Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is a five star train for kids in the 5 to 8 year old range. Older kids may be more interested in the City line trains (7938 and 7939) or the Harry Potter Hogwart's Express train (4841). The City trains, incidentally, are the only ones that come as complete sets with track, motors and remote control devices.
Wow, this is a good looking train! I believe that the photos and box art for the set don't do justice to how it looks when it is built, and how much fun it is to play with. This is an Old West 4-4-0 steam engine, box car, passenger car, and caboose. I would describe the design as more cartoon-like than realistic, with the engine having exaggerated proportions and the cars a tad short. The set includes no track or motor. It is designed as a push train. The engine uses four new drivers (and comes with two extra un-flanged drivers) as well as a cattle-catcher (a new part). The train cars themselves are short but attractively designed. As with the other new trains for 2010, this set is largely brick-built (i.e., few specialized plastic moldings). The set includes Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Rex, and Evil Doctor Pork Chops mini-figures. The passenger car and the caboose are designed with lift-off tops to make it easier to place characters inside, and the box car has a trap door in the roof. The caboose and the passenger car also have doors at each end, but the caboose doors don't open all the way because of the railing. And I find that the engine is not as sturdy as I would like (e.g., the piston cylinders can pivot out of the proper orientation, the cattle catcher comes off when the kids hit objects -- as they are wont to do). The train is not a difficult build, but younger children will likely need some assistance.
Regarding adding a motor, it is possible to use Lego's Power Function (PF) accessories to add one. The easiest way is power the drivers with a motor, place an IR receiver in the engine cab, and a battery in the box car. The problem with this method is that the drivers are large and so even at slow motor speeds, the train goes faster than it should. It is preferable, but more of a hastle, to build a tender and put both the motor and battery box in it. This engine deserves a tender, and a tender's wheels are a more appropriate size for the motor. Wheels, coupling magnets and bricks can be had, piece-by-piece, directly from Lego. Obviously, motorization is really a project for tinkerers, but isn't that what Lego is about? In any case, the major parts that you need are (usually directly from Lego): 88002 (motor), 8884 (IR receiver), 8879 (IR transmitter), and one of the following:
-8878 (rechargeable battery) with 8887 (transformer for recharging)
-88000 (AAA battery box).
Though train buffs will likely be put-off by the design, this set is going to be very, very popular among children. Grandparents, I think this makes a perfect birthday or holiday gift. I do recommend buying track; the engine's wheels are on two bogies, so the whole thing can get a little sideways without it. As of early 2011, Lego discontinued their standard track pack, #7896. Two such sets gave you an oval. 7896 is still available but often at outrageous prices. In place of 7896, Lego currently offers a flex-track pack (#8867, which is enough to make a circle) and a combination straight and flex pack (#7499). I don't believe the flex track is ideal for curves, but it is not clear what Lego's plan is at the moment. There are also switches available (set #7895). If you want to add additional old west structures, you can add 7594, Woody's Roundup (which is a scene in Toy Story 2, not 3).
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LEGO Toy Story Western Train Chase (7597)It's a Wild West train adventure with the Toy Story heroes! Time's running out, partners! The evil Dr. Porkchops has trapped Rex in a boxcar packed with dynamite aboard a runaway train, and it's up to his friends to save him! As Woody bravely battles Pork chops on top of the train, Jessie rides Bullseye in hot pursuit and Buzz flies in for a last second rescue! Rolling Western train features locomotive and three cars with opening doors, roofs and rooftop traps. Includes Buzz Lightyear, Woody, J
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