In surprising post-Toy Fair news, 10194 Emerald Night just showed up on the LEGO Shop website.
The set appears to include several new parts, including large wheels (drivers? Tim?) unavailable to LEGO Train fans for many years except in the form of custom elements from Big Ben Bricks.
It’s unclear (to my untrained eyes, at least) whether this set represents the promised evolution in LEGO Trains after the demise of both 9-volt and RC trains.
UPDATE: And here’s the official word from LEGO (missed it earlier):
February 18, 2009 – In acknowledgement of the many fan blogs and posts in the last week we are writing to confirm that The LEGO Company will be launching the #10194 Emerald Night Train in late March / early April via LEGO Shop at Home and LEGO Brand Retail.
The #10194 will first be unveiled simultaneously at Brickfest PDX in Portland, Oregon and Wunderwelt Modellbau in St. Pölten, Austria on March 27 & 28, 2009.
Attached are approved marketing assets from The LEGO Company that help depict the details for this great new product. Also listed below is some brief product information with pricing for the #10194.
And to think there’s more………but we’re saving that for the fan events on March 27 & 28 as mentioned above.
Look for more information on the #10194 Emerald Night Train in the March 30th issue of the LEGO Shop at Home Catalog and online at www.LEGOshop.com.
#10194 – Emerald Night
Ages 14+
1,085 pieces
Pricing:
US $ 99.99
CA $ 129.99
AU $ 149.99
UK £ 68.50
DE € 89.99
UPDATE 2: And here are some pictures:
Pic 1, pic 2, pic 3, pic 4, pic 5, pic 6, pic 7, pic 8 and more details.
With piston-powered wheels, this train is an all-new LEGO® classic!
Here comes the Emerald Night! Build this incredible classic-styled train with loads of amazing details, from the steam locomotive with furnace to the opening tender and dining car with removable roof, opening doors and detailed interior. Measures 68 cm (27.2 in) long! Includes three minifigures, elements in rare colors and all-new large train wheels with piston motion!
This classically-styled train features a steam locomotive with furnace, opening tender, dining car with removable roof, opening doors and detailed interior!
- Train measures 27.2 inches (68cm) long!
- Lots of authentic touches including elements in rare colors and all-new large train wheels with piston motion!
- Includes 3 minifigures!
It’s dark green after all! great looking new parts too
Mmm looky the new slopes on those front panels either side of the barrel and the barrel itself Cheese slope height.
rubber gaskets on the wheels certainly suggests that power functions will be optional.
Those slopes aren’t new. They’ve been around for at least a year but hard to get in quantity.
Nice one TLC an instant classic. Lets hope they sell the coaches separately as 68cm isn’t long enough.
Dark green FTW!
@Gambort
I thought they were new too, I haven’t seen them. what sets do they come in?
I think those slopes appeared as windshields in the Tiny Turbos sets:
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=61068
Thanks for linking that, Chris. I was in a rush when I commented so didn’t do it myself.
I hope those yellow lines aren’t stickers, but the thing looks very cool indeed.
Two questions in order of difficulty to answer:
1. I thought the stud-in-technic-hole was a prohibited connection for LEGO sets.
2. Is it possible that LEGO actually contracted with Big Ben for the drivers? They do look VERY much like his, and LEGO has been doing more outsourcing lately.