Push-Along Passenger Steam Train Our community, 342 want it Diesel Freight Train Set Our community, 314 want it Electric Goods Train Set Our community, 416 want it Inter-City Passenger Train Set Our community, 711 want it Steam Engine with Tender Our community, 466 want it Our community, 513 want it Our community, 315 want it Our community, 410 want it Our community, 418 want it Our community, 312 want it Our community, 429 want it Our community, 578 want it Our community, 425 want itFinding the Missing Bricks: Rebuilding Vintage Lego Train Kits imageLego introduced its first train series in 1966 with set number 080. In the years since, the Lego Train product line expanded considerably, which made it necessary for Lego to retire old sets in order to...Read More about Finding the Missing Bricks: Rebuilding Vintage Lego Train Kits12V was a voltage standard for LEGO Trains sets from 1969 until 1993. In contrast to the older battery powered 4.5V standard, the power of the 12V system came from a mains powered DC Transformer delivered by add-on center conductor rails.
In order to reach the newer 12V standard, the older – but still co-existing – 4.5V Trains system could be upgraded by using different 12V Trains accessories. Beside the train electricity itself, the 12V Trains system was able to power and control many extendable components, such as automated track accessories or lights. No futher 12V sets were released after 1986, and the 12V powered trains were replaced by 9V trains in 1993.The very first train set, 323 Train, was released in 1965, without any track. It had ordinary road wheels. It was released only during that year, because in 1966 the LEGO Group introduced the first sets with track and battery powered motors. LEGO 4.5V Trains were first introduced in 1966. They had blue rails and white sleepers (standard 8 x 2 plates), and the locomotives used the standard 4-wheel drive LEGO 4.5V motor unit. The wheels were flanged train wheels with rubber rims for traction, that were pushed into the motors. The batteries were carried behind the engine in a tender, or in a battery box built into the engine in the earlier sets.
Since 1969, there was also a 12V train program, which used additional conductor rails mounted between the standard 4.5V rails, and 12V motors contained in the same housings as the 4.5V motors, but with additional metal contacts attached to the bottom of the housings. This first period of the 4.5V and 12V trains, sometimes called the Blue Era because of the rails colour, lasted from 1966 till 1979. The second era (1980 - 1990), also called Grey Era, is characterized by dark Grey ties (sleepers) and light grey rails. Wheels were red or black. Both 4.5V (battery powered) and 12V (DC powered using add-on centre conductor rails) sets were available during this era, too. By real model train fans, this time is considered as the greatest era of LEGO Trains because of the rich availability of many automated accessories like Remote Controlled Switch Tracks (7858, 7859), Remote Controlled Signals (7860), Remote Controlled Road Crossing (7866) or Remote Controlled Decoupling (7862) - those remote controls could be combined with the Transformer / Speed Controller to a large extendible keyboard for controlling all functions from one central position.
In addition to this the world around the trains could be illuminated by some electric lights (7867) - for a bright flair even beyond the rails. The introduction of 9V-trains in 1991 marked the end of the earlier two voltages. This third era is characterized by integral moulded dark Grey rail/tie assemblies with metal conducting rails. Later the former outstanding standard Trains theme was integrated in the LEGO World City theme line. The 9V era was finished with a special experts model of the Factory line called Hobby Trains in 2006. In the same year LEGO Company introduced the new completely different RC system. These trains get their energy from batteries on board and are controlled via a Infrared remote control. For these trains, new non-electricity tracks (7896, 7895) were introduced. From now the Trains theme became part of the LEGO City theme line. In 2009 the special edition engine Emerald Night was released which had lovely designed details like new steam train type wheels.
With the set came many new Train Accessories based on Power Functions including Power Functions Rechargeable Battery Box, Power Functions IR Receiver, Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control and Transformer 10VDC. In 2010 the change from the unpopular first RC system to the more efficient PF system was be completed with the introduction of the very first completely Power Functions based train sets. Not mentioned here are DUPLO Trains and the Monorail-system.How to Make 9V and 12V Lego Train Tracks *-* Click images for Huge Pictures Intro: Make Plastic Lego Train Tracks Backwards Compatible with 9V and 12V Tracks Step One: Supplies Needed The only supplies you'll need are Lego track and some foil tape. (if you don't want to use real track, there's another method here using 'O' gauge model railroad track that looks like a lot of work) The foil tape can be had at any real hobby supply store or stained glass shop. This foil tape is actually meant to be used between pieces of glass and then soldered
If you don't want copper colored tracks you can buy stainless steel or aluminum foil tape (I don't mind copper tracks, but I'm sure others will disagree). I have found aluminum "flashing" tape at hardware stores, if you have a lathe or infinite patience you can cut this up into strips the correct width and then you'll have silver track. Otherwise stainless steel foil tape looks common online, I haven't ordered any but you can certainly look around. New All Plastic Lego Train Track ***A note on the tape - I purchased mine from "Hobby Lobby" at ~$6 for 36 yards (7/32" wide) of copper strip. an adhesive on one side and is plain copper on the other. The important thing is that you get the cheap stuff and not the heavy adhesive or black/silver backed tape, as it will not conduct if you need to tape a section to another section (as you'll probably have to do for switch tracks, etc) I know this foil is also sold without adhesive, so make sure you get the correct Step Two: Check out the Track and the Train Motor