Answers.Body: <p>As <a href="https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/10270/6174">jncraton</a> noted LEGO is going through a transitional time now.  Sadly trains are not a huge portion of their sales so it tends to ebb and flow through time anyway.  So if you want a train definitely grab it while it is for sale widely.  If you wait a year or two it could be gone or harder to find.</p>
  
  <p>There are other options however...</p>
  
  <h1>Buy new trains on the aftermarket</h1>
  
  <p>You can spend crazy money on old LEGO trains.  But there are recent trains that are available at reasonable prices:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=60051-1#T=S&amp;O=%7B%22cond%22:%22N%22,%22ii%22:0,%22iconly%22:0%7D" rel="noreferrer">60051-1 High-speed Passenger Train</a> is from a few years ago and the previous "generation" of the electronics.  It is available for $100 at this point in time.</li>
  <li><a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=10233-1#T=S&amp;O=%7B%22iconly%22:0%7D" rel="noreferrer">10233-1  Horizon Express</a> is a bit older and still available from a variety of folks.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Be careful to not go too far back.  If you go far enough back track is different and you will run into compatibility issues.  The first book I mention in the next section does a good job of going through the history, but it doesn't get into the 2018 trains or their electronics.</p>
  
  <h1>Build with instructions</h1>
  
  <p>There are a <a href="https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Books?query=trains" rel="noreferrer">few books</a> on building trains in LEGO:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1593278195-1/The-LEGO-Trains-Book" rel="noreferrer">https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1593278195-1/The-LEGO-Trains-Book</a></p>
  
  <p><img src="https://images.brickset.com/sets/large/ISBN1593278195-1.jpg?201807250846" alt="The LEGO Trains Book"></p>
  
  <p>I've got the one above.  It goes into part by part detail on several train and train car designs.  The designs are flexible in that you can change the colors.  There are folks who make labels that compatible with these designs as well.  I haven't managed to build any of these yet, but I'm working on gathering the parts. </p>
  
  <p>There's another book that came out this year: <a href="https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1513261134-1/Build-It!-Trains" rel="noreferrer">https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1513261134-1/Build-It!-Trains</a> </p>
  
  <p><img src="https://images.brickset.com/sets/large/ISBN1513261134-1.jpg?201805270840" alt="Build It! Trains"></p>
  
  <p>I don't have this one yet, but it looks like it has potential.  When it arrives I'll edit this somehow.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-20T07:22:53.690Z
Answers.Text: Anyone coming to this with detailed and functional trains in mind should keep in mind that the second book consists of LEGO Classic style toy trains that aren't at all like the proper train sets. For Classic style builders, those just getting started, and young kids - its target audience - it's indeed a good starting point for getting a feel of how to build a simple push train with carriages and everything. As long as you know what you're getting into, it does look promising.
Answers.UserDisplayName: LegoSonicBoy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-05-30T00:55:28.743Z
Answers.Text: Funnily enough, not 1 year later and Horizon Express used sets have already vanished from BrickLink   :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Henrique de Sousa
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-19T22:07:31.177Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-08-19T22:07:31.177Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: chicks
Answers.Body: <p>Those are the two City-themed trains that are currently available. LEGO is currently transitioning to a new electrical system for trains, so that may explain the relatively low number of trains available. There are a couple of other trains available if you are interested in something outside of the City theme.</p>
  
  <p>There's <a href="https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Winter-Holiday-Train-10254" rel="noreferrer">Winter Holiday Train (10254)</a>:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/vTDBk.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/vTDBk.png" alt="10254"></a></p>
  
  <p>And also the new <a href="https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Hogwarts-Express-75955" rel="noreferrer">Hogwart's Express(75955)</a> (currently backordered):</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/vzVjc.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/vzVjc.png" alt="75955"></a></p>
  
  <p>These are just the sets currently available directly from TLG. LEGO has produced many, many trains over the years. You can find out-of-production train sets on secondary markets such as <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&amp;catString=124&amp;itemBrand=1000&amp;catType=S&amp;v=1" rel="noreferrer">Bricklink</a> or eBay.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-20T07:24:28.913Z
Answers.Text: Is 75955 backordered in a lot of markets? It's nowhere to be found in Singapore where I live (and I hear it's even a Toys "R" Us exclusive!), though I'm really just holding out for the availability of those large spoked wheels locally on BrickLink in any case...
Answers.UserDisplayName: LegoSonicBoy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-20T08:06:52.227Z
Answers.Text: Oh and it doesn't help that, for whatever reason, the price difference between 60197 and 60198 is USD 70 but SGD 50, which makes, locally, either 60197 terrible value or 60198 great value depending on how I look at it, especially considering the fact that I'm more into passenger trains. (I won't be purchasing the more affordable 60051 as I've already made the decision to start right off the bat with Powered Up.)
Answers.UserDisplayName: LegoSonicBoy
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-19T21:33:07.133Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-08-19T21:33:07.133Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Answers.Body: <p>The components to motorize trains with the new "Powered Up" system should be available by the end of this year. So you could pick-up some older trains and motorize them yourself at a given point... I did so recently with 10219 Maersk train (2011 set, hard to find, expensive) and components salvaged from the new train and I believe the result is fabulous.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-22T10:26:06.457Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-08-22T10:26:06.457Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael Verschaeve
Body: <p>I want to get started on LEGO trains. However when I look up which trains sets are available <a href="https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/city/products/train" rel="noreferrer">I find only two</a>:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><a href="https://brickset.com/sets/60198-1/Cargo-Train" rel="noreferrer">60198 Cargo Train</a></li>
  <li><a href="https://brickset.com/sets/60197-1" rel="noreferrer">60197 Passenger Train</a></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Does that mean I can only buy two different trains for my railway? That seems very limiting.  What am I missing here? Are there more trains available?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-08-19T21:26:13.333Z
Comments.Text: Welcome to Bricks.SE!
Comments.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2018-08-19T21:36:26.140Z
Comments.Text: Don't forget the instructions that come in the box are just suggestions of what to do with the bricks. You can buy more pieces and build what ever you want. You're only limited by your imagination.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Craig
Tags: <shopping><trains>
Title: Are only two new train sets available in August 2018?
UserDisplayName: Bjarke Freund-Hansen
ThreadText: # Are only two new train sets available in August 2018?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-19)
  
