrickWorks.com.

If you have been dreaming about setting up a working LEGO train layout that doesn’t require batteries, I encourage you to take a look at the FX Track system. I think you will like it. And if you are new to LEGO trains, there are also several currently available LEGO train sets to get your started. The #60197 LEGO City Passenger Train, the #60198 LEGO City Cargo Train, and the #71044 LEGO Disney Train and Station comes with a full circle of tracks as well as battery-operated electrical components to make the trains run. The #75955 LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Express and the #10277 LEGO Creator Crocodile Locomotive do not include powered elements or tracks, but they could be motorized fairly easily. You can find them at the LEGO Trains section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? Are you excited about the new custom metal tracks? What other components would you like to see added to the system? And how did you like the video about the history of LEGO trains? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!

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In December of last year, the LEGO Group marked the 25th anniversary of its first ever video game with the release of the popular Bits N’ Bricks podcast series. Now, the company marks another important date with the release of the fully remastered LEGO Universe (Original Game Soundtrack) to purchase and streaming for the first time ever. The soundtrack is accompanied by three episodes of the Bits N’ Bricks podcast looking back at the game’s development, with the first episode focusing on conversations with composer Brian Tyler, producer Richard Dekkard, as well as a brief visit from the voice of LEGO Universe: Sir Patrick Stewart. Details below.

LEGO Universe was the company’s first ever massively multiplayer online game launched in October 2010, with a soundtrack composed by Brian Tyler and additional music by John Harman and Richard Dekkard. Now a celebrated Hollywood composer, Tyler has composed soundtracks for huge blockbuster smashes including Avengers: Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3. The soundtrack to LEGO Universe was the first video game soundtrack he composed following soundtracks for classic films like Constantine and The Lazarus Project. It was created with the Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, but due to scheduling constraints, Tyler ended up overseeing the entire recording live from a studio in Los Angeles using video and audio streaming between the countries.

The LEGO Universe theme went on to be used at the entrance at LEGOLAND parks across the globe and proved to be very popular with fans. Despite its popularity, the soundtrack has never been available to purchase or stream until now. As the landmark anniversary approached, Tyler and Dekkard came together to completely remaster the score, which the LEGO Group released on February 24th across popular digital music stores and streaming services. The album is also available on YouTube featuring a special behind-the-scenes video retrospective. Patrick Stewart, who served as narrator for the game, also appears in this video.

On the remaster, Tyler said: “I’m really proud of the music and I’m proud of the game. I am asked all the time ‘Is it going to be available? and earnestly thought to myself ‘I hope it is!’ I really wanted that for the fans, so I was not going to miss a beat in terms of helping get this out there to the world.”

To hear more about LEGO Universe’s inception, creation, launch and eventual closure, as well as other key moments in the LEGO Group’s long, rich history in digital play and video games listen to the Bits N’ Bricks podcast. Hosted by journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent, the podcast draws on over 120 interviews and explores the many facets of LEGO gaming, from unreleased projects to beloved masterpieces. You can listen to the podcast at the LEGO Games 25th Anniversary website or your favorite podcast platforms:

The remastered LEGO Universe soundtrack is available on most popular streaming and digital music services:

The YouTube  version of the soundtrack features a continuous mix of in-game and rare behind the scenes footage as well as concept art from the development of the game. The rest of the playlist includes all nine behind-the-scenes episodes.

Besides the podcast episodes and the soundtrack, the LEGO Games 25th Anniversary website features other interesting information as well. Like detailed description of each podcast episode followed by reference links to images, videos and other content, and sample summaries of each podcast episode for those who are unable to hear the podcasts due to hearing challenges. There is also a neat visual timeline, touching on some of the most impactful of the more than 80 main LEGO themed games released over the years.

What do you think? Did you play LEGO Universe when it was available? And how do you like the Remastered soundtrack and other content about LEGO games? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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