  I want to get started on LEGO trains. However when I look up which trains sets are available [I find only two](https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/city/products/train):
  
  * [60198 Cargo Train](https://brickset.com/sets/60198-1/Cargo-Train)
  * [60197 Passenger Train](https://brickset.com/sets/60197-1)
  
  Does that mean I can only buy two different trains for my railway? That seems very limiting. What am I missing here? Are there more trains available?
  
  **Tags:** shopping, trains
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Welcome to Bricks.SE!  
  > **username_2**: Don't forget the instructions that come in the box are just suggestions of what to do with the bricks. You can buy more pieces and build what ever you want. You're only limited by your imagination.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2018-08-19. Score: 9
  
  As [username_1](https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/10270/6174) noted LEGO is going through a transitional time now. Sadly trains are not a huge portion of their sales so it tends to ebb and flow through time anyway. So if you want a train definitely grab it while it is for sale widely. If you wait a year or two it could be gone or harder to find.
  
  There are other options however...
  
  # Buy new trains on the aftermarket
  
  You can spend crazy money on old LEGO trains. But there are recent trains that are available at reasonable prices:
  
  * [60051-1 High-speed Passenger Train](https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=60051-1#T=S&O=%7B%22cond%22:%22N%22,%22ii%22:0,%22iconly%22:0%7D) is from a few years ago and the previous "generation" of the electronics. It is available for $100 at this point in time.
  * [10233-1 Horizon Express](https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=10233-1#T=S&O=%7B%22iconly%22:0%7D) is a bit older and still available from a variety of folks.
  
  Be careful to not go too far back. If you go far enough back track is different and you will run into compatibility issues. The first book I mention in the next section does a good job of going through the history, but it doesn't get into the 2018 trains or their electronics.
  
  # Build with instructions
  
  There are a [few books](https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Books?query=trains) on building trains in LEGO:
  
  <https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1593278195-1/The-LEGO-Trains-Book>
  
  ![The LEGO Trains Book](https://images.brickset.com/sets/large/ISBN1593278195-1.jpg?201807250846)
  
  I've got the one above. It goes into part by part detail on several train and train car designs. The designs are flexible in that you can change the colors. There are folks who make labels that compatible with these designs as well. I haven't managed to build any of these yet, but I'm working on gathering the parts.
  
  There's another book that came out this year: <https://brickset.com/sets/ISBN1513261134-1/Build-It!-Trains>
  
  ![Build It! Trains](https://images.brickset.com/sets/large/ISBN1513261134-1.jpg?201805270840)
  
  I don't have this one yet, but it looks like it has potential. When it arrives I'll edit this somehow.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: Anyone coming to this with detailed and functional trains in mind should keep in mind that the second book consists of LEGO Classic style toy trains that aren't at all like the proper train sets. For Classic style builders, those just getting started, and young kids - its target audience - it's indeed a good starting point for getting a feel of how to build a simple push train with carriages and everything. As long as you know what you're getting into, it does look promising.  
  > **username_5**: Funnily enough, not 1 year later and Horizon Express used sets have already vanished from BrickLink   :)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-08-19. Score: 9
  
  Those are the two City-themed trains that are currently available. LEGO is currently transitioning to a new electrical system for trains, so that may explain the relatively low number of trains available. There are a couple of other trains available if you are interested in something outside of the City theme.
  
  There's [Winter Holiday Train (10254)](https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Winter-Holiday-Train-10254):
  
  [![10254](https://i.sstatic.net/vTDBk.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/vTDBk.png)
  
  And also the new [Hogwart's Express(75955)](https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Hogwarts-Express-75955) (currently backordered):
  
  [![75955](https://i.sstatic.net/vzVjc.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/vzVjc.png)
  
  These are just the sets currently available directly from TLG. LEGO has produced many, many trains over the years. You can find out-of-production train sets on secondary markets such as [Bricklink](https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&catString=124&itemBrand=1000&catType=S&v=1) or eBay.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: Is 75955 backordered in a lot of markets? It's nowhere to be found in Singapore where I live (and I hear it's even a Toys "R" Us exclusive!), though I'm really just holding out for the availability of those large spoked wheels locally on BrickLink in any case...  
  > **username_4**: Oh and it doesn't help that, for whatever reason, the price difference between 60197 and 60198 is USD 70 but SGD 50, which makes, locally, either 60197 terrible value or 60198 great value depending on how I look at it, especially considering the fact that I'm more into passenger trains. (I won't be purchasing the more affordable 60051 as I've already made the decision to start right off the bat with Powered Up.)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2018-08-22. Score: 3
  
  The components to motorize trains with the new "Powered Up" system should be available by the end of this year. So you could pick-up some older trains and motorize them yourself at a given point... I did so recently with 10219 Maersk train (2011 set, hard to find, expensive) and components salvaged from the new train and I believe the result is fabulous.
  
  
  ---
  
  